VOL.99/2026.10

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Buckwheat Blossom Season: Lee Hyo-seok Memorial Hall in Bongpyeong

 

 

2026.09

 

 

September in Bongpyeong and the Lee Hyo-seok Memorial Hall

 

In September, literature comes to life as a vivid landscape in Bongpyeong. Located in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do, Bongpyeong is the setting for Lee Hyo-seok's short story When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom and preserves one of the most lyrical scenes in modern Korean literature. The buckwheat fields, moonlit paths, Bongpyeong Traditional Market, and water mill from the story still leave a deep impression on many readers. Especially in September, when the buckwheat flowers bloom, Bongpyeong enters a season that feels just like watching a novel unfold right before your eyes.

 

 

The Lee Hyo-seok Memorial Hall is a space where visitors can explore the author's life and literary world. Inside the exhibition hall, you can trace his works, literary legacy, and the historical background behind the creation of When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom. What makes the memorial hall truly special is that it extends beyond the display space, blending naturally into the surrounding village landscape. Stepping outside, the paths, fields, streams, and marketplace of Bongpyeong unfold just like the settings in his story. Here, the experience of reading literature expands into the experience of walking through the landscape itself.

 

Located near the memorial hall, Hyoseok Moonlight Hill is a space where visitors can experience Lee Hyo-seok's literary world in greater depth. The site features a restored replica of the author's birthplace, an interactive space dedicated to modern literature, and walking trails offering views of the Bongpyeong landscape. The name “Moonlight” naturally connects to the lyrical quality of When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom. As you stroll through this space, the story's night paths, buckwheat fields, and the tender emotions shared between people come alive with even greater presence.

 

 

What makes September in Bongpyeong even more special is the Pyeongchang Hyoseok Cultural Festival. Held every year when the buckwheat is in bloom, this premier festival honors both Lee Hyo-seok's literary heritage and the distinct character of Bongpyeong. Throughout the festival, the entire region comes alive with buckwheat fields, literary programs, live performances, hands-on activities, and local cuisine. The seamless connection between the Lee Hyo-seok Memorial Hall, Hyoseok Moonlight Hill, the buckwheat fields, and Bongpyeong Traditional Market transforms all of Bongpyeong into a single literary stage.

 

The Bongpyeong Traditional Market and its buckwheat dishes are also key elements that evoke the true spirit of Bongpyeong. The market's vibrant atmosphere, reminiscent of the itinerant vendors in When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom, along with local specialties like buckwheat noodles (memil-guksu), buckwheat crepes (memil-jeonbyeong), and buckwheat pancakes (memil-buchim), creates a natural bridge between the novel's backdrop and present-day Bongpyeong. Here, literature does not remain confined to the pages of a book; it comes alive once more within the town's landscape, the daily lives of its people, its local flavors, and the mood of the season.

 

 

September in Bongpyeong is far more than just a place with beautiful buckwheat blossoms. It is a place where Lee Hyo-seok's literature has become the collective memory of the town, and his iconic story defines an entire region's seasonal landscape. Visiting the Lee Hyo-seok Memorial Hall, wandering through Hyoseok Moonlight Hill and the buckwheat fields, and passing by the bustling Bongpyeong Traditional Market, the lines of When Buckwheat Flowers Bloom naturally linger in mind once again. When the buckwheat is in bloom, Bongpyeong becomes a space where literature comes alive in its most beautiful form.

 

 

 

 

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Editor. Hannah Lee (The Contents Factory Co., Ltd. CEO)

Designing 'More' Innovative Communication and Experiences Through Content