[Curiosity Lab] Mandu, Gimbap, Ramen Are Common... But This Place Aims to Thrive as a Festival

Manju Startup No.1 Food Bank in Wonju [Photo by Wonju City]

The representatives of bunsik (Korean snack foods) include gimbap, tteokbokki, mandu, ramen, twigim, and sundae. There is even a bunsik restaurant named ‘Tteok-Twi-Soon’ (Tteokbokki, Twigim, Sundae). Of course, each bunsik menu has iconic brands, business names, regions, and famous restaurants. What if a festival were held in a region featuring these very common menus? Some places have taken the risky but bold challenge. This week, a mandu festival is held in Wonju, Gangwon Province, and a gimbap festival in Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk Province, followed by a ramen festival next week in Gumi, Gyeongbuk Province. Wonju and Gumi have connections with mandu and gimbap, but Gimcheon is unexpected.

Last year's Wonju Dumpling Festival scene
[Photo by Wonju City]

◆Wonju’s Mandu Festival, the Origin of Kimchi Mandu... Enjoy Mandu for Around 5,000 KRW

Wonju kimchi mandu is said to have originated in the 1950s, right after the Korean War, when flour was supplied by the U.S. military and others. Refugees and merchants made mandu in front of Wonju Station and sold them at the five-day market, which is the beginning of the tradition that has been passed down to this day.

Wonju City’s ‘2024 Wonju Mandu Festival’ will be held for three days from Friday the 25th to Sunday the 27th at the Jungang-dong traditional market, Culture Street, and the underground shopping area. Last year, it was held for two days on October 28 and 29, attracting 200,000 visitors (half of whom were from other regions, with 64% aged 20-30), resulting in an estimated 10 billion KRW economic ripple effect in the region.

Gimbap Cooking Contest Reference Photo [Photo by Gimcheon City]

Last year’s first event was held near the old downtown area on Culture Street, where traditional markets are concentrated, but this year it will be held at the old downtown Jungang-dong traditional market, Culture Street, and the underground shopping area. Visitors can enjoy dozens of types of mandu in one place, and especially, booths will sell only mandu to make it a festival specialized in ‘mandu.’ Permanent booths operate from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., featuring themes such as meat mandu (Chakan Samgyetang, Hyeonmyeong, etc.), kimchi mandu (Jayu Market fresh mandu, Hwasal Mandu, etc.), global mandu (Lijaonji, Minmin Vietnamese Pho, etc.), unique mandu and vegetable mandu, nationwide famous mandu (Daeseong vegetable mandu, Goseokhwan an mandu, etc.), Gangwon specialty mandu, colorful mandu, corporate mandu (Samyang, Jeongwanjang, Neoflam events, Haitai, Sajo, etc.), and startup mandu (Mandu Bank, Al Food), allowing visitors to take a mandu paradise pilgrimage. The booth fee is 150,000 KRW per booth (50,000 KRW per day for three days), and prices are kept under 5,000 KRW per menu item.

Last year's Gumi Ramyeon Festival scene
[Photo by Gumi City]

There will be a kimchi mandu eating contest and a mandu-making speed contest, as well as a mukbang contest where participants upload videos of eating mandu from 10 themes on social media (SNS). Wonju introduces kimchi mandu as its representative mandu, offering experiences in making Wonju kimchi mandu, and activities related to dough, art, picture books, and music play associated with mandu. A mandu broadcasting station is also operated to share mandu stories, festival introductions, and music requests.

Master chefs Shin Okja (Wonju Kimchi Mandu) and Go Seokhwa (Wonju Sweet Potato Stem Mandu, Wonju Gondre Chiaksan Hanwoo Mandu) are invited for cooking shows. In line with the Wonju Mandu Festival, the first and second startup stores called Mandu are also showcased. ‘Mandu Bank’ is the nation’s first mandu cafe, offering sweet and sour mandu, curry mandu, and more, while Al Food presents its own unique mandu.

Kkodari, the character of the Gimcheon Gimbap Festival, visiting the Gimcheon Grape Festival (left)
[Photo by Gimcheon City]

◆Gimcheon, the Kingdom of Gimbap... Gumi Hosts Ramen Festival

The ‘2024 Gimcheon Gimbap Festival’ will be held on the 26th and 27th at Samyeongdaesa Park in Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk Province. In fact, Gimcheon and gimbap have no particular connection. Gimcheon City also acknowledged this and explained the background of holding the festival as follows.

A somewhat bittersweet survey showed that people associate Gimcheon with Gimbap Heaven, so they thought, “Let’s really become Gimbap Heaven.” The character was named ‘Kkodari,’ inspired by the gimbap end piece called ‘kkoturi’ that represents the beauty of Gimcheon, with ‘kkodari’ being a Gyeongbuk dialect word for ‘pod.’ At the event’s Friendly Zone, bunsik such as gimbap, ramen, and tteokbokki are sold together, and there is a gimbap-making experience zone, a Gimcheon Gimbap Cooking Contest to find the gimbap cooking champion, a flea market, and performances. Unfortunately, detailed information is not yet available on the festival website.

Some image captures of the menu items featured at the Gumi Ramyeon Festival

Gumi and ramen have a close relationship because of Nongshim’s Gumi factory. The Gumi Ramen Festival will be held from November 1 to 3 around Gumi Station in Gyeongbuk, including Geumosan Lawn Square, Munhwa-ro, Geumridan-gil, and the rear plaza of Gumi Station. According to Gumi City, it is the only ramen festival in an urban setting in Korea. Freshly fried ramen produced at Nongshim’s Gumi factory will be sold on-site for purchase.

There are unique ramen zones, a world ramen competition, a ramen cooking champion zone, and food and beverage zones where visitors can taste exclusive dishes. There are also ramen cooking contests, recreational activities, and ramen story battles to encourage active citizen participation. The first-ever ‘Ramullie’ selection contest will also be held. Gumi aims to establish itself as Korea’s number one ramen cultural city through the ramen festival. Last year’s inaugural event attracted 100,000 visitors.