Rained Out, Then Bumped by an Election, Pohang’s Fireworks Finally Burst Over a November Sea: Pohang International Fireworks Festival and the Space Walk Sunset

Featured photo: Fireworks burst over the sea above crowds packing Yeongildae Beach and the beach road. Photo: Kim Han-sik / KTO Photo Korea (2017 Korea Tourism Photo Contest selection), KOGL Type 1.

At 8 p.m. on Saturday, November 21, teams from France, Japan and Korea fire an hour of fireworks over the sea off Yeongildae Beach in Pohang, North Gyeongsang Province, and the people filling the sand watch every burst twice, once in the sky and once in its reflection on the water. Three hours earlier, on the hill right next door, you climb the “Space Walk,” a steel staircase shaped like a roller coaster, to watch the sunset over Yeongil Bay, and you fill the daytime with mulhoe at Jukdo Market and gwamegi from Guryongpo.

At a glance

• Why November: The Pohang International Fireworks Festival used to be held in late May or early June (May 31 to June 2, 2024, at Yeongildae). Last year’s festival at Hyeongsan River Sports Park on June 21, 2025, lost its main international fireworks show and drone show a few hours before they began, when a heavy rain advisory covered all of Pohang (Wikitree, Hankook Ilbo). This year the original late-May date was pushed to November by the June 3 local elections (Seoul Economic TV, November 1, 2026). So this year’s international show happens on the late-autumn sea at Yeongildae.
• Schedule: Thursday, November 19 to Saturday, November 21, around Yeongildae Beach and Songdo Pier, free admission. On the 19th, the Songdo Pier media facade lighting ceremony and a citizens’ fireworks show. On the 20th at 7 p.m., the Night Carnival parade (about 1.5 km over Haeoreum Bridge) and the Asia DJ Festival. On the 21st, after the Bulbit Radio show and a citizens’ choir festival, about an hour of international fireworks and Korea’s grand finale from 8 p.m. (Maeil Business, November 1, 2026; Seoul Economic TV). The Ministry of Culture’s festival listing gives operating hours of 6–10 p.m. (Naver blog, November 2, 2026). The Pohang Cultural Foundation’s minute-by-minute timetable hadn’t been released as of November 2.
• Cable TV: Cable channel kt HCN broadcasts the international fireworks show on the 21st (Hans Economy, October 28, 2026).
• Parking and shuttles: Yeongildae’s public lots normally hold just over 100 cars across lots 1 and 2 (Naver blog, November 2, 2026, citing Pohang City). At the 2024 festival, the city ran temporary lots and shuttle buses, adding four buses at peak hours (6 p.m. to midnight) for 236 runs a day (O News, 2024). This year’s temporary parking, shuttles and road closures are announced just before the festival, so check Pohang City and Pohang Cultural Foundation notices.
• What to wear on a November night by the sea: The fireworks start three hours after sunset, and you’ll sit on a beach facing the sea wind for over an hour. Bring a down jacket, a scarf, hand warmers and a mat for the sand.

Also read: Busan Hotel Rooms Cost Six Times More Tonight, but the Best Fireworks View Is Free on a Hill: Busan Fireworks Festival 2026 at Gwangalli

Getting there

• From Myeongdong: Subway Line 4 from Myeongdong Station to Seoul Station (two stops, about 5 minutes), then a KTX to Pohang Station: 16 trains a day, 2 hours 15 minutes on the fastest, from 53,600 won (about $40.50) (Naver blog, 2026 timetable).
• From Incheon Airport: Take the AREX airport railroad to Seoul Station (about an hour on the all-stop train), then the same KTX. There’s also a direct airport bus from Terminal 1 or 2 to Pohang Intercity Bus Terminal, about 5 hours.
• Pohang Station to Yeongildae: Pohang Station is in Heunghae-eup, north of downtown. It’s 20 to 30 minutes to Yeongildae by city bus, with buses about every 40 minutes, so check arrival times in a map app (Naver blog, October 2026). With two or more people, a taxi is faster.

Top 10 things to do on Pohang Fireworks Festival weekend

1. Watch the international fireworks from Yeongildae Beach (experience)

From 8 p.m. on Saturday the 21st, for about an hour, the French team mixes fireworks with lighting and lasers, the Japanese team brings delicate pyrotechnics, and Korea’s Hanwha team closes with the grand finale (Maeil Business, November 1, 2026). The sea off Yeongildae sits inside the bay, so the water is calm and the fireworks reflect clearly on its surface.

