From ginseng to kimbap: Korea launches unified K-food festival this fall

Twenty food festivals held separately across the country will be brought together under a single name: K-Food Festa. Showcasing regional specialties — from hansik and kimchi to ginseng, cheese, coffee, kimbap, tteokbokki and ramyun — the initiative aims to draw domestic and foreign tourists and boost both local tourism and K-food consumption.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced Sunday that it will hold K-Food Festa, uniting 20 food festivals taking place nationwide from October through November. It is the first time food events held individually across the country have been consolidated under a single brand for joint promotion.

Ahead of the festivals, the ministry will also make a push to attract foreign visitors. It will set up a promotional desk at Incheon International Airport's transportation center from Monday through Wednesday, distributing leaflets introducing K-Food Festa to international tourists.

K-Food Festa brings together four events organized by the ministry and 16 festivals run by local governments. The ministry-led events are the Hansik Festival (Festa), Food Week Korea, the Korean Traditional Liquor Festival and the Kimchi Day commemorative event.

The 16 regional festivals include the Geumsan Ginseng Festival, the Imsil N Cheese Festival, the Sunchang Fermented Foods Festival, the Gangneung Coffee Festival, the Jeonju International Fermented Food Expo, the Namdo Food Culture Festival, the Gimcheon Kimbap Festival, the Daegu Tteokbokki Festival, the Hongseong Global Barbecue Festival and the Gumi Ramyun Festival. Also included are the North Chungcheong Province Agri-food Industry Expo, the North Gyeongsang Province Food Expo, the Gumi Food Festival, the Jinju International Agri-food Expo, the Incheon Yeonsu Traditional Food Culture and Arts Festival, and the Gyeonggi Rice Dessert Festival.

The ministry will also run an integrated promotional campaign online and at major transportation and tourism hubs. Festival information will be available through a dedicated website and on SNS platforms including Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. A pop-up store will operate at Seongsu Station in Seoul, and promotions will also run at express bus terminals, KTX stations, Incheon airport and the Cheonggyecheon Hikers Station.

Overseas, the ministry will tap networks including the Korea Tourism Organization, the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation (aT) overseas offices, Korean diplomatic missions, Korean cultural centers and the Korea Foundation. The campaign will also link up with international expos and the Global Influencer Expo to attract foreign tourists.

Jeong Gyeong-seok, the ministry's director general for food industry policy, called the initiative "a new attempt to bring together the diverse food events held across the country under one brand," adding that the ministry would work to ensure "many people visit festival venues nationwide to enjoy local flavors and culture, and that these festivals drive K-food consumption and invigorate regional tourism."