Yeongju City to Host 'Gyeongbuk Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival' Featuring Millennium Health Punggi Ginseng

With the golden autumn and the beginning of October, Yeongju City in North Gyeongsang Province is preparing to welcome tourists.

Yeongju City will host the ‘2024 Gyeongbuk Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival’ for nine days from October 5 to 13 at Namwoncheon in Punggi-eup and the Ginseng Culture Popup Park, among other venues.

Selected as an ‘Honorary Cultural Tourism Festival’ by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Punggi Ginseng Festival is held every year during the ginseng harvest season, offering visitors a chance to purchase high-quality ginseng at affordable prices and experience a variety of programs that highlight the region’s unique characteristics. It has established itself as Korea’s representative health festival.

Yeongju City is hosting the 'Gyeongbuk Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival.' (Photo shows last year's festival site)

Yeongju is known for its long average daily sunshine of over seven hours and a high diurnal temperature range of 11.9 degrees Celsius. Ginseng grown here is dense in texture and has excellent storability, making it ideal for processing. In particular, the effective saponin content, known for its immune-boosting properties, reaches 36 types?far surpassing American (19 types) and Chinese (15 types) ginseng?making it the best among all ginseng varieties.

Processed foods made from Yeongju Punggi Ginseng are manufactured locally, ensuring high freshness, and the accumulated know-how from its long cultivation history results in outstanding processing techniques. In Yeongju, a variety of processed products are produced, including fresh ginseng, steamed and dried red ginseng, red ginseng concentrate extracted from six-year-old roots, red ginseng jeonggwa (preserved ginseng) and red ginseng slices soaked in honey, red ginseng extract, and red ginseng root products.

Now in its 27th year, the Gyeongbuk Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival is a representative local event that features ginseng, which has shaped the culture and history of Punggi from the 16th century to the present day.

This festival, held in autumn when ginseng is at its peak, offers the chance to buy high-quality ginseng at reasonable prices and features a variety of special exhibitions and programs befitting its reputation as a ginseng festival.

Visitors can taste dishes made with nutrient-rich Punggi Ginseng, participate in exciting events such as ginseng peeling and making ginseng-infused liquor, and find freshly harvested ginseng and processed products from local farms all in one place.

The festival opens with a traditional ritual at the Punggi Ginseng Gaesamteo, wishing for the prosperity of the region and a bountiful ginseng harvest. The parade reenacting the procession of Punggi Governor Ju Se-bung will also be held, offering a unique spectacle for visitors.

Other events include the Punggi Ginseng Grand Festival, the National Premium Ginseng Selection Contest, the Ginseng Peeling Contest, the Sobaeksan Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Song Festival, and the traditional play Dendong Eomijeon, providing entertainment for the whole family.

Hands-on activities include making ginseng-infused liquor, ginseng cooking exhibitions and experiences, and ginseng auctions. At the festival site, visitors can also enjoy ginseng tempura, Masam Jokbal Bossam, ginseng jeonggwa, ginseng tea, and a variety of well-being dishes made with ginseng, sure to delight every palate.

Daily stage performances will feature fusion Korean traditional music, the Dendong Eomi Hwajeon Nori play, ginseng puppet shows, and performances by local community clubs and cultural artists. Popular singers such as Park Seojin, Kyung Seoyeji, Hwang Minwoo and Minho brothers, Youngji, Kim Suchan, Myjin, and Jung Suyeon will perform at the opening and closing ceremonies, adding excitement to the festival.

For tourists visiting the Punggi Ginseng Festival, a special ‘Enjoy the Punggi Ginseng Festival at Half Price’ package is available through the Korail app and other channels. This package offers up to 50% off train fares and a 10,000 won Yeongju Love Gift Certificate.

Park Namseo, Mayor of Yeongju, said, “The Gyeongbuk Yeongju Punggi Ginseng Festival is not just a sales-oriented event but tells the story of Punggi Ginseng’s history, befitting its reputation as the region’s leading festival. Through performances and various new initiatives that allow visitors to experience the history of Punggi Ginseng and the joys and sorrows of local farmers and merchants, we aim to create a festival that highlights the historical and cultural values of Yeongju.”

He added, “We promise to continue upholding the accumulated know-how, reputation, and trust built on the long history of ginseng cultivation.”

Yeongju City will hold the Millennium Health Punggi Ginseng Festival in Punggi, Yeongbuk.