Gwangju Bitgoeul Kimjang Experience Festival 2026: Complete Booking & Pricing Guide

Make kimchi at Gwangju Kimchi Town for less than supermarket prices?! 🥬 The 2026 Gwangju Bitgoeul Kimjang Experience Festival offers the hands-on Beomeurim (mix-your-own) option from just KRW 67,000 per 10 kg — reservations open October 1 at 9:00 AM, first-come, first-served! Full guide: booking steps, Beomeurim vs. ready-made differences, and Munhwa Nuri Card rules. 🍱

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※ Check the official website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

The Gwangju Bitgoeul Kimjang Experience Festival returns to Gwangju Kimchi Town’s multi-purpose hall again this year. At KRW 67,000 per 10 kg for the Beomeurim (mix-your-own, pick-up on-site) option, the cost works out far lower than sourcing the ingredients separately at a supermarket. 🌿 Three formats are available — mix your own on-site, pick up a ready-made batch, or have it delivered by courier — so you can choose whatever fits your schedule.

On-site sessions run Friday, November 27 through Sunday, December 13; courier delivery orders open Tuesday, November 17 through Friday, December 18. Reservations open at 9:00 AM on October 1, so mark the date. Based on official announcements as of October 8, 2026.

The official website is in Korean only. Your browser’s translate feature (e.g., Chrome → Translate) works well for checking dates and prices.

Official Site (Korean)

1. About the Gwangju Bitgoeul Kimjang Experience Festival: 3 Things to Know

Background and Purpose

The Gwangju Bitgoeul Kimjang Experience Festival is an annual winter event organized by Gwangju Metropolitan City at the Gwangju Kimchi Town multi-purpose hall. Kimjang (김장) is the traditional Korean practice of making large batches of kimchi — fermented vegetables seasoned with red chili, garlic, and salted seafood — to store for winter. UNESCO recognized kimjang as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013. The event sells hundreds of tonnes of kimchi each year at below-market prices while keeping the communal spirit of kimjang alive. According to official announcements, the 2026 edition follows the same structure.

Each package is built around 7 kg of pre-salted napa cabbage plus 3 kg of seasoning, totaling 10 kg. Foreign visitors who want a rare hands-on kimchi experience in a proper production hall — not a tourist demo — will find this event particularly authentic.

3 Formats Compared

The Gwangju Bitgoeul Kimjang Experience Festival offers three distinct formats. Beomeurim — the most affordable at KRW 67,000 (approx. USD 50) per 10 kg — lets you mix the cabbage and seasoning yourself on-site and carry it home. The on-site ready-made option costs KRW 69,000 (approx. USD 52): kimchi is already prepared and you collect it at the venue. Courier ready-made at KRW 72,000 (approx. USD 54) ships the finished kimchi to your door — useful if you can’t visit in person, though only residents with a Korean delivery address can use this option.

The hands-on experience and the hall atmosphere are exclusive to Beomeurim. Courier delivery, by contrast, works for those who only want the product without the visit.

💡 Trip.com lists hotels near Gwangju — compare prices so you can plan an overnight kimjang trip instead of rushing back the same day.

The Gwangju Bitgoeul Kimjang Experience Festival sells out early every year. Log in to the official site before 9:00 AM on October 1 to book the moment reservations open. When paying by bank transfer, you must include your name and the last four digits of your mobile number in the depositor name field — otherwise the booking cannot be confirmed. For inquiries, call 062-676-3601 on weekdays between 9:30 AM and 5:30 PM (closed 12:00–1:00 PM).

2. Dates, Venue & How to Get There

On-Site Schedule and Session Times

The 2026 on-site event runs for 17 days from Friday, November 27 through Sunday, December 13. Two daily sessions are available: a morning session (10:00 AM – 12:00 PM) and an afternoon session (2:00 PM – 4:00 PM). You choose your preferred session at the time of booking. The venue is Gwangju Kimchi Town Multi-Purpose Hall, 60 Kimchi-ro, Nam-gu, Jeonnam-Gwangju Metropolitan City. Search “김치타운 다목적체험관” on Naver Maps for directions.

For parking, enter from the south car park and turn right to find the multi-purpose hall. Driving in during the event period is manageable, but check local bus routes if you prefer public transport.

Getting There from Seoul and Incheon Airport

From Seoul Station, KTX trains reach Gwangju Songjeong Station in roughly 1 hour 40 minutes; local buses connect to Nam-gu from there. From Incheon Airport (ICN), take the Airport Railroad (AREX) to Seoul Station, then transfer to KTX — total journey approximately 2 hours 30 minutes. Express buses from Seoul Central City Terminal to Gwangju Terminal are also an option (about 3 hours). Book KTX tickets in advance through Trip.com or Klook for English-language booking interfaces.

