At a glance
| Dates | 29 Oct – 1 Nov 2026Happening now · Fourth edition. Dates from Hongseong County's tourism page (2026.10.29–11.1) and the county's announcement reported on 20 Oct 2026 (Joongdo Ilbo and others). The county page names its Cultural Heritage Department (문화유산과, 041-630-1260; enquiries 041-630-1150) as responsible. Its stage and experience timetable is dated 1–3 Nov (Fri–Sun), which fits 2024 rather than 2026, so its times are not used here; the 10:00–21:00 from a festival-listing site is unconfirmed. The Hongju Culture & Tourism Foundation put the 2026 barbecue-content and main-stage contracts out to tender on 27 April 2026. |
|---|---|
| Hours | Daily opening hours not officially published for 2026; main-stage shows 17:00–18:00 each day (opening ceremony 16:30 on 29 Oct) and fireworks 18:00–19:00 on 1 Nov, per Topstar News. A festival-listing site gives 10:00–21:00, and the timetable on the county's page appears to be reused from 2024. |
| Admission | Free entry (Topstar News, citing the Korea Tourism Organization). You pay for barbecue food, for meat bought in the Hanwoo and pork sales zones and for some experiences; no 2026 prices had been published by 21 October 2026.Entry: Free |
| Venue | Hongju-eupseong old town and Hongseong County Office grounds충청남도 홍성군 홍성읍 아문길 27 |
| Nearest station | Hongseong Station (홍성역), Korail Janghang Line (Mugunghwa, Saemaeul and ITX-Maeum from Yongsan)Walking time to the fortress grounds not documented; the station is in Goam-ri on the edge of town, so take a taxi or local bus to the county office (Amun-gil 27) |
| From Seoul | about 2 h 10 min · Train + TaxiLeave from Yongsan Station · One-way fare from ₩9,600Full route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Hongju Culture & Tourism Foundation, for Hongseong County(재)홍주문화관광재단 (주최: 홍성군) |
| Usual timing | Three or four days, Thursday or Friday to Sunday, around the turn of October and November: 3–5 Nov 2023, 1–3 Nov 2024, 30 Oct–2 Nov 2025, 29 Oct–1 Nov 2026. The 2025 dates were in the news by late August. Browse October / November festivals. |
| First held | 2023 |
| Last checked | 29 October 2026Checked against 30 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Hongseong is a county town in Chungcheongnam-do, and since 2023 it has staged a barbecue festival over a long weekend in late October or early November inside and around Hongju-eupseong, the walled old town (Historic Site 231) whose grounds hold the county office and the Joyangmun gate. The first edition was co-run with The Born Korea, the restaurant company led by Baek Jong-won, and drew about 400,000 people; the second drew about 550,000 and the third, in 2025, about 600,000 over four days by a phone big-data count. The format is simple: grills and smokers spread through the old-town streets, each cooking meat in a different style. Past menus included windmill, tunnel and chicken barbecue (2024) and, in 2025, the county's own clay-jar barbecue and pork belly on cast-iron lids. Visiting teams add the 'global' part: in 2025 a Memphis in May winning team handed out 1,000 pork tastings, and teams came from Vietnam, Thailand and Uzbekistan. In the Hanwoo and pork zones local producers sell cuts at festival discounts (pork at up to 40% below consumer prices in 2025), which you can take to a grill-it-yourself zone; a second grilling zone runs in Hongseong Sangseol Market. Around the food are a main stage with opening and closing shows, K-pop, hip-hop and EDM, craft activities and, in 2025, a retro amusement-park theme and evening drone light shows, and the Hongseong Love Chrysanthemum Festival runs in town at the same time. The 2026 edition, the fourth, runs 29 October to 1 November with free entry. New this year are two 'Hongseong Sky Tower' grills over 5 m tall serving Hongseong Hanwoo kebabs and a main barbecue zone about 360 pyeong (about 1,190 m²) larger, with more seating; barbecue dishes come from the US, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Central Asia, and a news report puts the main-stage shows at 17:00–18:00 each day, ending with fireworks on 1 November. Honest caveats: it is very crowded, above all on Saturday (226,000 people on the 2025 Saturday); popular stalls sell out; no English-language information was found; food prices are not announced in advance; daily opening hours for 2026 have not been officially published; and the town is about two hours from Seoul by conventional train, so plan around the last departures.
