Korea Tuning Car Festival set to open in Gimcheon

Two-day event runs from Friday at Gimcheon General Sports Town

Poster for the 2026 Korea Tuning Car Festival [Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport]

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport will co-host the 2026 Korea Tuning Car Festival with North Gyeongsang Province, Gimcheon city and the Korea Transportation Safety Authority at Gimcheon General Sports Town in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, starting Friday for two days, the ministry announced Thursday.

Now in its fifth edition, the festival is the country's largest event dedicated to showcasing tuning technologies and products and letting visitors see and experience modified vehicles firsthand, with the aim of broadening the tuning industry and its culture. The inaugural edition drew about 40,000 visitors, and a previous edition held in Gimcheon also attracted 30,000.

This year's event has been fully revamped from previous editions, moving to a more accessible urban venue and expanding its lineup of exhibitions and hands-on activities. Highlights include displays of various types of camper vans and tuned vehicles, as well as unique experiences such as off-road rides over junked cars and safety education sessions.

The exhibition program features leading automotive tuning associations presenting a wide range of camper vans and tuned vehicles for visitors to browse freely, with tuned cars available for visitors to sit in. The hands-on program includes a ride-along experience in a tuned off-road vehicle as it drives over a junked car alongside a professional driver, a vehicle-rollover escape simulation as part of safety education, and RC car and balance bike activities for children — all available for on-site registration.

A participation program will debut with the "Imagination Project," a creative showcase involving more than 1,100 young people from 11 universities nationwide, providing a platform for exchanging ideas related to the tuning industry. A tuning-themed quiz competition, "Tuning Car Golden Bell," is also planned to spread knowledge about tuning and spark public interest.

The festival also offers entertainment for the whole family, including an international-level motorcycle stunt show, a bike gymkhana competition, busking performances and craft activities for children.

Park Jun-hyung, director general of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's Mobility and Automotive Bureau, said he hopes the event will help the public see car tuning as an approachable and enjoyable part of everyday culture. "We will continue working to spread a sound car-tuning culture and to invigorate the tuning industry," he said.

hss@heraldcorp.com