The Nation's First 'Neungi Festival' Opens... Subi-myeon, Yeongyang-gun, "Enjoy Neungi Mushroom Dishes Under the Starlit Night Sky"

Neungi mushrooms growing in the mountainous area of Subi-myeon, Yeongyang-gun.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Kim Gwi-yeol] The 'Neungi Festival,' themed around locally grown mushrooms, is making its debut.

The '2022 Subi Neungi Festival' will be held for two days from October 1 to 2 in Subi-myeon, Yeongyang-gun, Gyeongbuk Province.

The Subi-myeon Neungi Festival Promotion Committee announced on the 19th that the first stage introducing Neungi mushrooms will be held around the Bally-ri Sports Park in Subi-myeon.

The Subi Neungi Festival is a privately led festival hosted by the Subi-myeon Residents' Autonomy Committee and organized by the Neungi Festival Promotion Committee.

As a festival held for the first time this year, it was planned to be enjoyed by residents together, to spread mountain village culture, and to promote the image of a clean village.

The main agricultural product of the Neungi Festival, the Neungi mushroom, is a mushroom rarely seen in the wild. In Korea, it can only grow when environmental conditions such as climate, humidity, and temperature align, making it a difficult item to cultivate.

Subi-myeon in Yeongyang-gun is an optimal location for producing top-quality Neungi mushrooms overall, including texture and aroma, due to its favorable geographical and climatic conditions.

Not only does it have a pristine environment, but it also hosts the 'International Dark Sky Park,' the first of its kind in Asia, making it perfect for stargazing.

Additionally, the largest silver-glittering 'Subi-myeon Jukpari Birch Forest' in the country retains its pristine natural state, attracting a steady flow of tourists.

The organizers emphasize that visitors can enjoy both the representative tourist attractions of Yeongyang-gun and the festival.

This year's first Subi Neungi Festival is organized to offer a well-rounded experience with food, games, and entertainment.

Dishes symbolizing the Neungi Festival, such as Neungi Baeksuk (boiled chicken with Neungi mushrooms), Neungi muchim (seasoned Neungi mushrooms), Subi duruchigi (spicy stir-fried dish), and Subi yaksik (traditional sweet rice dish), beckon visitors.

Also, the annual October event 'Subi Mucheon Festival' and a community gathering will take place in Subi-myeon. Games fostering unity, such as 'Sarang Juldarigi' (love tug-of-war) where participants pull the waistbands of the person in front using a short rope, and 'Subi Daebak Madang,' where gourds are burst to wish for great fortune, will be held.

While enjoying the festival, a diverse exhibition hall selling Yeongyang's specialty products will be set up. Agricultural products that have undergone prior quality control will be sold to ensure product safety. The plan is to build consumer trust through the supply of safe food, making it a festival that visitors want to return to.

In addition to Neungi mushrooms, pine mushrooms, Yeongyang-gun’s representative specialty Yeongyang chili peppers, and muknamul (edible wild greens) will also be sold, showcasing the essence of healthy food.

Lee Pil-yeon, chairman of the Neungi Festival Promotion Committee, said, “I hope it becomes a place where all residents unite. I wish the successful hosting of the festival will be an opportunity to promote the Subi Neungi Festival and Subi-myeon nationwide.”