Highlights
- Barbecue zones through the old town: windmill, tunnel and chicken barbecue in 2024, clay-jar barbecue and cast-iron-lid pork belly in 2025; new in 2026 are two 'Hongseong Sky Tower' grills over 5 m tall serving Hanwoo kebabs, alongside last year's ride-shaped grills
- Grill it yourself: buy Hongseong Hanwoo beef or pork in the sales zones (pork at up to 40% below consumer prices in 2025) and cook it at the grilling zone, or at the market grilling zone in Hongseong Sangseol Market
- Visiting pitmasters: in 2025 a Memphis in May winning team served 1,000 free pork tastings, alongside teams from Vietnam, Thailand and Uzbekistan; 2026 brings barbecue dishes from the US, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Central Asia
- Main stage 17:00–18:00 daily in 2026 (news report): opening ceremony and a free concert with Jang Min-ho, Choi Su-ho and Jeon Yu-jin on 29 Oct, hip-hop/DJ on 30 Oct, an idol and band show on 31 Oct, and a closing concert and fireworks (18:00–19:00) on 1 Nov; 2025 had 1,000-drone light shows
- Extras for 2026: a themed city-tour bus and travel packages, caravan camping at Chungwoon University and an AI chatbot for programme, food, parking and shuttle information; 2025 had a retro amusement-park theme (Ferris wheel, carousel and pirate ship)
- Runs alongside the Hongseong Love Chrysanthemum Festival (23rd edition in 2024, 24th in 2025) in the same town
Who it suits. Best for meat lovers, groups of friends and families who want a big, lively food festival in a walled old town about two hours from Seoul by train; less suited to anyone who dislikes dense crowds (226,000 people came on the 2025 Saturday), to vegetarians, or to travelers who need English-language information.
Getting there
From Seoul
Janghang Line train from Yongsan Station to Hongseong Station: about 15 a day, about 2 h–2 h 10 m by ITX-Maeum or Saemaeul (₩14,300) or about 2 h 10 m–2 h 20 m by Mugunghwa (₩9,600); there is no KTX. Or an express bus from Seoul Central City (Honam line) to Hongseong Terminal: roughly hourly, 1 h 54 m, ₩11,100 regular or ₩16,300 deluxe. The station and the bus terminal are both in Goam-ri on the edge of town; the festival is around Hongju-eupseong and the county office (Amun-gil 27) in the old centre, a short taxi ride away.
From Incheon Airport
Several direct buses a day run from Hongseong Terminal to Incheon Airport (about 2 h 34 m to Terminal 1, ₩23,200 deluxe or ₩30,200 premium); check departure times at the terminal before you travel. Airport-to-Hongseong times were not checked.
Last leg from Hongseong Station
Korail Janghang Line (Mugunghwa, Saemaeul and ITX-Maeum from Yongsan). Walking time to the fortress grounds not documented; the station is in Goam-ri on the edge of town, so take a taxi or local bus to the county office (Amun-gil 27)
Festival shuttle
Hongseong County's 2026 plan includes shuttle buses between the festival sites (reported 20 Oct 2026); routes and times had not been published by 27 October 2026. The county's AI chatbot for the festival is meant to carry shuttle information, or call the enquiries line (041-630-1150).
Getting home
A new Korail timetable takes effect on 1 November 2026, the festival's last day, and train times for the festival dates were not verified, so check the last train from Hongseong to Yongsan (about 2 hours) in the Korail+ app (코레일+, where KTX and former SRT trains are now booked) or at Hongseong Station before the festival day. Express buses also run from Hongseong Terminal to Seoul Central City and Dong Seoul; check the last bus at the terminal. The 2026 closing time has not been officially published (a listing site gives 21:00); after the 1 November fireworks (18:00–19:00) allow for crowds.
