Jinju City Opens Nongaemarket and Olbbam Night Market Every Saturday... Expecting Commercial Revitalization

Emerging Night Tourism Spot in the Central Commercial District

Jinju City in Gyeongnam will hold the Olppam Night Market event from the 6th at the arcade section of Nonga Market (behind Jinju Employment Welfare Plus Center).

The Olppam Night Market has been operating since 2022 to revitalize the shrinking traditional market commercial district and attract nighttime and stay-type tourists. It is the only permanent night market in our region, popular enough to attract about 2,000 tourists every week.

Last year, along with the Jinju Namgang Yudeung Festival and Jinju Cultural Heritage Night Tour, it was selected as one of the "Top 100 Beautiful Nighttime Tourist Attractions in Korea" by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, establishing itself as a representative nighttime cultural tourism festival in the region.

Appearance of Jinju-si Nongae Market Olbbam Night Market

This year, 15 food stalls will sell a variety of foods that stimulate the taste and smell, such as flat bibim dumplings, grilled ice cream, spicy pig’s feet, and pork yukjeon. Nearby traditional market merchants also participate in selling distinctive foods, contributing to increased sales and revitalization of the traditional market.

Additionally, the Olppam Night Market offers visitors the chance to enjoy unique instant foods, sweet busking performances by local cultural artists, and participation in events, making it a diverse experience of food and entertainment. It has become a representative nighttime hot spot in Jinju through word of mouth among tourists.

A Jinju city official said, “The Olppam Night Market was planned to transform traditional markets, which are suffering from the dual hardships of population outflow and commercial district recession, into vibrant living spaces. This year, we will do our best to develop it into Jinju’s representative nighttime tourist attraction popular among young people by linking it with the Jinju Jinmaek Brewery established near the night market.”

Meanwhile, the Olppam Night Market will be held every Saturday from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. from the 6th until the end of October, with a one-month break in July due to the rainy season and heatwave.