At a glance
| Dates | Expected Oct/Nov 2027Three or four days between mid-October and early November 2027, if the pattern of 2023–2026 holds (3–6 Nov 2023, 18–20 Oct 2024, 31 Oct–2 Nov 2025, 23–25 Oct 2026); 2027 dates not announced as of 18 October 2026. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Three or four days between mid-October and early November 2027, if the pattern of 2023–2026 holds (3–6 Nov 2023, 18–20 Oct 2024, 31 Oct–2 Nov 2025, 23–25 Oct 2026); 2027 dates not announced as of 18 October 2026. |
| Admission | Free entry. The Kimchi Experience School is paid (the 2026 fee was not published in the sources opened), and food, drinks and kimchi from the market cost money; 2026 food prices were not published.Entry: Free (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Gwangju City Hall plaza (Gwangju office of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City)광주광역시 서구 내방로 111 (치평동) |
| Nearest station | Sangmu Station (상무역), Gwangju Metro Line 1, Exit 4About 25–30 minutes on foot according to a festival guide (Unchon Station Exit 3 is the alternative); a taxi or a city bus to the City Hall (시청) stop is quicker |
| From Seoul | about 2 h 30 min · KTX + SubwayLeave from Yongsan Station · Back to Seoul the same nightFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City (host); Gwangju Kimchi Festival Committee (organizer)전남광주통합특별시 (주최) · 광주김치축제위원회 (주관) |
| Usual timing | Three or four days between mid-October and early November: 3–6 Nov 2023 (Sangmu Citizen Park), then 18–20 Oct 2024, 31 Oct–2 Nov 2025 and 23–25 Oct 2026 at the Gwangju City Hall plaza. Held since 1994; the 2026 edition is the 33rd. Browse October / November festivals. |
| First held | 1994 |
| Last checked | 22 October 2026Checked against 31 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Gwangju has held a kimchi festival since 1994, and KTO's listing calls the city kimchi's home town. After earlier editions at Gwangju Kimchi Town in Nam-gu and elsewhere and a 2023 edition in Sangmu Citizen Park, the festival moved in 2024 to the plaza, outdoor music stage and lawns of Gwangju City Hall in Chipyeong-dong, Seo-gu. KTO and the culture ministry now list the venue as the Gwangju office of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City (전남광주통합특별시), which hosts the 33rd edition from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026, 10:00–20:00 daily.
The festival is about eating, buying and making kimchi. The "table for a thousand" (천인의 밥상) food zone serves kimchi dishes all day; in 2025 it had more than 50. The Kimchi Market sells award-winning, certified and traditional-market kimchi, priced 20–30% below shop prices in 2024 and 2025 and 10–30% off in 2026, and the Korea Kimchi Competition (대한민국 김치경연대회), whose top prize is a presidential award, is part of the programme. Masters who have won that award teach the paid Kimchi Experience School, and shorter beginner sessions let you mix about 1 kg of kimchi to take home. Children get a "kimjang arcade" that turns salting and seasoning into games, and a Global Kimchi Lounge offers tastings for foreign visitors.
On the Friday and Saturday evenings (23 and 24 October 2026) the main stage hosts the Kimchi Party from 18:30 to 20:00: an opera-and-cocktail "RED NIGHT" on the first night and "K-HEUNG NIGHT" with traditional music and an orchestra on the second, according to a festival guide based on the official programme.
The honest caveats: this is a city-centre festival in an office district, not a rural kimjang day among cabbage fields. The paid class is booked through Naver, a Korean platform. About 57,000 people came over three days in 2025, parking near City Hall is tight at weekends, and the nearest subway stations are a 25–30-minute walk away, so a taxi or city bus for the last stretch saves time.