Parking
No 2026 parking plan had been published by 27 October 2026. In past editions visitor parking was spread over temporary lots around the old town, with some school grounds open only on certain days, and with about 600,000 visits in 2025 the train or bus is the simpler choice. Outside festival days the history museum and county office lots are free.
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 | Free (Topstar News, citing the Korea Tourism Organization) |
| Pork packages from the Korea Pork Producers Association | — | Planned at about 50% below retail prices (association, July 2026); exact prices not published |
| Barbecue food and some experiences | — | Paid; no prices published as of 21 October 2026. The county's page marks only a barbecue photo booth as paid among the experiences |
- Booking
- No booking is needed for entry, and no ticketed programs were found for 2026. Hongseong County's festival page gives the enquiries line 041-630-1150, and the county's 2026 plan includes an AI chatbot with programme, food, parking and shuttle information.
- English on site
- No English-language festival information or on-site interpretation was found; the county's festival page and the news coverage are in Korean.
- Crowds
- Very crowded: about 600,000 visitors over four days in 2025 by phone big-data (98,000 Thursday, 121,000 Friday, 226,000 Saturday, 155,000 Sunday). Stalls sold out, and the queue for the free American barbecue tasting was about 50 m long. For 2026 the county plans real-time crowd monitoring.
- Best time to go
- Thursday or Friday from late morning (the 2025 pork sales zone opened at 11:00); Saturday is the peak day. Main-stage shows are at 17:00–18:00 each day, and Sunday 1 November ends with fireworks at 18:00–19:00 (news report).
- What to bring
- A warm layer for late-October evenings, comfortable shoes for walking between zones in the old town, and wet wipes for eating at grill tables.
2026 program
- Thu 29 Octopening ceremony 16:30–17:00, then the free 'Good Day' concert 17:00–18:00 with Jang Min-ho, Choi Su-ho, Jeon Yu-jin and others
- Fri 30 Octhip-hop and DJ show 17:00–18:00; youth programme 19:00–21:00
- Sat 31 Octidol and band show 17:00–18:00
- Sun 1 Novclosing concert 17:00–18:00, then fireworks 18:00–19:00
- New grillstwo 'Hongseong Sky Tower' grills over 5 m tall serving Hongseong Hanwoo kebabs, alongside last year's ride-shaped grills; main barbecue zone about 360 pyeong (about 1,190 m²) larger, with more seating
- Traditional jar barbecue and pot-lid pork belly; barbecue dishes from the US, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Central Asia; chef-led barbecue with local produce
- Hongseong food zone of 15 local restaurants; Hanwoo beef and pork sales; a grill-your-own space at Hongseong Sangseol Market
- Korea Pork Producers Association: pork barbecue sharing event and pork packages planned at about 50% below retail (July 2026)
- Visitor servicesthemed city-tour bus and travel packages, caravan camping at Chungwoon University, shuttle buses between the sites, an AI chatbot for programme, food, parking and shuttle information, and real-time crowd monitoring
Fourth edition. Dates from Hongseong County's tourism page (2026.10.29–11.1) and the county's announcement reported on 20 Oct 2026 (Joongdo Ilbo and others). The county page names its Cultural Heritage Department (문화유산과, 041-630-1260; enquiries 041-630-1150) as responsible. Its stage and experience timetable is dated 1–3 Nov (Fri–Sun), which fits 2024 rather than 2026, so its times are not used here; the 10:00–21:00 from a festival-listing site is unconfirmed. The Hongju Culture & Tourism Foundation put the 2026 barbecue-content and main-stage contracts out to tender on 27 April 2026.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 29 Oct – 1 Nov 2026 | confirmed | Around Hongjuseong (Hongju-eupseong) in central Hongseong-eup; the county's page gives the address Ogwan-ri 412-6. A grill-your-own space is at Hongseong Sangseol Market. |
| 2025 | 30 Oct – 2 Nov 2025 | ended | Hongju-eupseong area; 37 kiosks on the grounds. |
| 2024 | 1–3 Nov 2024 | ended | Hongju-eupseong area. Shuttle buses ran from the Hongju Sports Complex car park and a temporary car park in Soryang 1-gu. |
| 2023 | 3–5 Nov 2023 | ended | Hongju-eupseong area. |
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.
