The Wonju Dumpling Festival exceeded expectations with over 500,000 visitors. (Image courtesy of Wonju City)
SEOUL, Dec. 19 (Korea Bizwire) – With Korean cuisine continuing to gain global popularity, local governments across South Korea are launching food-themed festivals, marking a shift from traditional tourism strategies centered on historical sites and local specialties.
These innovative festivals are transforming previously overlooked regions into tourist destinations, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors and combining popular cuisine with creative concepts to boost both tourism and revenue.
In October, the Gimcheon Gimbap Festival in North Gyeongsang Province attracted 100,000 visitors, becoming a viral sensation online. The city planned the festival after surveys showed young people most strongly associated Gimcheon with “gimbap” (Korean rice rolls).
During the same period, the Gumi Ramen Festival drew 170,000 visitors, building on its success from the previous year. The festival, which originated from the idea of serving fresh ramen from the local Nongshim factory, has become a signature event for Gumi. This year’s theme, “The World’s Longest Ramen Restaurant,” showcased local specialties alongside diverse Asian noodle dishes.
The Wonju Dumpling Festival exceeded expectations with over 500,000 visitors, more than double last year’s attendance. The event has established itself as a destination for both domestic and international visitors seeking to sample dumplings from renowned establishments across the country.
Sunchang, known for its traditional fermented sauces, recently developed its own Sunchang Tteokbokki brand and hosted a festival on October 16 and 17. The event featured master sauce makers presenting various interpretations of the spicy rice cake dish, including vegan, rosé, and carbonara versions, drawing long queues of eager customers.
Incheon capitalized on its famous chicken and beer culture by hosting the 1883 Incheon Maekgang Party, named after the year of Incheon Port’s opening. The May festival attracted 10,000 international visitors from over 10 countries, including China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States. The city estimated the annual economic impact, including accommodations, dining, and shopping, at 14 billion won.
The festivals have proven financially successful. The Icheon Rice Culture Festival, featuring a massive 1.6-meter rice cooker serving 2,000 portions of bibimbap for 2,000 won each, generated direct economic effects of 9.7 billion won and indirect effects of 20.4 billion won over its five-day run, attracting 220,000 visitors.
However, some festivals have faced challenges. The Gimcheon Gimbap Festival received complaints about long shuttle bus waits and food shortages. The Tongyeong Fishermen’s Market 2024, despite tripling its attendance to 370,000 visitors, struggled with entrance delays and insufficient shelter facilities.
Local governments are now working to address these issues by expanding venue spaces and improving transportation infrastructure. They’re also strengthening international tourism marketing efforts to capitalize on growing foreign interest in Korean cuisine.
“We aim to showcase Korean culture to international visitors through K-pop performances while revitalizing our traditional city center and establishing ourselves as a global tourist destination,” said an Incheon city official on December 18.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
