Imsil County Accelerates Preparations for Imsil N Cheese Festival

To Be Held at Cheese Theme Park and Surrounding Areas from October 8 to 12

Imsil County in North Jeolla Province is accelerating preparations for the Imsil N Cheese Festival, which will be held from October 8 to 12 at the Imsil Cheese Theme Park, Cheese Village, and the Imsil-eup area.

Imsil County is accelerating preparations for the Imsil N Cheese Festival, which will be held from October 8 to 12 at the Imsil Cheese Theme Park, Cheese Village, and the Imsil-eup area. Photo by Imsil County

According to the county on May 16, a basic planning briefing session for the Imsil N Cheese Festival was held the previous day, presided over by County Governor Shim Min, with the festival committee, event agency, and related departments in attendance. During the session, the direction for the festival and detailed implementation plans were reviewed.

At this briefing, in-depth discussions were held to enhance the overall quality of the festival, including the festival schedule, program composition, visitor safety measures, and the layout of the festival grounds.

The Imsil N Cheese Festival, the county’s flagship event, is themed around 'Imsil N Cheese' and 'Imsil N Cheese Pizza.' It commemorates Korea’s first cheese history and continues the legacy of the Imsil cheese industry, which began in 1967 when the late Father Ji Jeonghwan started with just two goats.

When the first festival was held in 2015, about 100,000 people visited. Since then, the number of visitors has steadily increased, surpassing 300,000 annually and even exceeding 500,000 in some years.

In particular, during last year’s tenth Imsil N Cheese Festival, a record-breaking 580,000 visitors attended, earning high praise as "living up to its reputation, truly the Imsil N Cheese Festival."

Building on the experience and passion accumulated over the years, the county plans to offer even more differentiated and attractive content, providing unique sights and hands-on experiences, while also ensuring that visitors can enjoy a comfortable and pleasant festival by offering various amenities.

This year’s Imsil N Cheese Festival will feature an even more innovative and refined lineup of programs, including the Imsil N Global Cheese Food Fair, a delicious dessert fondue experience using aged cheese, the national Imsil N Cheese giant rice pizza, and a Belgian booth. In particular, programs using Jersey aged cheese and unsweetened yogurt will be further expanded.

In addition, as in previous years, the festival grounds will be filled with the scenery of ten million chrysanthemum flowers, creating a fragrant and impressive spectacle for visitors, complemented by a European-style rose garden.

Furthermore, the festival will offer a variety of differentiated hands-on activities, attractions, and local specialties. These include Hanwoo beef from cows under 50 months old raised in the pristine environment of Imsil, and homemade local foods lovingly prepared by the township and village women’s associations, making it a festival that can be enjoyed by all generations.

County Governor Shim Min stated, "Marking the Year of Visiting Imsil, we will do our utmost to successfully host the Imsil N Cheese Festival, which will usher in a new decade based on the experience and passion built over the past ten years. We plan to present a richer and more innovative festival than ever before, so we hope many people will come and experience the unique charm of the Cheese Festival."