The walled town of old Hongju (Historic Site 231), first recorded in 1451: about 810 m of its 1,772 m wall still stands, with the restored Hongwamun south gate, a restored prison and well, and a righteous-army memorial park; the 1906 battle of Hongju sparked righteous-army risings across the country. The festival is laid out around the walls, so walk them in daylight before the 17:00 main-stage show; the park is open around the clock and free. Tip: start at the history museum inside the walls.
Getting there: Festival site: the grill zones are in and around the walls; on foot, free
A free county museum inside the walls (Amun-gil 20) showing relics and records of Hongseong and the Naepo region of Chungcheongnam-do, a good first stop to make sense of the fortress. It is open 09:00–18:00 until 31 October and 09:00–17:00 from 1 November, and closed only on Mondays, so every festival day works: go before the 17:00 main-stage show. Tip: on Sunday 1 November it closes at 17:00, an hour before the fireworks.
Getting there: On foot inside the walled town, within the festival area; free
- Getting awayAfter
Hongseong Station and the bus terminal are both in Goam-ri on the edge of town, a short taxi ride from the old town; with about 600,000 visits over four days in 2025, expect taxi queues when the crowds leave, above all after the fireworks (18:00–19:00) on Sunday 1 November. Book your return train in advance in the Korail+ app (코레일+) and leave early if you have a train to catch.
Questions travelers ask
When is the Hongseong Global Barbecue Festival 2026?
Thursday 29 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, around Hongju-eupseong in central Hongseong, as confirmed on Hongseong County's tourism page. Daily opening hours have not been officially published (a listing site gives 10:00–21:00); a news report puts the main-stage shows at 17:00–18:00 each day and the closing fireworks at 18:00–19:00 on 1 November.
Is the festival free?
Entry is free. You pay for food, for meat from the sales zones and for some experiences; in 2025 pork was sold at up to 40% below consumer prices and the American barbecue tastings were free. Food prices are not published in advance.
How do I get to Hongseong from Seoul?
Take a Janghang Line train from Yongsan to Hongseong (about 2 hours; ₩9,600 Mugunghwa or ₩14,300 Saemaeul/ITX-Maeum; there is no KTX), or an express bus from Seoul Central City (1 h 54 m, ₩11,100–16,300). The festival is in the old town centre, a short taxi ride from the station and terminal.
What is the last train back to Seoul?
Check it in the Korail app (코레일+) or at Hongseong Station before the festival day: a new Korail timetable starts on 1 November 2026, the festival's last day, and train times for the festival dates were not verified. The train to Yongsan takes about 2 hours. For the express bus to Seoul Central City, check the last departure at Hongseong Terminal.
How busy does it get?
Very. About 600,000 visits were counted over four days in 2025, with 226,000 on the Saturday alone. Go on Thursday or Friday if you can.
Is Baek Jong-won involved?
His company, The Born Korea, took part in the 2023 and 2024 editions. Sources for 2025 and 2026 name only Hongseong County and the Hongju Culture & Tourism Foundation as organizers.
What else is on in Hongseong at the same time?
The Hongseong Love Chrysanthemum Festival has run alongside it (23rd edition in 2024, 24th in 2025), with an organic food festa in 2025. On the coast, the Namdang Port king prawn festival runs until 8 November 2026.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
29 October 2026, against the sources listed below.
This page is desk research from the sources below, not a firsthand report of the 2026 edition. Confidence in the current facts: medium.
