Bonghwa Songi Festival: 30 Years of Distinction... Infusing Songi's Aroma with Shared Growth

Winning visitors over with food and hands-on experiences despite a poor harvest
Boosting sales of local specialties and revitalizing the local economy

The 30th Bonghwa Songi Festival, a signature autumn event in Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang Province, wrapped up its four-day run after offering a variety of food and hands-on activities despite a poor Songi harvest.

Songi Mushroom Festival Offers Discounts, Auctions and Food Programs Despite Poor Harvest
Concludes Four-Day Event on the 18th
Promotes Consumption of Hanyakwoo Beef and Local Specialty Products
Drone Show and Cultural Performances Mark 30th Anniversary

[Photo provided by Bonghwa County]

Bonghwa County said on October 19 that the festival, held from October 15 to 18 along the Naeseongcheon Stream in Bonghwa-eup, had concluded amid a positive response from visitors.

Held under the theme “30 Years of Deep Fragrance, Coloring Bonghwa!,” this year’s festival featured discount and auction events to make Songi more affordable, sales of local agricultural specialties, and cultural performances.

In particular, given the limited supply of Songi, the festival diversified its programs so visitors could buy and taste the mushrooms in small quantities.

The signature program, “One Songi Time Auction,” put individually packaged single Songi mushrooms up for auction, selling each to the participant who offered the highest bid. On-site events also offered prizes including 20,000-won discount coupons for Songi mushrooms.

“Naeseongcheon Songi Ramen,” consisting of Songi mushrooms, ramen, and a dedicated container, was sold for 5,000 won per bowl. It was offered as a hands-on food experience in which visitors cooked and ate the dish themselves.

The Bonghwa County Saemaeul Geumgo headquarters set up an on-site sales booth for Bonghwa Love gift certificates at the festival grounds. Visitors could receive discounts of up to 60,000 won when purchasing the certificates, which they could use at registered stores, including Songi sales booths.

A sales area linking local food with agricultural specialties was also set up. The “Songi & Han-yakwoo Square” brought together a Songi market, a Han-yakwoo direct-sales outlet, and a restaurant, and also held a free tasting event for Han-yakwoo bulgogi.

A variety of foods, including mushroom gimbap, fried mushrooms, and mushroom tteokgalbi, were sold, while the agricultural specialties exhibition hall hosted displays and tastings of local produce such as apples and peppers.

The festival also featured promotional events and sales for traditional liquor, a liquor-making experience, and a “Delivery Zone,” where visitors could order and eat dishes from local restaurants at the festival grounds, further strengthening ties with local businesses.

A special area was created to mark the festival’s 30th anniversary. “Seoro Nae Supgil,” set up at the Naeseongcheon Sewol Bridge, displayed archival photographs and a history of past festivals, while “Solhyang Namu,” designed around the Chunyang pine, served as a photo spot for visitors.

Events held during the festival included traditional cultural activities linked to the 43rd Cheongnyang Cultural Festival, “Challenge! Songi Golden Bell,” and the 2nd Bonghwa Global Song Festival. A drone light show commemorating the 30th anniversary also lit up the night sky over Naeseongcheon Stream.

The Bonghwa Songi Festival’s 30-Year Legacy Captivates Fall Visitors with Aroma, Flavor, and Experiences [Photo: Bonghwa County]

On the final day, the festival concluded with the “2026 Silver Star Selection Final” and a celebratory concert featuring Cheon Rokdam, Haru, Kim Soyeon, and Jeon Yujin.

Bonghwa County Mayor Choi Kiyoung said, “We prepared the festival so visitors could enjoy the flavors of Bonghwa and return home with wonderful memories,” adding, “Building on what county residents, local producers, and participating organizations have accomplished together, we will develop it into a festival people will want to visit again.”

The poor Songi harvest constrained festival operations, but Bonghwa County expanded opportunities for visitors to take part through discount, auction, and hands-on programs. Notably, the festival sought to channel spending beyond Songi toward Han-yakwoo, local agricultural specialties, and local restaurants.

The challenge for the Bonghwa Songi Festival, now in its 30th year, is to turn the excitement at the festival grounds into sustained sales for local businesses and repeat visits.

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