Korea Festivals

Hongcheon Ginseng and Hanwoo Premium Festival

Oct 8 – Oct 11, 2026 · Gangwon

Hongcheon Ginseng and Hanwoo Premium Festival
Hongcheon Ginseng and Hanwoo Premium Festival. Photo: Korea Tourism Organization

Overview

The Hongcheon Ginseng and Hanwoo Premium Festival is Hongcheon's leading agricultural and livestock festival, held to widely promote the excellence of Hongcheon's 6-year-old ginseng and Hongcheon hanwoo (Korean beef), both produced in the region's pristine natural environment and fertile soil. At the festival grounds, a variety of programs are run, including sales events where visitors can directly encounter high-quality ginseng and hanwoo, as well as food programs where fresh local agricultural and specialty products can be purchased and tasted at reasonable prices. Stage performances and participatory events and experience programs that people of all ages can enjoy are the core content offering visitors abundant sights and activities. It is also a venue for communication where Hongcheon's traditions and community culture are shared through a harmonious folk event joined by local residents, tourists, and civilian, government, and military participants. It is a festival where producers and consumers meet directly to build trust and raise the value of local agricultural and livestock products, while adding vitality to the local economy. It is an autumn premium festival for the whole family to take part in, where Hongcheon's taste, quality, enjoyment, and harmony can all be experienced in one place.

Why go

This festival showcases Hongcheon's signature 6-year ginseng and hanwoo (Korean beef), letting visitors buy and taste both directly from local producers at fair prices. Stage performances, folk events, and hands-on programs round out the experience, making it a good autumn outing for families and food lovers alike.

Getting there from Seoul

Take an intercity bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal to Hongcheon Bus Terminal, a trip of roughly 1.5 to 2 hours. From Hongcheon Bus Terminal, continue by local taxi or bus to the festival grounds at Galmagok-ri, Hongcheon-eup.

Tips

  • Bring cash as well as a card, since small producer stalls selling ginseng and hanwoo may prefer cash.
  • Dress in layers; early October in Gangwon State can be cool, especially in the evening.
  • Confirm the day's program and hours locally on arrival, as festival schedules can vary day to day.

Best for: families, food lovers, local culture.

  • Hongcheon Ginseng and Hanwoo Premium Festival
    Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
  • Hongcheon Ginseng and Hanwoo Premium Festival
    Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
  • Hongcheon Ginseng and Hanwoo Premium Festival
    Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
  • Hongcheon Ginseng and Hanwoo Premium Festival
    Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
  • Hongcheon Ginseng and Hanwoo Premium Festival
    Photo: Korea Tourism Organization

Other festivals in Gangwon

  • Gangwon

    Hoengseong Hanu Festival

    Oct 7 – Oct 11, 2026

    Hoengseong Hanu Festival is the biggest hanu (Korean cattle) festival in Korea. Visitors can buy hanu and local agricultural products at a discounted price. The festival consists of various programs across three themes: food, culture and arts, and experiences.

  • Gangwon

    Chuncheon Makguksu & Dakgalbi Festival

    Oct 14 – Oct 18, 2026

    Chuncheon Makguksu & Dakgalbi Festival celebrates dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken) and makguksu (buckwheat noodles), two of the most famous specialties of the city of Chuncheon. During this festival, the area is full of booths selling buckwheat noodles and spicy stir-fried chicken. The festival offers plenty of ways to experience these two local foods.

  • Gangwon

    Soyanggang Culture Festival

    Oct 17 – Oct 18, 2026

    The 47th Soyanggang Culture Festival is a local culture festival held to discover and pass on Chuncheon's unique regional culture and to create a place of harmony where citizens can enjoy themselves together. It will be held from October 17 to 18, 2026, around Chuncheon City Hall Plaza, showcasing Chuncheon's traditional culture through performances such as Yongsin-gut (dragon god rite) and Udubeol Daedongcheollyeomnori (communal fishing play). The festival features a street parade with citizens, culture school performances, stages where youth and children can participate, invited performances, and folk art troupe performances, along with programs citizens can take part in directly, such as random dance, folk games, tteokmae (rice cake pounding) experiences, and craft-making experiences. It is a cultural event made up of a variety of programs combining performances and hands-on experiences so that different generations can experience and share the region's traditional culture together.

Festivals: Gangwon

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Dates and programs can change. Check the official site before you go. Official site