- Hongseong County tourism (홍성군 문화관광) — 2026 홍성글로벌바비큐페스티벌municipal — 2026 dates 29 Oct (Thu)–1 Nov (Sun); Hongjuseong area, address 홍성읍 오관리 412-6; responsible department 문화유산과 (041-630-1260, enquiries 041-630-1150); only the barbecue photo booth marked as paid; its stage and experience timetable is dated 1–3 Nov (Fri–Sun) and appears to be reused from 2024 (page undated)
- Joongdo Ilbo 2026-10-20 — 홍성글로벌바비큐페스티벌 새단장news — Hongseong County holds the 2026 festival 29 Oct–1 Nov (four days) around Hongjuseong; County Governor Park Jeong-ju quoted; with the other 20 Oct reports: Sky Tower grills, a larger main barbecue zone, international barbecue dishes, a 15-restaurant food zone, Hanwoo and pork sales, tour packages, caravan camping, shuttles, AI chatbot, crowd monitoring
- Prime Economy 2026-10-20 — 홍성글로벌바비큐페스티벌, 세계 먹거리·관광 연계해 지역경제 살린다news — Same Hongseong County announcement as Joongdo Ilbo (20 Oct 2026): the 2026 festival's international barbecue dishes and tourism tie-ins
- Chungcheong Maeil 2026-10-20 — 홍성글로벌바비큐페스티벌, 더 풍성하고 새롭게 돌아온다news — Same Hongseong County announcement as Joongdo Ilbo (20 Oct 2026): the 2026 festival and its new programme
- Topstar News 2026-10-11 — 장민호·전유진·최수호, 29일 홍성 무료공연…아이돌도 출연news — Free admission (citing KTO); 2026 stage: 29 Oct opening ceremony 16:30–17:00 and free Good Day concert 17:00–18:00 (Jang Min-ho, Choi Su-ho, Jeon Yu-jin); 30 Oct hip-hop/DJ 17:00–18:00, youth programme 19:00–21:00; 31 Oct idol and band show 17:00–18:00; 1 Nov closing concert 17:00–18:00, fireworks 18:00–19:00
- 여기유 (festival listing site) — 홍성글로벌바비큐페스티벌 2026other — 2026 dates 29 Oct (Thu)–1 Nov (Sun), marked scheduled; hours 10:00–21:00; free entry; Hongju-eupseong area, Amun-gil 27; organizers Hongseong County and Hongju Culture & Tourism Foundation; phone 041-634-8705; homepage hongju.or.kr; 2026 zone and stage list
- Sankun bid listing — 재단법인홍주문화관광재단 tendersother — Hongju Culture & Tourism Foundation tendered two '2026 홍성글로벌바비큐페스티벌' contracts (barbecue content operation; main-stage installation and operation) on 27 Apr 2026
- Nocut News (EN) 2026-07-28 — Hongseong County and Korea Pork Producers Associationnews — Governor Park Jeong-ju met the association on 27 Jul 2026; pork barbecue sharing event and pork packages at about 50% below retail planned for this year's festival; English name 'Hongseong Global BBQ Festival'
- Kyunghyang Shinmun 2025-08-29 — 2025 Hongseong Global Barbecue Festival plansnews — 2025 dates 30 Oct–2 Nov around Hongju-eupseong; organizers Hongseong County and Hongju Culture & Tourism Foundation; clay-jar barbecue and cast-iron-lid pork belly instead of windmill grills
- Pig People 2025-10-13 — 2025 Hongseong Global Barbecue Festival previewnews — 2025 four days 30 Oct–2 Nov; drone shows at 19:00 on 30 Oct and 1 Nov, 2,000 drones (1,000 per show); 24th Hongseong Love Chrysanthemum Festival, Hongseong Organic Festa, lifelong-learning fair; grilling zone for meat from discount sales
- Food Today 2025-10-31 — pork discount sales at the 2025 festivalnews — Pork sales 11:00–18:00, cuts (samgyeopsal, moksal, leg) at up to 40% below consumer prices, six pork brands
- Kyunghyang Shinmun 2025-11-02 — 2025 festival crowds and programmenews — 2025 third edition (first 2023), opened Thursday, ran to 2 Nov; 98,000, 121,000 and 226,000 visitors on days 1–3; about 400,000 in 2023 and 550,000 in 2024; Ferris wheel, carousel, pirate ship; county-designed grills; sold-out stalls; Hongseong Sangseol Market grilling day
- Pig People 2025-11-02 — 2025 festival visitor count and pork eventsnews — Memphis in May winning team's pork tasting (1,000 samples); teams from Vietnam, Thailand and Uzbekistan; Korea Pork Producers Association sales zone; crowds until 23:00
- Kyunghyang Shinmun 2025-11-03 — 2025 festival final visitor countnews — 2025 total about 600,000 by SKT big data excluding residents, 155,000 on day 4; 9 barbecue programs, 3 experience programs, 8 performances, 9 sales zones, 4 linked festivals; 37 kiosks; free American barbecue tasting three times a day, 50 m queue; about 550,000 in 2024
