Gwangju Kimchi Festival
광주김치축제 · Gwangju
– Confirmed dates
Festival dates move every year — confirm on the organizer's own site before booking.
Last verified: 2026-08-22.
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A kimchi festival at kimjang season, in the region with Korea's strongest food reputation.
Who it suits: Anyone who wants to understand kimchi beyond the side dish — held at kimjang season, in the region considered Korea's food capital.
When, where, how much
From the organizer
Organized by Gwangju Kimchi Festival Organizing Committee. These pages are the organizer's own and open on their site. They are usually Korean only — but that is where the confirmed programme, stage times and site map appear first, and times and prices read the same in any language.
Program: Kimchi Making Experience,Thousand People’s Table (Food Court), Gwangju Kimchi Star Chef Food Show, Cultural Performances, Kimchi Exhibition, Etc.
Photos: Korea Tourism Organization · visitkorea.or.kr · KOGL Type 3
Where it is
Where it is in the country — 268 km south of Seoul
About 117 km across — 8 other places we cover sit inside it. The pick of them is listed below.
268 km south of Seoul, in Gwangju (straight-line distance from Seoul City Hall, calculated from the venue's official coordinates).
We have not timed these connections ourselves, so rather than print a number we have not checked, here is the route on the two apps Koreans actually use — Sangmu Citizens Park as the destination, already filled in:
- Directions on Kakao Map — live bus and train times, and which platform
- Naver Map — the stronger of the two in English
From Seoul, journeys to Gwangju start at Seoul Station (KTX and regular rail) or the Express Bus Terminal. Which of the two wins depends on how many cities you are stringing together — our rail pass guide works through the break-even, and getting around Korea covers why these two apps beat Google Maps once you are on the ground.
Nearby, if you are making a trip of it
Within about 20 km of the venue, by distance:
- Korea Medical Institute Gwangju Branch (0.8 km)
- Energy Park Haedammaru (1.0 km)
- Gwangju Gongyeon Maru (1.2 km)
- Bitgoeul Korea Traditional Classical Music Instruction Hall (3.1 km)
- Gwangju Arts Center (3.3 km)
- Jungoe Park (3.7 km)
Places and distances from the Korea Tourism Organization's location data. We have not visited all of them.
Getting there and staying
For a bed near the festival, Klook's accommodation search for Gwangju is the quickest way to see what is left — festival weeks fill local rooms earlier than you would expect.
Outside the big cities, wifi is not something to plan around. Shuttle stops, stage times and the day's program are posted on the organizer's Korean-language page or a Naver Map pin, and they change on the day. A Korean eSIM is the cheapest way to have it working before you land.
Planning a trip around it
On at the same time
If your dates are fixed, these run within ten days of Gwangju Kimchi Festival and are worth checking before you commit to a route.
- Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace — 2026/09/10 – 10/17, Seoul, 2 km from Seoul.
- Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival — 2026/10/03 – 10/18, Jinju, South Gyeongsang, 282 km from Seoul.
- Gangneung Coffee Festival — 2026/10/21 – 10/25, Gangneung, Gangwon, 175 km from Seoul.
- Chuncheon Makguksu & Dakgalbi Festival — 2026/10/14 – 10/18, Chuncheon, Gangwon, 74 km from Seoul.
- Sunchang Jangryu Festival — 2026/10/15 – 10/18, Sunchang, Jeonbuk, 245 km from Seoul.
- Yeongdong Nangye Korean Traditional Music Festival — 2026/10/15 – 10/18, Yeongdong, Chungbuk, 173 km from Seoul.
Other festivals in
Same province, different times of year — useful if you are choosing when to visit rather than when to leave home.
- Pyeongchang Trout Festival — January, Pyeongchang, Gangwon
- Cheorwon Hantangang River Ice Trekking Festival — January, Cheorwon, Gangwon
- Daegwallyeong Snow Festival — February, Pyeongchang, Gangwon
- Gwangyang Maehwa Festival — March, Gwangyang, Jeonnam-Gwangju
- Gurye Sansuyu Festival — March, Gurye, Jeonnam-Gwangju
Running every week nearby
These are not tied to the festival and run on their own schedule, so they are there whether your dates line up with Gwangju Kimchi Festival or not.
- Jindo National Gugak Center: 'I Love Gugak' — Saturdays, 15:00–16:30, free. Jinakdang, Jindo National Gugak Center.
Other museums within reach
- Gwangju National Museum — Gwangju, Jeonnam-Gwangju, about 4 km away.
- Naju National Museum — Naju, Jeonnam-Gwangju, about 32 km away.
The coast from here
- Getting In the Mud — Hajeon Village, Gochang, North Jeolla, about 41 km away.