• Price: Free.
• Where to sit: The classic spot is the central sand of Yeongildae Beach, with a wide view of the sea that puts the fireworks and their reflection in one frame. For a spot a little off to the side, try the beach promenade by the Yeongildae Rose Garden; for a high view, Hwanho Park’s hill to the north is often recommended (Naver blog, November 2, 2026).
• Waiting tip: The 2024 festival drew 250,000 people over three days (O News, Daekyung Ilbo). On the main night, the front of the beach fills before sunset. Claim a spot with a mat around 4 or 5 p.m., and visit the Space Walk (No. 4) in between.
• Getting home: The coastal road jams all at once around 9 p.m. when it ends. Unless your hotel is near Yeongildae, wait about 30 minutes in a beach cafe instead of leaving right away.

• Sources: Maeil Business, November 1, 2026, Seoul Economic TV, November 1, 2026, 2026 Pohang festival schedule, spots and parking, November 2, 2026, O News: 250,000 visitors and shuttles in 2024

2. Opening night: the Songdo Pier media facade and citizens’ fireworks (experience)

The festival opens on Thursday the 19th not at Yeongildae but at Songdo Pier, south of the Hyeongsan River mouth, with a media facade lighting ceremony and a citizens’ fireworks show (Korea Economic Daily, October 28, 2026). It’s smaller than the main night, but far less crowded, which suits weekday travelers avoiding the weekend crush.

• Price: Free.
• Tip: From Songdo, you can cross straight to Yeongildae over Haeoreum Bridge (1.36 km), which opened provisionally in February and fully in June this year. The Haeoreum Observatory, open since July 27, gives you one more look at the Yeongil Bay night view (Naver blog, October 2026).

• Sources: Korea Economic Daily, October 28, 2026, Haeoreum Bridge and Observatory guide

3. The Night Carnival parade on Haeoreum Bridge (experience)

From 7 p.m. on Friday the 20th, Pohang’s 29 towns and neighborhoods and local groups march about 1.5 km across the new Haeoreum Bridge (Maeil Business, November 1, 2026). Because the parade runs over the bridge, you can watch from either end, the Yeongildae side in Buk-gu or the Songdo side in Nam-gu. The Asia DJ Festival follows the same night (Seoul Economic TV).

• Price: Free. Tip: Plan two days, Friday night parade then Saturday fireworks, and you catch both of the festival’s big moments.

• Source: Maeil Business, November 1, 2026

4. Sunset over Yeongil Bay from the Space Walk stairs (experience)

On the hill in Hwanho Park, the Space Walk is a sculpture you climb yourself: a steel track curving like a roller coaster rail. It’s 60 m wide and 25 m tall, with a 333 m track and 717 steps, and since opening in November 2021 it passed 4 million visitors this June (Naver blog, October 27, 2026, citing Pohang City). The track sways slightly as you walk, and through the mesh under your feet you see Yeongil Bay and the city.

• Price: Free admission and parking, no reservation.
• November (winter) hours: Weekdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekends and holidays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed the first Monday of every month (Naver blog, October 27, 2026). On Saturday, November 21, it’s open until 6 p.m., so you can stay on the track until just after sunset.
• Rules: 150 people at a time, no visitors 110 cm tall or under, and the entrance closes automatically in rain or winds over 8 m per second. The 360-degree loop section is off-limits.
• Tip: The floor is mesh, so skip skirts and wear sneakers. A phone strap is a must. On November evenings the steps can be icy and slippery. Sunset is a little after 5 p.m., so go up around 4:30 p.m. on Saturday to catch the sunset and the first lights together.

• Sources: Space Walk winter hours and rules, October 27, 2026, Energy Economy, October 26, 2026

5. The Space Walk lit up at night (photo spot)

You can only walk the track during opening hours, but Pohang City says you can view and photograph the sculpture 24 hours a day (Naver blog, October 27, 2026). After dark, white lights come on along the edges of the track, and the steel structure looks like a line drawn in the air. It’s on the Korea Tourism Organization’s list of 100 top night tourism spots.

• Tip: Shoot upward with a wide-angle lens from the plaza below to fit the whole track in one frame.
• Parking: Cars can’t drive up to the Space Walk. From the art museum lot by Hwanho Park’s main gate or the park’s large lot, it’s a 6 to 12 minute uphill walk.