Highlights
- Held since 1994; the 2026 edition is the 33rd, on the Gwangju City Hall plaza and lawns
- "Table for a thousand" (천인의 밥상) kimchi food zone, 10:00–20:00 daily; more than 50 kimchi dishes in 2025
- Kimchi Experience School with presidential-award kimchi masters, 11:00–12:00 daily (booked in advance), plus beginner sessions to make 1 kg of kimchi to take home
- Kimchi Party on the main stage, 18:30–20:00 on 23 and 24 October 2026, with opera, cocktails, traditional music and an orchestra
- Kimchi Market selling award-winning and certified kimchi at 10–30% off in 2026 (20–30% below market in 2024 and 2025)
- Global Kimchi Lounge with tastings and pickling traditions from around the world, 10:00–19:00 daily
Who it suits. Best for food lovers, families with children and anyone curious about how kimchi is made, especially travellers already in Gwangju or touring the southwest; less suited to anyone hoping for scenery, since the setting is a city hall plaza in an office district.
Getting there
From Seoul
KTX from Yongsan (or Suseo) to Gwangju Songjeong, about 2 hours (₩42,000 standard class from Yongsan after the September 2026 fare cut). At Gwangju Songjeong, change to Gwangju Metro Line 1 towards Nokdong and get off at Sangmu Station (Exit 4) or Unchon Station (Exit 3); a festival guide puts the walk to City Hall at about 25–30 minutes, so a taxi, or a city bus to the City Hall (시청) stop (routes 금호46, 매월16, 운림50, 일곡38, 지원25, 지원45 and 첨단22), is quicker. Express buses also run from Seoul Central City Terminal to Gwangju U-Square bus terminal; take a taxi or city bus from there.
From Busan
Intercity bus from Busan Seobu Intercity Bus Terminal (Sasang, Line 2 Sasang Station) to Gwangju U-Square: 23 a day, 2 h 57 m, ₩28,300 deluxe or ₩36,800 premium. Buses also run from Busan Central Bus Terminal (Nopo, Line 1 Nopo Station), 16 a day, 3 h 03 m, ₩31,200 deluxe. Then a taxi or city bus from U-Square to City Hall as above.
Last leg from Sangmu Station
Gwangju Metro Line 1, Exit 4. About 25–30 minutes on foot according to a festival guide (Unchon Station Exit 3 is the alternative); a taxi or a city bus to the City Hall (시청) stop is quicker
Festival shuttle
No festival shuttle bus was mentioned in the sources opened.
Getting home
The festival closes at 20:00, and the Kimchi Party on 23 and 24 October also ends at 20:00. KTX trains run from Gwangju Songjeong to Yongsan and Suseo into the late evening, and express buses from Gwangju U-Square to Seoul Central City run late too, but the last-train and last-bus times for 23–25 October 2026 were not checked against Korail or the bus operators: check the last train in the Korail+ app (코레일+, where KTX and former SRT trains are now booked) or at the station, and the last bus at the terminal, before you go. Allow time for Line 1 or a taxi back to Gwangju Songjeong.
Parking
Parking around City Hall is limited, so public transport is the better choice. From 20:00 on 21 October to midnight on 25 October 2026 the road from the intersection in front of City Hall to the junction at the Bank of Korea's rear gate is closed to vehicles, and some city bus routes are diverted. At the weekend, the car parks of public offices around City Hall and the underground car park of Sangmu Peace Park (상무지구 평화공원) are open free of charge.
How to switch Naver Map and Kakao Map to English
Google Maps shows train, subway and bus routes in Korea but not walking or driving directions yet, so for the walk from the station Naver Map or Kakao Map is more reliable.
Before you go
1330 · Travel hotline
The Korea Tourism Organization’s helpline answers in English, Japanese and Chinese around the clock, and in several other languages from 08:00 to 19:00. Dial 1330 from a Korean phone, or +82-2-1330 from a phone registered abroad.
112 / 119 · Emergencies
112 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance. Both are free from any phone. Police on 112 can add an English or Chinese interpreter to the call.
T-money card
Buy one at a convenience store such as GS25, CU or 7-Eleven and top it up there with cash. It pays for subways and buses in most cities, and for most taxis.
Maps
Use Naver Map or Kakao Map for walking and bus directions; Google Maps does not yet give walking directions in Korea. Both apps can be switched to English. Naver Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → Language (Japanese and Chinese also available). Kakao Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → App settings → Language. If the option is missing, change your phone’s language and reopen the app. Small shop names and some reviews stay in Korean.
