A Nivernais castle transformed into a little piece of Seoul for a day: on June 27, Devay castle will come alive to the rhythm of K-pop, K-beauty stands and traditional Korean games. At the heart of this program, a celebration still little known in France, Dano, one of the major holidays of the Korean calendar.
Behind this apparent K-culture day is in reality an ancestral festival which marks the entry into summer, classified as UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage since 2005. In Korea, Dano is placed on the same level as the Seollal Lunar New Year and Chuseok, the harvest festival, which gives an idea of its importance.
Dano, a traditional Korean festival at the start of summer
Dano corresponds to the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, generally in June in our calendar. Originally, this day came from agricultural rites which called for abundance at the start of summer. It celebrates “the beginning of summer” and the “positive energy” of the lengthening days, with a strong dimension of purification and renewal.
This purification occurs mainly through feminine rituals. , explains Eunchi Koh, one of the daughters of the Koh family to France 3, before detailing: A tradition which naturally echoes the hair rituals and K-beauty routines that we see everywhere on the networks.
K-pop, games and rituals: how Dano is experienced in Korea
Once these treatments have been carried out, the party becomes very convivial. , develops Eunchi Koh. This board game, similar to small horses, is played not with dice but with four sticks thrown on the ground, which can also be found in Devay. In Korea, we often add traditional ssireum wrestling, giant swings or tug of war.
The most famous model remains the Gangneung Danoje Festival, a major event also listed as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO. It mixes popular games, masked shows, open-air markets and ancestral rituals, an atmosphere that inspires adaptations of the festival elsewhere in the world.
The Dano K-Festival at Devay Castle: a first in France
It is in this wake that the South Korean Koh family, established for more than twenty years in France, organizes the Dano K-Festival in Devay, in partnership with the Korean Cultural Center and local communities. On the program: Korean gastronomic workshops, hanbok parade, dancing to K-pop and a K-beauty stand to test cosmetics from Seoul. , assures Eunchi Koh, for whom
The event is part of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between France and Korea, celebrated in 2026. On June 27, the castle will open its doors from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with entry costing 5 euros for adults and children over 12, free for the youngest. And the issue goes beyond simple celebration, as Eunchi Koh summarizes:
What is Dano Festival in South Korea?
Dano is a major traditional Korean festival at the beginning of summer, celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, with purification rituals, games and popular gatherings.
When does Dano take place each year?
Dano falls on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, which generally corresponds to the month of June in the Gregorian calendar.
What are the main Dano beauty rituals?
Women traditionally wash their hair with iris-scented water, wear new clothes and perform various treatments meant to purify the body with the arrival of summer.
How to participate in the Dano K-Festival at Devay Castle?
The Dano K-Festival takes place at Devay Castle on June 27, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., with entry costing 5 euros for those over 12 and free for younger children, by reservation via the official ticket office.
