“A dynamic event with nearly 500 years of history”

Gijisi Juldarigi, with 450 years of history, is held to prevent bad fortunes in Gijisi-ri, Songak-myeon and pray for peace and prosperity.

Juldarigi (tug-of-war) is played to pass on the folk culture, and for the local people to build solidarity and motivate themselves to increase farming production.
The event is held in early March in the lunar calendar every leap year, and Yongwang (Dragon King) and Dang rituals are performed in the normal year.

During the festival, a tug-of-war in addition to various other folk games and sporting events take place throughout Gijisi-ri. It has become a national festival that attracts the local residents of Dangjin and tourists from all over the country.

The rope used in Gijisi Juldarigi is massive, being around 200m long and 1m in diameter (1.8m at the heads), and weighing around 40 tons. It’s so big and heavy that dozens of smaller ropes are attached to the sides of main rope to carry it, and this is why its appearance is reminiscent of a centipede. Gijisiri Juldarigi is preserved and passed on, through the efforts of the Gijisi Juldarigi Preservation Society and the Gijisi Juldarigi Festival Executive Committee.