From above, the track sits on the edge of a hill facing the sea, and at night the same line turns into light.

• Sources: Space Walk guide, October 27, 2026, Space Walk night view review

6. A pavilion on the sea: the Yeongildae Sea Pavilion (see)

A hanok pavilion stands on the sea, linked by a bridge to the middle of Yeongildae Beach. By day, walk to the end of the bridge for views of the beach and the coastline toward the POSCO steelworks; at night the pavilion lights up and anchors a beach walk. Fireworks bursting behind the pavilion is the classic Pohang fireworks shot (the second photo above).

• Price: Free. Tip: On fireworks night the bridge and pavilion may be closed for safety (Naver blog, November 2, 2026). Get your pavilion photos by day or on the nights of the 19th and 20th.

• Source: 2026 Pohang festival best spots

7. Mulhoe and snow crab at Jukdo Market (eat)

When Pohang locals say “if you came to Pohang, have mulhoe,” they mean Jukdo Market in the middle of town. Pohang-style mulhoe is finely sliced raw fish in a chili-paste broth, and some places serve it without the usual slush ice. A bowl at the market runs about 20,000 won (about $15.10) as of September 2026 (Naver blog, visit on September 26, 2026). In the snow crab alley deeper in the market, many restaurants sell two-person courses of steamed Bakdal snow crab (Naver blog, visit on October 4, 2026). Ask the price per kilogram before ordering, as it changes daily.

• Tip: About 10 minutes by car from Yeongildae. Beachside restaurants are packed on festival evening, so have Saturday lunch at Jukdo Market and move to Yeongildae in the afternoon.

• Sources: Jukdo Market mulhoe review, September 2026, Jukdo Market snow crab course review, October 2026

8. This season’s fresh gwamegi (eat)

Gwamegi is Pohang’s winter delicacy: Pacific saury (herring in the old days) frozen and thawed again and again in the winter sea wind until it dries. You wrap it in seaweed, napa cabbage or sea mustard with scallion and garlic. This year’s Guryongpo gwamegi started shipping on October 19 (a Guryongpo producer’s notice). Last year, a “durum” of 20 cost 23,000 won (about $17.40) at the source, and a plate at a Pohang restaurant about 30,000 won (about $22.60) (Naver blog, October 25, 2026). This year’s catch of deep-sea saury is down, so prices may rise.

• Tip: If it’s your first time, choose saury gwamegi, which is less fishy, and the pre-trimmed “baejigi” style. Late November is just the start of peak season (late November to February). Buy it at Jukdo Market, or pass the drying racks along the shore on the way to Guryongpo (No. 9). For the full gwamegi experience, see my Guryongpo Gwamegi Festival guide.

• Sources: Gwamegi season 2026 timing and prices, October 25, 2026, Guryongpo producer’s shipping notice

9. Guryongpo Japanese House Street and the “When the Camellia Blooms” alley (K-drama moment)

This alley is lined with two-story wooden houses where Japanese fishermen lived in the early 1900s, and it’s where the KBS drama “When the Camellia Blooms” (2019), starring Gong Hyo-jin and Kang Ha-neul, was filmed. The spot where Dong-baek’s bar Camellia stood is now a cafe selling camellia bread and a photo zone, and the stairs painted with camellias are the place for your proof-you-were-here photo (Naver blog, October 2026).

• Price: The street is free.
• Tip: The Guryongpo Gwamegi Festival at Ara Plaza is on November 7–8, so it doesn’t overlap with the fireworks weekend.

• Sources: Guryongpo Camellia cafe visit, October 2026, Guryongpo Japanese House Street review

10. Homigot’s Hand of Harmony and the National Lighthouse Museum (see)

At Homigot, the eastern tip of the Korean Peninsula, a giant bronze hand rises from the sea, and a matching left hand faces it on the plaza. It’s the top spot for the year’s first sunrise, so it’s packed on December 31, but quiet in November. Next door, the National Lighthouse Museum is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last entry 5:30 p.m.), closed Mondays, with free admission and parking (Gyeongbuk Nadri official blog).

• Tip: It’s a short drive from Guryongpo (No. 9), so do both on Sunday morning. It’s the windiest spot around, so hold on to your hat.

