Gwangju Kimchi Festival 2026: kimchi class with a master · Hidden Festival №1

The 33rd Gwangju Kimchi Festival runs from Friday, October 23 to Sunday, October 25, 2026, on the plaza around the Gwangju Office in Seo-gu, Gwangju. It is open from 10:00 to 20:00 and entry is free. The kimchi making classes cost extra and are booked ahead.

A quick note on the name. This is Gwangju in the southwest of Korea, now part of Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City. It is not Gwangju in Gyeonggi Province, the one near Seoul.

What it is

The festival has been running for 33 years, and the city calls itself the home of kimchi. Over three days it covers kimchi from the traditional kimjang to new dishes: a national kimchi competition, kimchi making classes, a kimchi market, exhibitions, and a big outdoor food court with performances.

It is our first Hidden Festival pick in English. Most visitors know kimchi as the side dish that arrives with every meal; here you can eat it as the meal and then go home with a batch you made yourself.

Thousand People’s Table: where to eat

The food court is called the Thousand People’s Table. It runs all three days from 10:00 to 20:00 on the plaza by the outdoor music hall, with kimchi dishes, food shows and live performances in one place.

The 2026 stall menu and prices are not yet posted on the official site (checked 2026-10-14). Look at the Thousand People’s Table page on the official site closer to the date for this year’s stalls.

Make kimchi with a master

If you book one thing, book this. The Kimchi Experience School runs once a day from 11:00 to 12:00 in front of the council building on the plaza. Each day a different master who has won the Presidential Award at the Korea Kimchi Competition teaches one recipe. The 2026 lineup on the official site (checked 2026-10-14):

Day	Master	Kimchi
Fri, Oct 23	Kim Ji-mi (2024 Presidential Award)	White kimchi with mountain deodeok root
Sat, Oct 24	Shin Myeong-hwa (2022 Presidential Award)	Giant kohlrabi and ogeurakji (dried radish kimchi)
Sun, Oct 25	Kwak Eun-ju (2000 Presidential Award)	Seokbakji radish kimchi made with whole wheat

If you want something lighter, My First Kimchi runs five times a day between 13:30 and 18:00, 30 minutes each. You mix 1 kg of kimchi and make rice balls with pickled Mudeungsan watermelon. A container is provided so you can take your kimchi with you.

Both are booked on Naver in advance, and leftover seats are offered on site. Fees and booking times are on the official booking page; the official site does not list the fees itself (checked 2026-10-14).

Entry

The festival is free to walk into. You pay for food at each stall and for the paid classes.

Getting there

The main site is at 111 Naebang-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju.

By subway, get off at Sangmu Station (exit 4) or Uncheon Station (exit 3). The official directions put both at about 25 to 30 minutes on foot.

By bus, Geumho 46, Maewol 16, Unrim 50, Ilgok 38, Jiwon 25, Jiwon 45 and Cheomdan 22 stop at City Hall.

Roads around the site close during the festival and some city buses take detours. The official notice page has the maps, so check it before you set off.

Before you go

For data, an eSIM is the easy answer. Superalink is a Korean eSIM company; set it up before you travel and it works the moment you land. Superalink has a 20% discount for Every Ticket readers.

Five apps run a Korea trip: NAVER Map, Konest, Kakao T, WOWPASS and Papago. Every Ticket, the app I am building, is the sixth. Five to run the trip, one to keep it. When you reach the festival a pin drops on its own and the day’s route is recorded. Photograph the kimchi you made once and it goes onto the day’s card. Recording runs in the background without draining your battery, and the card is built on your phone, not on a server.

Dates, programs and menus can change. Check the official Gwangju Kimchi Festival site before you go.

FAQ

When is the Gwangju Kimchi Festival 2026?

October 23 to 25, 2026 (Friday to Sunday). The festival runs from 10:00 to 20:00.

Is it free?

Entry is free. Some programs, such as the Kimchi Experience School, charge a fee and take bookings in advance.

Where is it held?

On the plaza around the Gwangju Office of Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, 111 Naebang-ro, Seo-gu, Gwangju. This is the city in the southwest of Korea, not Gwangju in Gyeonggi Province near Seoul.

Can I make kimchi myself?

Yes. A master class runs once a day from 11:00 to 12:00, taught by a different Presidential Award winning kimchi master each day. A shorter class, My First Kimchi, runs five times a day between 13:30 and 18:00. Both are booked through Naver, with walk-in spots if seats are left.

How do I get there by public transport?

Sangmu Station (exit 4) and Uncheon Station (exit 3) on the Gwangju subway are each about a 25 to 30 minute walk. City buses including Geumho 46, Unrim 50 and Cheomdan 22 stop at City Hall.