Trains and buses
Book trains on Korail’s English site and express buses on Kobus. Holiday weekends sell out first.
Checked 18 October 2026.
Tickets, prices and practical details
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free | |
| Kimchi Experience School | — | Paid (KTO); advance booking on Naver; the fee was not published in the sources opened |
| Kimchi dishes in the 천인의 밥상 food zone | — | About ₩6,000–16,000 per dish in 2024; 2026 prices not published |
- Booking
- No booking for entry. The Kimchi Experience School (11:00–12:00 daily, one session a day) is booked in advance through Naver Booking; a festival guide says the beginner kimchi class may also use Naver, so check before going. The Kimjang Arcade and other kids' games are walk-in. Whether foreign visitors can book without a Korean phone number or Naver account was not stated. Festival office: 062-613-3955.
- English on site
- Programmes are run in Korean. The Global Kimchi Lounge, 10:00–19:00 daily in 2026, offers tastings aimed at foreign visitors; in 2025 it was run by GGN with a six-booth stamp tour for foreigners.
- Crowds
- About 57,000 visitors over three days in 2025, when the festival also set a sales record of ₩1.038 billion. Expect the most people on Saturday 24 October and on the two Kimchi Party evenings.
- Best time to go
- Friday 23 October for a quieter visit and the 14:00 opening show; book the 11:00 Kimchi Experience School for any day and stay for the Kimchi Party from 18:30 on 23 or 24 October.
- What to bring
- A sturdy bag (or a cool bag) for kimchi bought at the market or made in class, and a Naver booking confirmation if you have one.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Three or four days between mid-October and early November 2027, if the pattern of 2023–2026 holds (3–6 Nov 2023, 18–20 Oct 2024, 31 Oct–2 Nov 2025, 23–25 Oct 2026); 2027 dates not announced as of 18 October 2026. | expected | Would be the 34th edition. |
| 2026 | 23–25 Oct 2026 | ended | Plaza, outdoor music stage and lawn of the former Gwangju City Hall, now the integrated special city's Gwangju office (111 Naebang-ro, Seo-gu); kimchi classes in the plaza in front of the city council building. |
| 2025 | 31 Oct – 2 Nov 2025 | ended | Gwangju City Hall plaza and surroundings. |
| 2024 | 18–20 Oct 2024 | ended | First year at the Gwangju City Hall plaza. |
| 2023 | 3–6 Nov 2023 | ended | Sangmu Citizen Park, Seo-gu; moved from Gwangju Kimchi Town to improve access. |
Before or after the festival
Places you can fit in before or after the festival without missing the shuttle or the last train or bus back.
Korea's oldest contemporary art biennale (since 1995), on this site: the 16th edition, 'You Must Change Your Life', fills the Biennale Exhibition Hall in Yongbong-dong, Buk-gu, until 15 November 2026, with pavilions around the city. The hall opens 10:00–18:00 and closes only on Mondays, so all three festival days work: see it in the morning, then cross town for the afternoon classes and the 18:30 Kimchi Party. Tip: on-site adult tickets are ₩20,000; Gwangju Museum of Art beside the hall is free.
Getting there: Taxi across the city from City Hall (Seo-gu) to the hall in Yongbong-dong, Buk-gu; ride time and fare not checked
- Yangdong Market (양동시장)Before
Gwangju's biggest traditional market, started in 1910 and known for Yangdong tongdak, whole chickens fried twice with half tossed in sweet chili sauce and peanuts, and for skate (hongeo) and sangchu-twigim, fritters eaten wrapped in lettuce. Go for lunch before the festival: the market runs 09:00–20:00 every day (hours vary by shop). Tip: it is on Metro Line 1, so you can ride straight back west to Uncheon or Sangmu for City Hall.