- Pig People 2025-11-04 — Dodram at the 2025 festivalnews — 2025 dates 30 Oct–2 Nov around Hongju-eupseong; Hanwoo & pork zone, grill-it-yourself zone, food zone and retro market area
- Wikitree 2024-11-01 — 2024 홍성글로벌바비큐페스티벌 가수 라인업 (+주차장 위치)news — 2024 dates 1–3 Nov at Hongju-eupseong; The Born Korea taking part; 10 barbecue menus (windmill, chicken, tunnel); 13 performances and competitions; YouTuber zone; 1 Nov line-up; 23rd chrysanthemum festival; shuttle car parks; 2024 parking lots and their opening limits by day (not valid for 2026)
- News Seoul 2023-10-04 — 홍성군, 10월 직원모임 개최news — 2023 festival 3–5 Nov around Hongju-eupseong
- News Seoul 2023-10-25 — 2023 Global Barbecue Festival in Hongseongnews — 2023 name '글로벌바베큐페스티벌 in 홍성', 3–5 Nov around Hongju-eupseong, hosted with The Born Korea (Baek Jong-won); Cheontae-ri designers' stall with proceeds for Seobu-myeon wildfire victims
- Yongsan → Hongseong train timetable, 18–24 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-18)other — 15–16 trains a day (16 on 18 Oct 2026); Mugunghwa ₩9,600, 2 h 10 m–2 h 18 m; Saemaeul and ITX-Maeum ₩14,300, 1 h 58 m–2 h 08 m; no KTX on the route
- Hongseong → Yongsan train timetable, 8–14 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-08)other — 16 departures a day in mid-October 2026, the last ones in the evening (clock times not used: not valid for the festival dates)
- Seoul Central City → Hongseong bus timetable (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-12)other — 14 buses a day, 1 h 54 m, ₩11,100 regular / ₩16,300 deluxe
- Hongseong → Seoul Central City express bus timetable (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-13)other — 14 buses a day in mid-October 2026, 2 h 16 m (clock times not used: not valid for the festival dates)
- Hongseong Terminal intercity departures (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-13)other — Hongseong → Dong Seoul 3 a day; Hongseong → Incheon Airport 6 a day (clock times not used: not valid for the festival dates), 2 h 34 m to T1, ₩23,200 deluxe / ₩30,200 premium
- Hongseong Terminal information (third-party mirror)other — Terminal in Goam-ri (Joyang-ro 247beon-gil 9), phone 1688-2115
- 여기유 (listing site) — 홍주성역사관other — Hongju Fortress History Museum at Amun-gil 20 inside Hongju-eupseong (Historic Site 231); coordinates 36.6002/126.6610; 09:00–18:00 Mar–Oct, 09:00–17:00 Nov–Feb; closed Mondays; free parking
- mom-mom — 홍주성(홍주읍성)other — Hongju-eupseong free to visit, park open 24 hours; free parking at the history museum and county office lots
- The Wiki — 홍성other — County office at Amun-gil 27 (Ogwan-ri); Hongseong Station relocated to Goam-ri
- KTO TourAPI listing 홍성남당항 대하축제 (contentId 140911)kto — Namdang Port king prawn festival 4 Sep–8 Nov 2026, 09:00–24:00, free entry (some food and experiences paid), on Cheonsu Bay
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror, updated 12 Mar 2026) — 홍주성역사관(홍성)kto — Hongju Fortress History Museum inside Hongju-eupseong, Amun-gil 20; relics and history of Hongseong and the Naepo region; 09:00–18:00 Mar–Oct, 09:00–17:00 Nov–Feb; closed Mondays (next weekday if a holiday), 1 Jan, Seollal and Chuseok days; free; homepage hongseong.go.kr/history/
- Daum (news) — 항일의병의 혼 서린 홍주읍성 (12 Jan 2023)news — Hongju-eupseong Historic Site 231, first recorded 1451; wall circuit 1,772 m, about 810 m surviving; south gate Hongwamun restored 2012; restored prison and well, Hongjujeong pavilion, righteous-army park; 1906 Hongju battle sparked nationwide righteous-army uprisings; Hongju Fortress History Museum
What we could not confirm
- Daily opening hours for 2026 are not officially published: 10:00–21:00 comes only from a festival-listing site (여기유), and the stage and experience timetable on Hongseong County's tourism page is dated 1–3 Nov (Fri–Sun) with an image file name suggesting October 2024, so it appears to be reused.
