Gunsan Jjamppong Festival
Oct 9 – Oct 11, 2026 · Jeollabuk-do
Overview
The Gunsan Jjamppong Festival is a signature food festival built around jjamppong, Gunsan's representative dish, where visitors can enjoy the taste of Gunsan jjamppong brimming with fresh seafood from the sea and abundant local agricultural produce. Gunsan jjamppong originated from a dish called 'chomyeon,' which Chinese residents in Korea made using a broth of pork, beef, and chicken bones until the early 1970s; as fresh seafood characteristic of a port city and spicy red pepper powder suited to Korean tastes were added, it became the jjamppong we enjoy today. The festival grounds will feature Chinese food booths and food booths, as well as a variety of jjamppong-themed hands-on programs and colorful stage performances, offering visitors a special taste and enjoyment.
Why go
This festival puts Gunsan's signature dish, jjamppong, at center stage, with fresh seafood and local produce showcased in the city's take on the dish. It traces jjamppong's roots back to 'chomyeon,' a bone-broth noodle dish once made by Chinese residents in Korea, and brings that history to life with Chinese food booths, general food booths, jjamppong-themed hands-on programs, and colorful stage performances.
Getting there from Seoul
Gunsan is not on the KTX line, so the fastest rail route is a KTX to Iksan followed by a transfer to a local train on the Janghang Line for the short final leg into Gunsan Station. Direct intercity or express buses also run from Seoul's bus terminals to Gunsan, which can be simpler if you'd rather skip the train transfer.
Tips
- The festival runs only three days (Oct 9–11, 2026), so plan your trip around that window.
- Since Gunsan has no direct KTX service, budget extra time for the Iksan transfer, or book an express bus from Seoul instead.
- Go beyond the jjamppong tastings and check out the hands-on programs and stage performances on the festival grounds.
Best for: foodies, families, day-trippers, photographers.
Photos
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
Other festivals in Jeollabuk-do
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Gunsan Time Travel Festival
Oct 2 – Oct 5, 2026
The Gunsan Time Travel Festival is Gunsan's flagship festival, set against the backdrop of modern Gunsan — a city that holds the history of the people's resistance and fierce struggle for life during the Japanese colonial era. It invites visitors to travel across Gunsan's past, present, and future, directly experiencing the stories and culture of various eras. This year, the festival offers an even richer lineup of programs that let citizens and tourists become the main characters of the festival, participating and enjoying it firsthand. These include the 'Global Modern Flash Mob,' created together by citizens; 'Everyone's March 5 Manse,' which recreates the streets filled with the roar of independence cheers; and the 'Gunsan Port Night Pier Concours,' where visitors can show off their talent and excitement. Also featured are participatory programs such as the '1919 Taegukgi Flag-Raising Operation,' 'Duel! Defend the Declaration of Independence,' and 'Become an Independence Army Soldier,' which let visitors easily and enjoyably experience the history of modern Gunsan and the independence movement. In addition, mission and experience programs that let visitors roam and enjoy the festival grounds — such as the 'Time Traveler's Secret Passport,' 'Gather-Gather Time,' and 'Catch It! Mission Payphone' — continue throughout the festival site, along with modern-era costume experiences, citizen-planned programs, a free market, food, and performances. Through a variety of content that blends generational memories with new enjoyment, the festival is designed so that people of all ages can naturally encounter Gunsan's history and culture and enjoy their own special time travel experience.
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NS Food Festa is Korea's leading food culture festival, held in Iksan, a city renowned for its cuisine. Created jointly by NS Home Shopping and Iksan City, this festival goes beyond a simple food event to become a comprehensive food culture festival combining the nation's largest cooking competition with a variety of culinary experiences. On site, visitors can see the creative recipes presented by top chefs from across the country, as well as taste and purchase fresh local agricultural and livestock specialties at reasonable prices. In particular, the 'Gourmet Tour' program, which lets visitors vividly observe the cutting-edge food production process at Harim First Kitchen inside the festival grounds, offers visitors a unique source of enjoyment. In addition, the festival features cooking shows by celebrity chefs, a variety of interactive events, and cultural performances the whole family can enjoy together.
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Gimje Horizon Festival
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Dates and programs can change. Check the official site before you go. Official site