Gumi City: "The Night Has Awakened" Draws 50,000 Visitors in Two Days

Food, Performances, and Experiences Combine
At the Heart of Traditional Market Festivals
From Receipt Discounts to Reusable Containers

The old downtown area of Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, transformed into a giant festival venue over the weekend nights.

The '2026 Gumi Sweet Romantic Night Market,' launched by the city of Gumi to revitalize traditional markets and revive the local economy, has shown explosive popularity from its opening weekend. This event is demonstrating the potential to become one of the nation’s leading night market festivals.

According to the city, the Sweet Romantic Night Market, which opened on June 12, attracted about 50,000 visitors during its first weekend on June 12 and 13, resulting in a vibrant and bustling atmosphere.

The Saemaeul Central Market and Dongmun Shopping District, where the event was held, were crowded with citizens and tourists until late at night, regaining their lively energy after a long time.

'2026 Gumi Sweet Romantic Night Market' Opens
Photo by Gumi City

This year’s night market is being recognized for evolving beyond a simple food marketplace into a complex nighttime festival combining culture, consumption, and hands-on experiences.

At over 40 vendor booths, various foods were offered, while at the flea market, handcrafted items and daily goods caught the attention of visitors.

In particular, locally produced wheat was used to make bread and colorful noodles—these regionally specialized menu items garnered attention for providing a competitive edge distinct from other night markets.

Expanded dining spaces and nighttime lighting also served as factors that increased visitor satisfaction.

Cultural content was significantly enhanced as well. On the permanent stage set up in Saemaeul Central Market’s second parking lot, national singing contests and busking performances took place.

At the opening ceremony, popular trot singers Yoon Suhyun and Hwang Taeja performed, further elevating the festive atmosphere.

One-day classes, experience booths, photo zones, and balloon art programs for family visitors also received a great response.

Programs designed for mutual benefit between merchants and visitors also stood out.

An event was held where customers who presented receipts from market stores received food discount coupons worth 5 percent of their purchase amount, naturally encouraging spending within the market.

In fact, during the event period, market store sales increased, and merchant satisfaction reportedly improved as well.

Eco-friendly operations were also a highlight. Reusable containers were introduced throughout the entire venue to reduce the use of disposable items, and by maintaining a clean festival environment, the event is being recognized as presenting a sustainable festival model.

Jangho Kim, Mayor of Gumi, stated, "The Gumi Sweet Romantic Night Market is a festival that both revitalizes traditional markets and expands opportunities for citizens to enjoy cultural experiences. Based on diverse programs and eco-friendly operations, we will develop this into a representative night market that attracts many citizens and tourists."

The city of Gumi plans to continue holding the night market at Saemaeul Central Market every Friday and Saturday until June 27, after which the event will move to Indong Market starting in July to further spread the excitement.

There is growing attention as to whether the Gumi Sweet Romantic Night Market, combining the local commercial district and culture, can grow into a leading nighttime festival that attracts tourists from across the country.

People are returning to traditional markets that had once been deserted.

The Gumi night market is not just a "market" but a new regional festival experiment that sells the "night of the city."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.