Getting there: Gwangju Metro Line 1 from Uncheon or Sangmu to Yangdong Market Station (5 or 6 stops east); ride time not checked
- 5·18 Memorial Park (5·18기념공원)Before or after
A 208,000 m² park built in 1998 on the former Sangmudae army site to remember the May 1980 Gwangju Uprising: a citizen-army statue, a memorial space and the 5·18 Memorial Culture Center, with paths up wooded Yeoui Hill to the Owoldae pavilion. Open at all times and free, it fills any gap in the day, such as between the afternoon classes and the 18:30 Kimchi Party. Tip: restrooms are in the memorial centre.
Getting there: On foot from the City Hall plaza, a few hundred metres (KTO lists the park's 5·18 Memorial Culture Center 419 m from the venue); free
Questions travelers ask
When is the Gwangju Kimchi Festival 2026?
23–25 October 2026 (Friday to Sunday), 10:00–20:00 daily, on the plaza and lawns of Gwangju City Hall (111 Naebang-ro, Seo-gu), now the Gwangju office of the Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City. It is the 33rd edition.
Is the Gwangju Kimchi Festival free?
Yes, entry is free. The Kimchi Experience School is paid (the 2026 fee was not published in the sources we opened), and food and kimchi are sold; 2026 food prices were not published.
Can I make kimchi myself at the festival?
Yes. In 2026 the Kimchi Experience School runs 11:00–12:00 daily with a presidential-award kimchi master (book in advance on Naver), and the "My first kimchi" class runs five 30-minute sessions between 13:30 and 18:00, where you mix 1 kg of kimchi to take home.
Can I buy kimchi to take home?
Yes. The Kimchi Market sells award-winning, certified and traditional-market kimchi; news reports of 19 October 2026 put this year's discounts at 10–30% off, and kimchi can also be ordered online for delivery anywhere in Korea.
How do I get to the festival from Seoul?
Take the KTX from Yongsan to Gwangju Songjeong, about 2 hours (₩42,000 standard class), then Gwangju Metro Line 1 to Sangmu Station (Exit 4) or Unchon Station (Exit 3) and walk about 25–30 minutes, or take a taxi. Check the last KTX back in the Korail+ app (코레일+) or at the station before you go.
Is this the same as Gwangju's kimjang sale at Kimchi Town?
No. The 빛고을 사랑나눔 김장대전, the city's separate winter-kimchi sale, runs 27 November–13 December 2026 at Gwangju Kimchi Town in Imam-dong, Nam-gu. The Kimchi Festival is the October event at City Hall.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
22 October 2026, against the sources listed below.
This page is desk research from the sources below, not a firsthand report of the 2027 edition. Confidence in the current facts: medium.
- KTO TourAPI listing 광주김치축제 (contentId 604097)kto — 2026 dates 23–25 Oct over 3 days, 10:00–20:00, free entry with the Kimchi Experience School paid, venue 광주청사 광장 일원 at 내방로 111 (치평동), coordinates, host 전남광주통합특별시, phone 062-613-3955, homepage, 33 years of history, programme (Korea Kimchi Competition, kimchi-making, Kimchi Market, 천인의 밥상); food listings still from 2025
- Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism — festival listing: 광주세계김치축제ministry — 2026 dates 23–25 Oct, 10:00–20:00, free entry with the Kimchi Experience School paid, venue 광주청사 광장 일원, contact 062-613-3955 and homepage (page header still shows 2022 dates and a 29th-edition title)
- KTO tourist data (Japanese) — 光州世界キムチ祭り (ktriptips mirror, contentId 632431)kto — Japanese name 光州世界キムチ祭り; 2026 dates 23–25 Oct; 10:00–20:00; free entry; address 내방로 111; phone 062-613-3955～6
- KTO tourist data — 광주김치축제 (ktriptips mirror, contentId 604097)kto — Organizer 광주김치축제위원회, host 전남광주통합특별시, postcode 61945; programme 천인의밥상, 김치파티, 김치명인 마스터 클래스, 김치마켓, 김치체험관, 김치놀이터, 소금체험관, 도시농부축제
