Our own visit (September 26, 2026, during the Chuseok holiday), not sponsored. Venue and programs come from the official festival website (iksanlightfesta.kr); dates, show times and side events from a Newspim report (September 4, 2026); the wooden pagoda recreation from an Asia Today report (August 28, 2026); address and phone from Naver Place (checked October 6, 2026). Food-truck prices are copied from the menu boards on site. The character illustrations are GPT-generated images.
Mireuksaji Media Art in Iksan — The Night the Lost Wooden Pagoda Came Back in Light (Bring a Mat and Sit Up Front)
Our Mireuksaji light festival night 🌙
On a night of the Chuseok holiday
(Korea’s harvest festival),
we went to a light festival
at the Mireuksa Temple Site in Iksan.
Its official name is
’2026 National Heritage Media Art Iksan’
(2026 국가유산 미디어아트 익산).
The wooden pagoda built of light — the whole tower becomes one giant screen
Iksan, Jeonbuk (Mireuksaji)
🗓 Sept 4–27, 2026
Open through the Chuseok holiday
⏰ From 7:30 pm
every 30 min, 4 shows a day
(last one starts at 9:00 pm)
🅿 Arrive 1 hour early
📞 063-859-3873
Sitting on the lawn of the old temple site
under the moonlight,
we watched light pour over
the wooden pagoda in the middle
and the stone pagodas on either side.
This year’s event
ended on September 27,
so this is a record for anyone going next time.
🗼 The wooden pagoda, back in light
From 7:30 to 9:30 pm,
the media art played
every 30 minutes.
There’s a wooden pagoda in the middle
and a stone pagoda on each side,
and lasers and light cast over them
show the stone pagodas’ history and artworks.
Mireuksa’s wooden pagoda
no longer stands today.
The whole giant structure
set up in the middle becomes a screen,
and the pagoda’s shape rises in light.
The show’s official title says it too:
‘Reborn: Return of the Wooden Pagoda’
(Reborn: 목탑의 귀환).
The wooden pagoda rising in light, with light pouring down (GIF)
✨ Light that never stops changing
The visuals change nonstop.
Sometimes a Buddha appears
on the wooden pagoda’s screen,
while the stone pagodas on either side
are dressed in flowers and patterns.
A Buddha on the wooden pagoda's screen, with the stone pagodas lit up on either side
Red lasers also shoot out
from the pagoda in every direction.
According to the official guide,
the laser media façade
that reimagines the east and west
stone pagodas in light
is called ‘Light of the Stone Pagodas.’
The temple site bathed in red, lasers shooting from the wooden pagoda (GIF)
A stone pagoda in pink light — the view from where we sat on the lawn
🌮 Food trucks and chicken delivery
At the venue,
food trucks stood in a row.
The Mexican taco food truck and its menu board
At the Mexican taco truck,
a 6-inch single bulgogi taco was 8,000 won,
a couple’s bulgogi taco 14,000 won,
and a cup-taco set for four 25,000 won.
There was also a truck selling
dakgangjeong (sweet crispy chicken bites)
and wang kolpap (popcorn chicken).
The dakgangjeong & wang kolpap food truck
And
you could even have chicken delivered,
so we had a really tasty meal on the lawn!
🧺 If you go next time
✔ Bring a mat and picnic gear
You watch the show sitting on the lawn.
Some people brought camping chairs, too.
✔ Sit toward the front
The closer you sit, the better you see
the media on the stone pagodas.
From the back you see the whole picture,
but I’d still recommend the front.
✔ Use the restroom early
Once the show ends,
there can be a bit of a line.
✔ Arrive 1 hour early to park
That way you’ll find a spot with time to spare.
The closer you sit
the better the pagoda media looks
(and don't forget a mat)
📋 This year’s event info
2026 National Heritage Media Art Iksan
Venue — Mireuksa Temple Site, Iksan
Dates — Sept 4–27, 2026
(open every day, Chuseok holiday included)
Main show — from 19:30
every 30 min, 4 shows a day
(last one starts at 21:00)
Programs — Reborn: Return of the Wooden Pagoda,
Light of the Stone Pagodas (east & west pagoda lasers),
Wolyeong Mangae (moonlight art installations),
busking · flea market · food trucks
(per the official website and a Newspim report)
👍 Who this is for
✔ Anyone who wants a picnic
on a mat with a night view
✔ Anyone who wants to see
the lost wooden pagoda in light
✔ Anyone looking for
an evening plan on an Iksan trip
It was the night the lost wooden pagoda
stood again in light.
If you go next time, bring a mat,
arrive an hour early,
and grab a spot up front!
Earlier that same day,
we were at the Iksan Jewelry Museum
and the Dinosaur Theme Park.
Our Jewelry Museum & Dinosaur Theme Park post → Read it here
📍 Mireuksa Temple Site, Iksan — open in Naver Map
As of our visit (September 26, 2026, during the Chuseok holiday). This year's event ended on September 27, and the dates and format of the next one may differ. Venue and programs are from the official festival website (iksanlightfesta.kr); dates, show times and side events from a Newspim report of September 4, 2026; the wooden pagoda recreation from an Asia Today report of August 28, 2026; the address and phone number from Naver Place (checked 2026-10-06). Food-truck prices are copied from the menu boards on site. The character illustrations are GPT-generated images.
Translated from our Korean post with AI assistance. Dates, times, prices and other numbers were checked against the Korean original on October 6, 2026. This year's event ended on September 27, 2026, and we have not seen dates for the next one. Original post (Korean)