Trends

Chestnut Season in Korea: How to Enjoy Autumn Chestnuts and a Gongju Trip

AI-generated gloved hand holding a steaming paper bag of roasted chestnuts on a leaf-covered city street at dusk. White lines trace the bag, with the handwritten note warm autumn.

AT A GLANCE

Season
Fresh chestnuts in October; farm chestnut-picking from early September to about October
Ways to eat
Raw, roasted, chestnut bread, chestnut latte, candied chestnuts (boneut-bam)
Trip
Gongju, South Chungcheong (cafes with local chestnut desserts near Gongsanseong)
Festival
Winter Gongju Roasted Chestnut Festival (this year Feb 4–8, Geumgang Singwan Park)

October is the time to taste fresh chestnuts in Korea. You can eat them raw, roasted, as bread or in desserts, and in Gongju, the “chestnut town” of South Chungcheong, you can pair a fortress walk with chestnut sweets. Checked on 2026-10-22.

The hero image is AI-generated and is not a photo of a real place.

Ways to enjoy chestnuts

  • Roasted or steamed: roasted chestnuts have a nutty aroma and steamed ones are moist and soft. Neither needs added sugar.
  • Chestnut latte: peel cooked chestnuts, blend them with milk and warm gently. Add sugar or honey only after tasting.
  • Boneut-bam (candied chestnuts): peel the outer shell but keep the thin inner skin, boil to cut the astringency, then simmer in sugar syrup. It takes longer, but goes well with tea, coffee, yogurt or ice cream.
  • Bread and desserts: look for chestnut bread and desserts at cafes and bakeries.

How to pick good chestnuts

Marker illustration of a glossy chestnut with a check mark, a holed chestnut marked wrong, a scored chestnut and scissors, labeled how to pick

According to The Brief and News-wa, condition matters more than size.

  • Choose chestnuts with glossy, firm skin that feel heavy in the hand.
  • Skip ones with holes, heavy damage, or a soft feel when pressed.
  • Before roasting, wash and soak them and always score the shell. Without a cut, steam pressure can make them burst, and the cut also makes peeling easier.
  • Air fryers usually run around 180°C. Check doneness partway instead of fixing a time.
  • Refrigerate chestnuts you buy. If you wash them, dry them well and wrap in kitchen towels. For longer storage, boil and freeze in portions.

Sweeter means more sugar. Chestnuts are starchy, and sweetened dishes like candied chestnuts or lattes can carry more sugar and calories than plain steamed ones.

A trip to Gongju, the “chestnut town”

According to News-wa, Gongju has long been known for chestnuts, and the city promotes “Gongju chestnuts” as a local specialty.

  • Gongsanseong Fortress: part of the UNESCO-listed Baekje Historic Areas. You can walk the walls with views of the Geum River and the city, and nearby cafes sell desserts and drinks made with Gongju chestnuts.
  • Wangdosim Course 1: a route the city introduces, from Gongsanseong to Sanseong Market, Jemin Stream and the eatery street.
  • Donghaksa trail: chestnut snacks and cafes also appear around Donghaksa Temple on Mt. Gyeryong.
  • Chestnut picking: local farms have offered it from early September to around October. Timing and availability differ by farm, so ask before you go.

Winter Gongju Roasted Chestnut Festival

According to The Fact, this year’s festival ran from February 4 (Wed) to 8, 2026 at Geumgang Singwan Park in Gongju. Its star activity is roasting chestnuts yourself in a large brazier, and chestnut-themed experiences such as the “Gongju Roasted Chestnut Grill Zone” ran alongside.

Good for / not for

Good for

  • Anyone who has to try seasonal limited items
  • People pairing a day trip with history walks and desserts
  • Anyone who wants to roast chestnuts in an air fryer at home

Not for

  • Anyone watching sugar intake. Check portions on sweet chestnut items.

For more autumn food trips, see our autumn food festival trip post.

Sources

Checked on 2026-10-22. Farm activities and cafe operations can change.