Ulsan Taehwagang Madhui Festival 2026 How to enjoy: big rope pulling, water experience, transportation
Taehwagang Madhui Festivalis a festival held together with traditional tug-of-war in the original downtown of Jung-gu, Ulsan, and summer content at the Taehwa River. ‘Maduhee’ is a folk game derived from the community tug-of-war culture of Ulsan that appears in records from the late Joseon Dynasty, and has now developed into a summer cultural and tourism festival that combines tug-of-war, water experiences, performances, and night food festivals.
Basic information about the 2026 Taehwagang Madhui Festival
The 2026 festival is From Friday, June 19 to Sunday, June 21, 2026 It opens. Based on VisitKorea, the location is 518 Taehwagangbuk Bicycle Road, Jung-gu, Ulsan Metropolitan City, Seongnam-dong areaAccording to the official information, the festival will be held in various spaces, including the original downtown of Jung-gu, Ulsan, the Clock Tower, Culture Street, Dongheon, and the banks of the Taehwa River. Admission and main participation fees are free, but there may be an on-site fee for food and some experiences.
A must-see program
The most iconic scene is Ulsan big rope puller ‘Maduhee’It is. It will be held on Saturday, June 20th from 4 PM to 7 PM in the Clock Tower Intersection and Hakseong-ro sections, and you can feel the atmosphere of Daedong Game in which citizens directly participate along with a large line street march. This is a key time of the festival, so it's best to get there early to take photos or see the procession.
On the Taehwa River side Water tug and survival water games, charters and boats, etc. Taehwa River water experienceThis opens. If you are with children, check out the Cheolbanchalbang water playground and the children's water tug-of-war. There are many water play elements, making it a cool and active festival to enjoy during the day.
How do you enjoy it at night?
In the evening, the atmosphere changes with the Taehwa River Taewhanaru Chicken and Beer Festival, performances, and nighttime content with DJs. If you plan to purchase adult beverages, you must bring your ID. For families, it is convenient to divide the performance times and food areas appropriately. There is also a Taehwa River photo zone and a memory print shop, so it is a good place to take night photos after the day experience.
What to bring and crowd tips
June days in Ulsan can be hot and humid, so a hat, sunscreen, water, and comfortable shoes are essential. If you plan to go on a water adventure or go to a water park, bring a change of clothes, a towel, a waterproof pack, and non-slip sandals. It is difficult to determine the real-time number of visitors as it varies from year to year, but the original downtown roads and the Taehwa Riverside can be very crowded on Saturday afternoons when the big tug of war is held and during the chicken and beer and performance hours at night.
Directions and travel tips
When using a private car, public parking on Culture Street is introduced in the official information, but public transportation is recommended as the festival area is large and traffic may be restricted depending on the time of day. It takes about 40 minutes by car from KTX Ulsan Station to Culture Street, about 15 minutes from Ulsan Intercity Bus Terminal, and about 17 minutes from Taehwagang Station. It is convenient to take buses based on stops in front of Okgyo-dong, Seongnam-dong, and Guulsan Elementary School.
Recommended course
We recommend a course where you can enjoy water experiences and photo zones at Taehwagang Sports Park in the morning and daytime, and then move to the original city center in the afternoon to watch rope pulling and street events. In the evening, you can return to the Taehwa Riverside and enjoy food and performances to experience both the tradition of the festival and the atmosphere of a summer night. If you like active festivals, this is a festival worth adding to your Ulsan travel itinerary in June.
