Went to Gumi to slurp ramen... Huge hit but "Sometimes sold well past lunchtime"

Expected 120,000 Visitors During the Festival Period

The Ramen Festival held in Gumi, Gyeongbuk, was evaluated as a success with a large number of tourists flocking to the event, but there were also complaints about the festival's operation.

On the 3rd, Gumi City estimated that the number of visitors to the '2024 Gumi Ramen Festival,' which opened on the 1st, would exceed 120,000 during the festival period. Now in its third year, the Gumi Ramen Festival expanded its venue to include not only Gumi Station Road but also Munhwa-ro, Geumridan-gil, and the Geumosan area, offering a variety of events and content.

On the afternoon of the 2nd, the '2024 Gumi Ramen Festival' held around Gumi Station in Gumi-si, Gyeongbuk, was bustling with tourists enjoying the festival.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

According to Yonhap News on the 3rd, the ramen sales counted by Nongshim during the festival reached 79,000 on the first day alone. Simply calculating the sales over the weekend's two days, it was estimated that more than 200,000 ramen servings would be sold during the festival period. It was also reported that on the third day of the festival, the venue was crowded with tourists.

The 'Korea Ramen Bag Collection' exhibition set up at Gumi Station showcases the history of ramen from past to present at a glance. There are also experiential events such as the 'Ramulier Selection Contest,' which selects the best ramen expert, and the 'Ramen Workshop,' where visitors can choose ingredients to create their own ramen according to their preferences.

All ramen prices are under 9,000 won, which is considered affordable. Additionally, countries such as Japan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Taiwan participated to introduce Asian noodles.

During the festival, eco-friendly efforts were also made to reduce vehicle congestion by using reusable containers and operating shuttle buses.

Kim Jang-ho, mayor of Gumi, said, "I am pleased that the Gumi Ramen Festival has gained nationwide fame and established Gumi as the holy land of ramen."

Gumi Ramen Festival Waiting Line
[Photo by Reader Provided/Yonhap News]

On the other hand, some complaints arose due to the crowding of tourists. Seo Su-yeon (40, from Suseong-gu, Daegu), who visited the ramen festival on that day, told Yonhap News, "The shuttle bus was too small, so I waited over an hour to get on," adding, "I couldn't even look at the ramen, only the crowd," and "The line to eat ramen was too long."

At some booths that day, there was even an announcement that ramen orders would only be accepted from 1:30 p.m., well past lunchtime.

As local festivals become more active and attract many tourists, complaints have been raised that it is difficult to fully enjoy the festival. At the end of last month, the Gimbap Festival held in Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk, attracted about 100,000 visitors, nearly matching the total population of Gimcheon City, causing discomfort among visitors.

Gumi City plans to expand the festival space further next year. A Gumi City official told Yonhap News, "Although we expanded the festival space compared to last year, it seems more people visited the festival than expected," adding, "We are also planning to increase the festival space further next year."