The 33rd Gwangju Kimchi Festival opens Friday at the Gwangju Government Complex in South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City.
Running through Sunday, the three-day event at the complex in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu, will feature culinary experiences showcasing traditional kimchi, live performances and a range of hands-on activities.
Highlights include Cheonin Uibap — a communal dining experience — a kimchi party, a kimchi master class led by a designated kimchi master, a kimchi school, a kimchi playground for children, a pop-up kimchi exhibition and a kimchi market, offering something for visitors of all ages.
Ten local restaurants and distinctive eateries will take part in the Cheonin Uibap dining event, each presenting signature dishes made with kimchi.
The kimchi party, held Friday and Saturday on the main outdoor stage, will feature popular music performances, traditional performing arts and an orchestra concert.
Family-friendly programming includes the kimchi master class, where a Presidential Award winner at a previous kimchi festival will personally share their recipes and techniques.
At the kimchi school, visitors can try making kimchi themselves or prepare rice balls with Mudeungsan watermelon pickle.
The children's kimchi playground will host kimjang-themed arcade games and group activities, while a pop-up exhibition on the ground floor of the Gwangju Government Complex will offer an overview of kimchi's history and culture, along with Presidential Award-winning entries.
This year's kimchi market and agricultural products fair have been expanded from last year.
The kimchi market will sell kimchi from HACCP-certified producers and traditional food quality-certified makers, as well as kimchi by designated national kimchi masters and popular traditional market vendors, all at discounts of 10 to 30 percent.
Vehicle traffic on the stretch between the intersection in front of the Gwangju Government Complex and the rear entrance of the Bank of Korea will be restricted from 8 p.m. Tuesday through midnight Sunday, and some city bus routes will be rerouted during the festival period.
On weekends, public parking lots around the complex — including underground parking at Sangmu District's Pyeonghwa Park — will be open free of charge.
Park Nam-eon, head of the metropolitan administration bureau of South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City, said Monday that this year's festival blends traditional kimchi with a modern sensibility and creative content. "We hope visitors will enjoy a meaningful time sharing the flavors and warmth of kimchi amid the autumn atmosphere," he said.
sij@heraldcorp.com
