Gwangju Kimchi Festival Opens on October 23... An Autumn Feast Made with Kimchi

Events featuring food, performances, and hands-on activities run through October 25 around the Gwangju Government Complex
Unusual kimchi dishes, including napa cabbage ramen and aged kimchi pasta, on offer
Kimchi sold at 10-30% discounts; traffic restrictions on some roads

A festival where visitors can sample a variety of dishes made with kimchi, including napa cabbage ramen, aged kimchi oil pasta, and kimchi mayo chả giò, is coming to Gwangju. The three-day event will feature everything from traditional kimchi and inventive dishes to kimchi-making experiences and performances.

Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City announced on the 20th that it will hold the 33rd Gwangju Kimchi Festival from October 23 to 25 around the Gwangju Government Complex, under the theme “Make an Overwhelming Impression! Kimchi Party.”

Web poster for the 33rd Gwangju Kimchi Festival. Provided by Gwangju Special City.

This year’s festival will feature “A Table for a Thousand,” with 10 local restaurants and food service businesses taking part. They will serve dishes made with kimchi, including pork belly grilled on a domed griddle, bossam, napa cabbage ramen, aged kimchi oil pasta, and kimchi mayo chả giò.

Performances under the title “Kimchi Party” will be held on the main stage at the outdoor concert hall at 6:30 p.m. on October 23 and 24. The first day will feature opera, crossover, and popular music performances. The following day, traditional performances by Yeonhui Jeomchuri will be followed by a performance from the Clattrick Symphony Orchestra.

Visitors can also try making kimchi themselves. At the “Kimchi Master Class,” a recipient of the Presidential Award at the Kimchi Festival will teach participants how to make kimchi. At the “Kimchi Experience School,” visitors can make kimchi and rice balls with pickled Mudeungsan watermelon.

“Kimchi Playground” for children will feature a Kimjang Arcade and Kimjang Sports Day. Products aimed at younger visitors will also be on offer. “Kimchi for Today Only” will sell spicy napa cabbage kimchi and bite-sized kimchi, among other items, while a “Kimchi Random Pack” containing kimchi from six different businesses, selected at random, will also be available. At the “Kimchi Is the Best Gosim” pop-up store, visitors can find products featuring kimchi-themed designs.

The agricultural and fisheries market will sell kimjang ingredients such as red pepper powder and salted seafood, as well as fermented and processed foods and kimjang tools. An exhibition of works by masters of Namdo cuisine and hands-on programs will also be held in conjunction with the 31st Namdo Food Culture Festival, taking place around Yeongsangang Garden in Naju.

Vehicle access on some roads will be restricted during preparations for and the event itself. Traffic will be restricted from the intersection in front of the Gwangju Government Complex to the intersection behind the Bank of Korea from 8 p.m. on October 21 until midnight on October 25. Some city buses will also be rerouted. On the weekend, external parking facilities, including those at government offices near the Gwangju Government Complex and the underground parking lot at Pyeonghwa Park in the Sangmu district, will be open free of charge.

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