- No KTO contentId matched: the festival was not in the site's 18 Oct 2026 TourAPI snapshot, though Topstar News cites KTO for free admission. A KTO data-mirror page titled '글로벌바베큐페스티벌 in 홍성' (ktriptips festival ID 2874329, likely an old KTO contentId) now redirects to an index page.
- 2026 performers beyond Jang Min-ho, Choi Su-ho and Jeon Yu-jin (other names in the report were not checked in Korean), shuttle routes, times and boarding points (the county announced shuttles but no published notice was found on 29 Oct 2026), and a 2026 parking plan were not found; whether a drone show is planned was not stated.
- Food, meat and paid-experience prices for 2026 (and actual prices in earlier years) are not published.
- Walking time and taxi fare from Hongseong Station or the bus terminal to Hongju-eupseong were not documented.
- Overall daily opening hours for 2023–2025 were not found.
- Whether The Born Korea had any role in 2025 or 2026 was not stated in the sources opened.
- Japanese and Chinese names: no KTO or official foreign-language name was found.
- Incheon Airport → Hongseong bus times and any Busan connection were not checked.
- Journey times, frequencies and fares come from a third-party mirror of the national timetable feed for mid-October 2026; clock times were removed on 21 Oct 2026 because they could not be verified for the festival dates.
- Last train back on the festival dates under the timetable in force each day (Hongseong to Yongsan, new Korail timetable from 1 Nov 2026), and the last express bus from Hongseong to Seoul Central City: still not verified on 29 Oct 2026; clock times from the October 2026 mirrors were also removed from the source notes on 29 Oct 2026.
- Hongju Fortress History Museum hours come from KTO data (updated 12 Mar 2026); the museum's own site (hongseong.go.kr/history/) 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. · 2026-10-20 — Bus classes corrected by fare level: Seoul Central City–Hongseong ₩16,300 and Hongseong–Incheon Airport ₩23,200 are deluxe (우등), and the airport bus at ₩30,200 is premium (프리미엄), not "premium" and "premium-plus". · 2026-10-21 — 2026 dates confirmed: 29 October–1 November 2026 around Hongju-eupseong, on Hongseong County's tourism page and in the county's announcement (Joongdo Ilbo, 20 Oct 2026). Added the 2026 programme and stage times (Topstar News); the 10:00–21:00 hours, from a listing site only, are no longer given as confirmed. · 2026-10-21 — Transport: removed the train and bus clock times taken from the October 2026 timetable, which could not be verified for the festival dates (new Korail timetable from 1 November 2026); journey times and fares kept, with advice to check the last train in the Korail app (코레일+) or at the station. · 2026-10-27 — Nearby rewritten as 'Before or after the festival' (shuttle and last-train fit); transport: removed the 2024 shuttle car parks and the 2024 parking lots and opening times (not valid for 2026), added how to get away after the 1 November fireworks and the Korail+ app; prices: no change (no 2026 prices published). · 2026-10-29 — Rechecked before the 2026 edition: no changes found (no shuttle, parking or road-closure notice for this edition published); train and bus clock times from mid-October timetables removed from the source notes.