Courier Order Dates

If visiting in person is not possible, courier delivery orders open from Tuesday, November 17 through Friday, December 18 — roughly ten days before the on-site event starts. Book through the same official website from October 1 at 9:00 AM. Note that courier delivery requires a Korean mailing address; international shipping is not available. Confirm whether the KRW 72,000 price includes delivery fees directly on the official site, as this detail is not specified in official announcements.

3. Tickets & Booking: 4 Steps for Foreign Visitors

Step 1 — Note the Exact Reservation Date and Time

Reservations for the Gwangju Bitgoeul Kimjang Experience Festival open on Thursday, October 1, 2026 at 9:00 AM KST (UTC+9) at kimchigwangju.co.kr. Popular weekend slots and early December dates fill within minutes of opening. Log in at least 30 minutes early and keep the browser tab active.

Step 2 — Choose Your Format

Decide between Beomeurim (KRW 67,000 / approx. USD 50, on-site mixing), on-site ready-made (KRW 69,000 / approx. USD 52), or courier ready-made (KRW 72,000 / approx. USD 54). Beomeurim and on-site ready-made both require a physical visit; select your preferred date and session at the same time.

Step 3 — Select Date, Session, and Pay

After choosing your format, pick your date and session (morning 10:00 AM–12:00 PM or afternoon 2:00–4:00 PM). The site supports online payment or bank transfer. For bank transfer: the depositor name field must contain your name plus the last four digits of your mobile number — missing this information will prevent booking confirmation. Contact 062-676-3601 if the name on the deposit differs from the booking name.

Step 4 — Visit and Use Munhwa Nuri Card

Arrive at Gwangju Kimchi Town Multi-Purpose Hall on your reserved date and session. Bring your own kimchi container if you booked Beomeurim — having multiple containers is practical for splitting 10 kg. The Munhwa Nuri Card (문화누리카드, a Korean government welfare card) is accepted on-site only, strictly during the on-site event period (November 27 – December 13). It cannot be used for courier orders or outside this window.

The official website is in Korean only. Your browser’s translate feature (e.g., Chrome → Translate) works well for checking dates and prices.

Book via Official Site (Korean)

4. Where to Eat & Stay Nearby

Food and Dining Near Gwangju Kimchi Town

Gwangju is known across Korea for its food culture. Nam-gu, where Kimchi Town is located, has traditional Korean set-meal restaurants (hanjeongsik, 한정식) and barley rice (boribap, 보리밥) spots within a short drive. After your kimjang session, combining the visit with a walk through Yangnim-dong Historic Cultural Village or a drive toward Mudeungsan National Park makes for a rewarding day. Prices for a full set meal in the area typically run KRW 10,000–20,000 (approx. USD 7–15) per person, though confirm current rates on-site.

Accommodation

For an overnight stay, search Gwangju Nam-gu or central Gwangju on Agoda or Booking.com. Mid-range hotels in central Gwangju run approximately KRW 60,000–120,000 (approx. USD 45–90) per night; budget options exist closer to Nam-gu. Booking early is advisable during the November–December kimjang season.

Beomeurim vs. Ready-Made — Which Format Suits You?

6. 5 Tips for Foreign Visitors

Set an Alarm for October 1 at 9:00 AM KST

Reservations open at exactly 9:00 AM KST on October 1. Weekend dates and early December slots fill within minutes. Log in to the official site 30 minutes early. If you don’t have an account yet, register before October 1 — the site is in Korean, so use Chrome’s built-in page translation.

Bank Transfer: Get the Depositor Name Right

If paying by bank transfer (무통장입금), the depositor name field must read: your name + last four digits of your Korean mobile number. This exact format is required for booking confirmation. Using a different name? Call 062-676-3601 before transferring.

Munhwa Nuri Card Has a Strict Window

The Munhwa Nuri Card is a Korean government welfare card. It is accepted in person at Gwangju Kimchi Town only during the on-site period (November 27 – December 13). Courier orders and visits outside that period do not qualify. Foreign visitors without this card can pay by card or bank transfer.

Bring a Kimchi Container for Beomeurim

If you booked the Beomeurim format, bring your own kimchi container. Ten kilograms of kimchi is substantial — splitting it across two or three smaller containers is more practical. Containers are not provided on-site for Beomeurim participants.

Parking: Enter from the South

Drive into Gwangju Kimchi Town via the south car park entrance and turn right toward the multi-purpose hall. During the event, parking fills quickly for morning sessions, so early arrival is advisable.

💡 Trip.com offers discounts on KTX tickets! Compare prices and travel to Gwangju easily.

The Gwangju Bitgoeul Kimjang Experience Festival draws visitors from across Korea. As of the current date, reservations opened October 1 — check the official site immediately for remaining slots. Plan transport and accommodation early, and the kimjang experience will be well worth it.

Frequently Asked Questions

More to Explore

Heading to Gwangju Kimchi Town? Lock in transport early — options from Seoul include KTX and express bus. The page below is in Korean, so your browser’s translate feature will help.

Source: Gwangju Kimchi Town official website (kimchigwangju.co.kr), based on October 2026 announcements.