• Source: National Lighthouse Museum guide, Gyeongbuk Nadri official blog

Nearby

• Igari Anchor Observatory: A deck shaped like an anchor stretches out to sea from the coastal cliffs of Cheongha-myeon, north of Yeongildae. Open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from September to May, free admission and parking (Naver blog, October 2026). On many days the water below looks jade green.

• Pohang Canal Cruise: A boat ride along the canal linking the Hyeongsan River and Dongbin Inner Harbor, out to the sea and back. Adults 15,000 won (about $11.30), children 12,000 won (about $9.10), daytime sailings 10:20 a.m. to 4:50 p.m. (Naver blog, 2026, citing the official website).

• Homi Peninsula Coastal Trail: Boardwalks follow the rocky coast from Yeonorang Seonyeo Theme Park to Homigot. Walk just one stretch on your way to Homigot.

• Gyeongju: Many visitors head on to Gyeongju the day after the fireworks for Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond and Bulguksa Temple.

• Sources: Igari Anchor Observatory review, October 2026, Pohang cruise fares and hours

Where to stay

On the night of the 21st, cars and taxis flood the coastal road at once after the fireworks, so a hotel within walking distance of Yeongildae Beach is easiest. Festival-weekend rates climb fast, so lock in a free-cancellation rate first (Naver blog, November 2026).

Stay	Location	Rate per night (approx.)	Why
Lahan Hotel Pohang (formerly Best Western Pohang)	Right on the north end of Yeongildae Beach	Check booking sites	Every room faces the sea; check which way your room looks toward the fireworks
Pohang Yeongildae Beach Hotel	3 minutes’ walk to the beach	From 115,000 won (about $86.80, low-floor superior); one search showed 207,000 won (about $156.30)	Ocean-view rooms; watch for festival price jumps
Motels and guesthouses behind Yeongildae Beach	Behind the coastal road in Duho-dong	Check booking sites	Walk to the sand, no stress about a late trip home
Hotels near Pohang Station	KTX Pohang Station, Heunghae-eup	Check booking sites	For catching the first KTX home on Sunday morning

• Sources: Pohang Yeongildae Beach Hotel fireworks stay review, Pohang festival schedule and hotels, Lahan Hotel Pohang review. Recheck room rates by date on booking sites.

A sample weekend (November 21–22)

• Sat 8:00–10:15 a.m.: KTX from Seoul Station to Pohang Station
• 11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.: Mulhoe lunch at Jukdo Market and a taste of gwamegi (Nos. 7 and 8)
• 2:00–4:00 p.m.: Daytime walk to the Yeongildae Sea Pavilion (No. 6), then claim a spot on the beach
• 4:30–6:00 p.m.: Space Walk sunset and first lights (Nos. 4 and 5)
• 6:30–8:00 p.m.: Bulbit Radio and the citizens’ choir festival, dinner from beach takeout
• 8:00–9:00 p.m.: International fireworks and Korea’s grand finale (No. 1)
• Sun 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.: Homigot’s Hand of Harmony (No. 10), then Guryongpo Japanese House Street and the “When the Camellia Blooms” alley (No. 9)
• Afternoon: Igari Anchor Observatory or the Pohang Canal Cruise (Nearby), then the KTX home from Pohang Station
• If you come a day early on Friday: Add the 7 p.m. Night Carnival on Haeoreum Bridge on the 20th (No. 3)

Pohang’s fireworks were put out by rain in June 2025 and stopped in front of an election day this May. The third date on the calendar is a November Saturday night that calls for a down jacket, and this time all it needs is a calm sea.

Sources

• Maeil Business, November 1, 2026: fireworks across Korea this November, Seoul Economic TV, November 1, 2026: Pohang City safety check, Korea Economic Daily, October 28, 2026, Hans Economy, October 28, 2026: cable broadcast
• 2025 cancellation: Wikitree, Hankook Ilbo, October 24, 2025, Chosun Ilbo, October 10, 2025; 2024 festival: Daekyung Ilbo, O News
• Transportation: Seoul–Pohang KTX timetable and fares, 2026, Pohang Station to Yeongildae
• Naver blog visits and guides (prices, hours, hotels): see the links under each item, posts from 2026
• Photos: Korea Tourism Organization, KTO Photo Korea, KOGL Type 1 (photographer credited on each photo)
• Currency conversion: 1,324.6 won per dollar (Seoul FX market base rate, October 23, 2026). Won prices come from Naver blogs and news reports and may change.