Anseong Munhwajang Festa Sees Handicraft Sales Top 136 Million Won, Expanding Artisans' Market Reach

Anseong City Links Exhibitions, Hands-On Activities and Live Sales
40 Global Supporters Also Take Part in Traditional Craft Workshops

Anseong City in Gyeonggi Province, led by Mayor Kim Bora, said on October 7 that sales of handicrafts at the 2026 Anseong Munhwajang Festa, held from October 2 to 5, totaled more than 136 million won. The event combined exhibitions, hands-on activities and sales to showcase the work of local cultural artisans and craftspeople and expand their sales opportunities.

Anseong City (Mayor Kim Bora) is hosting the 2026 Anseong Culture Market Festa from the 2nd to the 5th. Photo provided by Anseong City.

The event was organized to introduce the work of Anseong's cultural artisans and craftspeople from across the country to residents and tourists. Its programs went beyond simply viewing the works, giving visitors opportunities to make and buy them and interact with the artisans.

Nine craft workshops were held, where participants made silver necklaces, Norigae keychains, woven bag charms and Anseong Mapae, among other items. Visitors listened to explanations from the artisans as they made crafts and experienced the skills and culture behind the works.

At a live craft-selling event hosted by broadcaster Jung Kyung-mi, artisans' works and the process of making them were introduced. Visitors could hear the stories behind the works and purchase them, helping raise awareness of the cultural value of crafts and generate sales.

Cultural exchanges also took place with foreign participants. On October 4, 40 members of the international exchange group Global Supporters took part in a Norigae keychain-making workshop led by cultural artisan Seo Hyeji.

The event venue also hosted a range of activities, including a Cultural City Promotion Booth, a taste-diagnosis station, a random draw, instant photo shoots, a stamp tour and children's craft workshops.

The city said the event demonstrated the potential of participatory craft culture by linking the viewing, making and purchase of handicrafts.

Anseong City plans to expand programs that draw on local cultural resources in line with its vision for a Korean Cultural City as a hub for the distribution of Anseong's artisan crafts and culture. The city intends to support cultural artisans and craftspeople so their creative work can lead to sustained sales and income.

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