- trvlogue — 2026 광주김치축제 프로그램 완벽정리 (festival guide based on the official site)blog — 33rd edition; opening 23 Oct 14:00–15:00; master show 24 Oct 15:00; Kimchi Party 23–24 Oct 18:30–20:00; Kimchi School 11:00–12:00, one 60-min session, Naver; first-kimchi 13:30–18:00, five 30-min sessions, 1 kg; arcade and lounge 10:00–19:00; sports 16:00–17:00; food zone 10:00–20:00; Sangmu Exit 4/Unchon Exit 3, 25–30 min walk; buses 금호46, 일곡38, 첨단22; road closures; parking
- trvlogue — 광주김치축제 2026 체험 프로그램 총정리 (festival guide based on the official site; page updated 14 Oct 2026, re-read on recheck)blog — 23–25 Oct, 10:00–20:00 unchanged; Kimchi School menu 23 Oct white kimchi with deodeok, 24 Oct kohlrabi kimchi and ogeurakji, 25 Oct whole-wheat seokbakji; City Hall stop routes 금호46, 매월16, 운림50, 일곡38, 지원25, 지원45, 첨단22; road closure in front of City Hall and bus diversions, details on the festival notice board
- Wikitree — '광주김치축제' 광주시청 광장서 내외국인 함께 즐기는 축제 (21 Oct 2024)news — 2024 (31st) edition 18–20 Oct at the City Hall plaza; theme; opening on the outdoor music stage; food show at 17:00 on 18 and 19 Oct; napa cabbage kimchi from ₩8,000 per kg; kimchi 20–30% below market price; 천인의 밥상 dishes about ₩6,000–16,000; 130,000 reusable containers; global kimchi lounge
- Financial News — Gwangju autumn festival calendar (28 Sep 2025)news — 2025 (32nd) edition 31 Oct–2 Nov at the City Hall plaza; theme 우주최광(光) 김치파티; food court, kimchi competition, star chef show, kimchi-making
- Korea Time News — 제32회 광주김치축제 opening (31 Oct 2025)news — 32nd edition over three days from 31 Oct around City Hall; kimchi thanksgiving rite and Korea Kimchi Competition awards with a presidential award; master classes on days two and three; Kimchi Market 20–30% below market price; K-Kimchi Party from 19:00; host Gwangju Metropolitan City
- Maeil Business / Travel Plus via Daum — 김치 맛보러 5만명이 찾아 10억원어치 매출 (6 Nov 2025)news — About 57,000 visitors over three days in 2025; sales ₩1.038 billion, up 26.7%; more than 50 dishes; Global Kimchi Lounge run by GGN with a six-booth stamp tour for foreigners; K-Kimchi Party on 31 Oct ended early because of a nearby waste-warehouse fire, no injuries
- Metro Seoul — 30th Gwangju Kimchi Festival moves to Sangmu Citizen Park (25 Oct 2023)news — 2023 (30th) edition 3–6 Nov at Sangmu Citizen Park, moved from Gwangju Kimchi Town; competitions at Kimchi Town on 3–4 Nov; more than 30 dishes; course dinners 3–5 Nov; held with Gwangju Food Festa
- Jaekyung Ilbo — 2009 광주김치문화축제 plans (14 Jul 2009)news — First held in 1994; 16th edition 23 Oct–1 Nov 2009 at the Gwangju World Cup Stadium area under the name 광주김치문화축제
- Nocut News — 2026 빛고을 사랑나눔 김장대전 supplier call (6 Aug 2026)news — Kimjang sale 27 Nov–13 Dec 2026 at Kimchi Town, Imam-dong, Nam-gu; held since 2014; run by 전남광주통합특별시
- Metro Seoul — 김치타운과 함께하는 김치·물놀이 피크닉 (14 Aug 2026)news — Gwangju Kimchi Town plaza in Imam-dong, Nam-gu; 3 kg of young-radish kimchi for ₩10,000 at the 21–23 Aug 2026 event
- Herald — K-미식벨트 김치로드 광주서 '세계김치의날' 축제 (22 Nov 2025)news — World Kimchi Day 22 Nov at 5·18 Democracy Square, 1,122 citizens planned to make 10,000 heads of kimchi; Kimchi Town museum with a red kimchi bus; Yangdong Market and Gwangho Lake Ecological Garden (Gwangju's first local garden) on the city's kimchi tour packages
- MTN News — 31st Namdo Food Culture Festival in Naju (16 Oct 2026)news — 31st 남도음식문화큰잔치, 23–25 Oct 2026, Yeongsangang Garden, Naju
- Hankyung: 9월 1일부터 서울~부산 KTX 5만4400원…운임 평균 10% 인하 (31 Aug 2026)news — KTX and SRT run as KTX from 1 Sep; former SRT trainsets renamed KTX-Sancheon; Seoul–Busan ₩59,800→₩54,400, Yongsan–Gwangju Songjeong ₩46,800→₩42,000; Suseo seats +30%; booking unified in Korail+
