Events

Gimcheon Gimbap Festival (Oct 23–25) and Busan Pork Soup Week: Two Autumn Food Trips

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AI-generated sliced gimbap in a paper tray on a wooden picnic table, with a short white handwritten note.

AT A GLANCE

Gimcheon Gimbap Festival
Oct 23–25, 2026; 1189-52 Hwangak-ro, Daehang-myeon, Gimcheon; general entry listed as free
Busan Dwaeji Gukbap Week
Sept 28–Oct 14, 2026 (per the city's Sept 14 notice)
Shuttle
2026 Gimcheon Gimbap Festival shuttle on the Kakao T app
Hours
Gimcheon: daily 9 am–6 pm (opens at 10 am on Oct 23)

Two autumn food events are on the calendar: the Gimcheon Gimbap Festival from October 23 to 25, and Busan’s Dwaeji Gukbap Week, which ended on October 14. This guide gives the dates, transport notes and how to choose where to eat. Checked on 2026-10-12.

The hero image is AI-generated and does not show food from the festival.

Gimcheon Gimbap Festival

Gimbap is rice and fillings rolled in dried seaweed and sliced into rounds, with fillings such as vegetables, egg or meat. Gimcheon is an inland city in southeastern Korea. Despite the name, gimbap is not its traditional specialty. The festival plays on “Gimcheon,” also used as a shortened name for the casual restaurant chain Gimbap Cheonguk.

The Korea Tourism Organization lists October 23–25, 2026 at 1189-52 Hwangak-ro, Daehang-myeon, Gimcheon, in the festival park area. General admission is listed as free, with food and paid activities charged separately. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s event page, it is open daily 9 am–6 pm, opening at 10 am on the first day, October 23. The venues are Gimcheon Jikji Culture Park, Samyeong Daesa Park and Eco-friendly Ecological Park. The contact number is 054-420-6714 and the official site is gimbapcity.kr (Korea Tourism Organization, ministry event page).

What’s new in 2026

According to a Yonhap report on October 13, this year brings these changes.

  • Dates and venue: the festival is one day longer than last year, and the Eco-friendly Ecological Park joins the two existing parks. A QR code shows zone routes, participating vendors and the performance schedule.
  • Ordering: you order and pay for gimbap by QR code through Kakao Pay so you can skip the line. For people less used to digital devices, there is an on-site kiosk booth with guides.
  • Facilities: five information centers, with interpreters at the one for foreign visitors. There are more women’s restrooms, a new luggage storage service and a dedicated Kakao Map.

What can you do there?

The ministry’s page lists gimbap cooking contest entries, a gimbap factory, monk-style gimbap, local gimbap and unusual gimbap from all eight provinces as food. The food items are 2025 information. Activities, exhibits and play areas include a Kkodari goods shop, Kkodari gimbap making, gimbap art and a gimbap playground.

Getting there

  • Shuttle: The Kakao T Shuttle page lists a 2026 Gimcheon Gimbap Festival shuttle (Kakao T Shuttle). Kakao T is a transport-booking app. Check the date, departure point, fare, return trip and cancellation terms before paying.
  • On-site shuttles: per Yonhap, the festival expanded to about 60 shuttle buses. Stops are consolidated at three places: the Gimcheon Sports Town parking lot, Gimcheon–Gumi Station and Gimcheon Station, and the routes with stops along the way were dropped. With Kakao Mobility there are also round-trip shuttles to the festival from major cities such as Seoul, Daejeon and Busan.
  • Picnic Taxi: an on-demand tourist taxi boarded at the shuttle stops, costing ₩5,000–8,000.
  • Rail or bus: Gimcheon Station and the Gimcheon–Gumi high-speed rail station are different arrival points. Check the final leg to the park from the one on your ticket.
  • Food queues and sold-out items can affect the day, so confirm the return pickup point before exploring.

Busan Dwaeji Gukbap Week

Dwaeji gukbap is pork soup served with rice and is closely linked with Busan, Korea’s southeastern port city. Broth, meat and seasoning vary by shop.

For the 2026 Busan Dwaeji Gukbap Grand Fair, about 10,800 people named 254 restaurants, and the city announced 20 recommended places. It is a recommendation list, not a ranking. The city’s September 14 announcement lists September 28–October 14 for Gukbap Week (city announcement). An earlier English poster started a day earlier, so check Visit Busan for any date-specific activity (English notice).

There is no single festival gate. Choose a shop from the official list and plan the subway or bus route to its address. Each restaurant sets its own prices, hours and reservation policy.

Which one to choose

Trip2026 datesArrange first
BusanSept 28–Oct 14 (ended)One restaurant, its opening day and a nearby walk
GimcheonOct 23–25Transport and a return seat

You do not need to eat at all 20 soup shops. One bowl plus time in the neighborhood is enough. If you are also looking at autumn travel support, check your eligibility first. A food festival does not automatically qualify, and discounts may not combine.

Good for / not for

Good for

  • People who like to build a trip around one meal
  • Anyone planning a weekend trip to Gimcheon

Not for

  • Anyone who needs a confirmed 2026 food lineup. The food items are still 2025 information, so check the official page for updates.

Sources

Updated Oct 19, 2026: added the Gimcheon festival hours, venues, this year’s changes and shuttle details, and noted that Busan’s Gukbap Week has ended.

Checked on 2026-10-12. Confirm the final program, food prices and transport booking before travel.