Baekmagang Riverside Transforms into Craft Market... 'Craft Week' Connects Regions Nationwide

Buyeo as the Central Hub: 10 Cities Nationwide

Over 450 Craft Culture Events

Linked with Korail Tour Packages and Accommodation Discounts

Craft meets local travel. For ten days, workshops and shops in Buyeo, South Chungcheong Province, the banks of the Baekma River, and craft creation support centers across the country will become the stage for a craft festival.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it will hold the "2026 Craft Week" from June 19 to June 28, in collaboration with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation. Launched in 2018, Craft Week is now in its ninth year. This year, more than 450 craft culture events will be held in 10 cities nationwide, with Buyeo serving as the central hub city.

2026 Craft Week Poster. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

This year's Craft Week focuses on reinterpreting each region's unique cultural assets through craft. The program connects Baekje culture in Buyeo, the ecology and history of Sejong and Gongju, the maritime culture of Busan and Ulsan, industrial materials from Chilgok and Gumi, and local workshops in Jeju with craft exhibitions and hands-on experiences, markets, and travel programs.

In Buyeo, the central hub city, the festival will be held under the theme "Staying in Buyeo through Craft." Workshops, shops, and cultural spaces in the 123 Sabi Craft Village in Guyam-myeon will participate, creating a village-style festival. Visitors can stroll through the village to enjoy exhibitions and hands-on programs, and experience craft and local food at the Baekma Riverside Craft Market. There will also be stay-type programs such as the "Craft Luncation," which combines craft and relaxation, outdoor book readings, and tea gatherings at Subukjeong Pavilion.

At the Gongjinwon Gallery in Jongno-gu, Seoul, a special exhibition titled "Local Sensibility" will run from June 18 to 28. Through the works of 12 artists from participating regions such as Buyeo, Sejong, Jeonju, Ulsan, Chilgok, and Jeju, the exhibition will showcase craft sensibility rooted in local materials, techniques, and lifestyles.

Regional programs will also take place across five zones nationwide. In the Sejong and Gongju zone, there will be an ecological craft exhibition using native Geumgang plants, a pottery-making program at Seokjangni Museum, and a cultural tourism program connecting Sejong, Gongju, and Buyeo. In the Jeonju and Gochang zone, exhibitions, craft street tours, and intangible heritage-linked experiences will be centered around Jeonju Hanok Village and the Craft Exhibition Hall.

In the Busan and Ulsan zone, craft exhibitions, performances, and artist talks will be held at venues such as Ananti Cove, Villa Oasis Open Studio, and the Ulsan International Art Fair. In the Chilgok and Gumi zone, exhibitions, lectures, and markets will reinterpret regional industrial materials such as steel, automobiles, and electronics through craft. In the Jeju and Seogwipo zone, the "Pachi Market," where imperfect everyday crafts are sold at low prices, local workshop tours, a stamp rally, and the "One Span Exhibition" will be held.

Craft Creation Support Centers and Craft Open Studios will also participate. The Cheongju Craft Creation Support Center will showcase glass craft artist exhibitions and glassblowing demonstrations, while the Jinju Craft Creation Support Center will offer programs for visiting local workshops, talking with artists, and experiencing their work. In Wanju, the "Camping Week" event will combine forest craft classes, pop-up shops, and agricultural harvest experiences, and in Changwon, a special exhibition "Artisan's Space" will invite renowned craft masters of the southeastern region.

Across the country, 218 workshops and private art galleries and museums will participate as "Craft Week Friends," offering special exhibitions, markets, and one-day classes for public engagement. There will also be collaborative programs that combine craft experiences with travel. Korail Tourism Development will offer craft-centered travel packages in Buyeo on June 20 and June 27, while Nol Universe will provide a 20,000 won accommodation discount coupon for Buyeo, Gongju, and Jeonju on a first-come, first-served basis.

Jung Hyangmi, policy chief of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, "'Craft Week' is a cultural festival where people can encounter and enjoy crafts up close in their daily lives," adding, "We hope that this year's Craft Week will connect craft with local communities and help revitalize regional culture and tourism." Program details and schedules are available on the official Craft Week website and Instagram.

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