- Korail press release: 코레일-에스알 9월 1일 하나로…안전 최우선, 더 편리한 고속철도의 시작 (31 Aug 2026)official — Integration and integrated running from 1 Sep 2026; KTX and SRT merged into KTX; average KTX fare cut about 10%; Suseo-axis seats up about 30%; 5% mileage; Korail+ app (Korail Talk + SRT app) launched 3 Aug
- Gwangju Songjeong → Yongsan train timetable, 16–19 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Last departure 21:22 KTX-Sancheon 442, arriving 23:26 (about 2 hours)
- Gwangju Songjeong → Suseo train timetable, 16–19 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Last departures 21:53 (arr 23:51) and 23:03 KTX-Sancheon 636 (arr 00:54), every day shown
- Gwangju U-Square → Seoul Central City express bus timetable (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-07)other — 92 buses a day; late departures 21:15, 22:00, 22:30, 23:20 and 00:00
- KTO Korea Tourism Content Lab — Japanese and Chinese listings (contentId 632431, 694637, 697751)kto — KTO names: 光州キムチ祭り (Japanese), 光州辛奇庆典 / 光州辛奇節 (Chinese; 辛奇 is the Korean government's official Chinese word for kimchi). The site keeps 世界 from the English name and uses 泡菜, the word Chinese readers search for, mentioning 辛奇 once (owner decision, 18 Oct 2026)
- Busan Seobu (Sasang) → Gwangju U-Square intercity bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — 23 buses a day, 06:00 to 22:00; 2 h 57 m on every run; weekday adult fares ₩28,300 deluxe (우등) and ₩36,800 premium, ₩33,900 for the 22:00 regular (일반) bus
- Busan Central (Nopo) → Gwangju U-Square intercity bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-17)other — 16 buses a day, 06:20 to 21:00; 3 h 03 m; weekday adult fares ₩31,200 deluxe (우등), ₩40,500 premium
- Gwangju U-Square → Busan Seobu (Sasang) intercity bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-17)other — 23 buses a day, 04:30 to 21:00; 3 h 02 m; last departure 21:00 arriving 24:02; ₩28,300 deluxe, ₩36,800 premium, ₩21,700 regular (11:40)
- The Fact — 광주김치축제 23일 개막…다채로운 체험·전시·공연 마련 (19 Oct 2026)news — 33rd edition 23–25 Oct 2026; theme 압도하라! 김치파티; Kimchi Party 18:30 on 23–24 Oct; 천인의 밥상 with 10 restaurants; Kimchi Market 10–30% off; City Hall 1F pop-up exhibition; road closed from the City Hall front intersection to the Bank of Korea rear-gate junction 20:00 21 Oct–24:00 25 Oct, some buses diverted; free weekend parking at nearby public offices and Sangmu Peace Park; no shuttle mentioned
- MTN News — 광주김치축제 (19 Oct 2026)news — Same programme, discount, road-closure and free weekend parking details; online ordering with nationwide delivery; farm and fishery market
- KTO tourist data — 5·18 기념공원 (ktriptips mirror)kto — 5·18 Memorial Park, Sangmu Minju-ro 61, Seo-gu: built 1998, about 208,000 m²; open at all times, free; citizen-army statue, memorial space, 5·18 Memorial Culture Center, Yeoui Hill trails and Owoldae pavilion; restrooms at the memorial centre; 062-376-5197
- KTO tourist data — 광주 양동시장 (ktriptips mirror)kto — Yangdong Market, Cheonbyeonjwa-ro 238, Seo-gu: the area's largest traditional market; 09:00–20:00, open daily, both varying by shop; known for Yangdong tongdak, skate (hongeo), sangchu-twigim; 062-366-0884
- Gwangju News — Yang-dong Market Chicken (11 Apr 2014)news — Market set up in 1910 under Gwangjugyo Bridge and moved in the 1940s (per KTO); biggest outdoor market in Gwangju; chicken fried twice, half in sweet chili sauce with peanuts
- Wikipedia — Gwangju Metro Line 1 (station list)other — Station order Yangdong Market – Dolgogae – Nongseong – Hwajeong – Ssangchon – Uncheon – Sangmu (5 stops from Uncheon, 6 from Sangmu)
What we could not confirm
- Kimchi Experience School fee and booking terms: KTO and the ministry say only that it is paid; the official site (kimchi.gwangju.go.kr) could not be opened under the fetch rules.
