South Korea's two most beloved street-food staples are getting their own festivals at the same time: the Wonju Mandu Festival and the Gimcheon Kimbap Festival both open Friday.
The 2026 Wonju Mandu Festival, organized by Wonju city and run by the Wonju Cultural Foundation, will be held from Friday through Sunday along the Wonjucheon stream and the Culture Street district.
Now in its fourth year, the festival centers on Wonju's distinctive mandu and aims to energize the city's traditional markets and downtown commercial district. Last year it drew more than 400,000 visitors and gained nationwide attention; this year's edition promises an expanded food lineup and new programming.
The festival grounds have been relocated from the previous Wonil-ro corridor to the Wonjucheon stream and Culture Street area. The move is intended to reduce traffic disruptions for residents and to give visitors more room to enjoy the event comfortably.
A dedicated mandu zone along the Wonjucheon will offer everything from familiar favorites such as Wonju kimchi mandu to inventive specialty varieties. The Culture Street section will feature mandu from around the world.
Festival ambassador Chef Jeong Ji-seon will headline a cooking demonstration, joined by a range of performances and hands-on programs throughout the three days.
Making its debut this year, a nakwha nori fire-ember display on the Wonjucheon is expected to be one of the festival's signature attractions. The display will light up the night sky above the stream at Friday's opening ceremony.
Organizers are also strengthening ties between the festival and the surrounding traditional markets. A "Mandu Road" walking route will connect the festival grounds to nearby markets, and visitors will be encouraged to explore local shops through a market tour program, a stamp rally, and a receipt-reward promotion.
Information access will be improved as well. QR codes placed throughout the venue will let visitors check booth menus and prices, a site map, and program schedules directly on their smartphones.
To ease parking congestion, temporary lots will be set up and shuttle buses will run on three routes linking Wonju Station, the Wonju intercity bus terminal, the Dancing Performance Hall, Wonju City Hall, and the innovation district. Additional restrooms and rest facilities will be provided, and safety personnel will be stationed across the grounds.
"This year's Wonju Mandu Festival has been prepared to minimize inconvenience for residents while making the experience richer for visitors," Wonju Mayor Gu Ja-yeol said. "We hope many people will come to Wonju, enjoy delicious mandu and a variety of programs, and discover the charm of our traditional markets and downtown area."
Alongside the festival, Wonju city will run a youth market at the Culture Sharing Platform from Thursday through Sunday — one day before the mandu festival opens and running concurrently through its close.
Now in its third year, the market was selected for a Gangwon Province program supporting small-business cooperation and direct sales. It is designed to give young local entrepreneurs a sales channel while offering festival-goers additional things to see and do.
Twenty-five vendors chosen through an open application and screening process will take part. They will offer food made with Wonju's local agricultural products, craft beer, mandu-themed goods, and hands-on activities for families.
Meanwhile, the 2026 Gimcheon Kimbap Festival — also in its third year — runs Friday through Sunday at Jikji Culture Park, Samyeongdaesa Park, and the eco-friendly ecological park in Gimcheon.
The festival started with eight locally inspired kimbap varieties in its first year, expanded to about 40 last year, and will offer roughly 60 this year.
This year's lineup includes 19 premium local kimbap varieties showcasing Gimcheon's regional character, 14 specialty rolls selected by Gimcheon tourism ambassador Jeong Da-hyeon, more than 20 well-known kimbap from around the country, and four special rolls based on winning entries from the Gimcheon Kimbap Cooking Competition.
The festival's Kkodari character merchandise shop, which debuted last year, will expand its range to more than 29 items — 16 new products developed with a specialist company, six designs that won a character goods competition, and seven existing bestsellers.
Family-friendly hands-on activities will include making a Kkodari character figure out of seaweed and rice, as well as crafting character figures from snacks.
In a collaboration with Lotte Chilsung Beverage, a "Kimbap & Cider Zone" will recreate the nostalgic atmosphere of a school picnic, where visitors can enjoy kimbap paired with cider in a retro setting.
The festival will also feature hanbok-wearing experiences and hanbok performances in partnership with the Korea Hanbok Promotion Institute.
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