Gwangju Kimchi Festival 2026: Dates, Free Admission, and How to Get There from Seoul

Bottom line: The 33rd Gwangju Kimchi Festival runs October 23 (Fri) through 25 (Sun) around the Gwangju city government plaza in Chipyeong-dong. Admission is free, and two days remain — today, October 24, and tomorrow, October 25, when it ends at midnight. From Seoul, the KTX from Yongsan Station to Gwangju-Songjeong Station takes about two hours.

If you didn't know: Mix up the dates and show up a day late, and that's it for the year — you'll have to wait until next October. A round-trip KTX ticket from Seoul runs about 93,600 won in economy class (46,800 won one way), and from 8 p.m. on October 21 through midnight on October 25, traffic is restricted on the road between the intersection in front of the Gwangju government building and the Bank of Korea's rear-gate intersection, so public transit beats a taxi for this trip.

Walk into the grounds and the smell of fermenting cabbage, chili powder and garlic hits you first. Kimchi-making demonstrations and tasting booths fill the plaza, and this 33rd edition carries on at the site of the city's old town-hall square. Many of the hands-on programs require advance reservations, so you may not be able to join on the spot. Next event: The 2027 dates haven't been announced yet, but the festival is typically held every October.

Journey stage: During the trip · Verified Oct. 23, 2026 · Source: Gwangju Kimchi Festival office (kimchi.gwangju.go.kr), WikiTree and TF News reports, Oct. 23, 2026