- 2026 programme times other than the Kimchi Party (18:30 on 23 and 24 Oct, confirmed by news reports of 19 Oct 2026) come from a third-party festival guide (trvlogue) based on the official site.
- Walking time (25–30 minutes) and exits from Sangmu and Unchon stations, the City Hall bus routes and the Line 1 journey time from Gwangju Songjeong were not checked against an official page.
- Which city bus routes are diverted during the road closure (21–25 Oct), and whether the City Hall (시청) stop is still served, was not published in the sources opened; no festival shuttle was mentioned.
- English support beyond the Global Kimchi Lounge, rain policy, accessibility, restrooms and pet rules were not published.
- KTO now lists the address under 전남광주통합특별시 (Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City); the record keeps Gwangju (광주광역시) as its own region, as the site does.
- The ministry listing's header still shows 2022 dates and a 29th-edition title, while its body gives the 2026 dates; the 2026 edition number (33rd) comes from the festival guide and fits the 1994 start and KTO's '33 years'.
- Last train back on the festival dates (23–25 Oct 2026) under the timetable in force that day, Gwangju Songjeong to Yongsan and Suseo, and the last express bus from U-Square to Seoul (earlier times came from a third-party mirror for 16–19 Oct and were removed).
- Before or after the festival: taxi time and fare from City Hall to the Gwangju Biennale hall, Line 1 ride time to Yangdong Market Station and its exit, and the walking route to 5·18 Memorial Park were not checked; biennale hours and tickets come from this site's gwangju-biennale record.
- Yangdong Market chicken shops' own hours (a 2014 English article gave 10:00–midnight; KTO gives the market 09:00–20:00, varying by shop) were not rechecked for 2026.
- Kimchi Experience School fee and 2026 food-zone prices: not in KTO's 2026 listing (re-read 23 Oct 2026: 'free, Kimchi Experience School paid'); the organizer's notice on kimchi.gwangju.go.kr was not opened.
Changes: 2026-10-18 — Added to the site: fact-first record (dates, hours, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-18 — Added a photograph from the Korea Tourism Organization (Korea Tourism Content Lab), KOGL Type 1. · 2026-10-18 — Chinese pages now mention 辛奇, the official Chinese word for kimchi used by KTO. · 2026-10-18 — Added a route from Busan (Getting there), with times and fares from the national bus and rail timetables. · 2026-10-19 — Rechecked before the 2026 edition: dates and hours unchanged; added the daily Kimchi School menu, more City Hall bus routes and the road closure in front of City Hall. · 2026-10-22 — Rechecked before the 2026 edition: dates, hours and venue unchanged; added the road closure in front of City Hall (21–25 October), free weekend parking, the 2026 theme and the Kimchi Market discount (10–30%); removed last-train and last-bus clock times that could not be confirmed for the festival dates. · 2026-10-23 — Nearby rewritten as 'Before or after the festival' (shuttle and last-train fit); transport: no train, bus or shuttle clock times were left to verify (the road closure and diversions are this edition's), and the last-train advice now points to the Korail+ app; prices: removed 2024 food-zone and kimchi prices from the admission note and FAQs, keeping only 2026 facts.
