More Countries and Booths, Extended Hours and Event Area
Russian Skewers, Asian Breads... Global Cuisine in One Place
Traditional Games, Parade, and Talk Show with Citizens
Residents and Merchants Unite for a Community Cultural Festival
The scene from the 2025 Gwangsan World Night Market Parade held on the 18th in the Wolgok Mokryeon-ro area. Provided by Gwangsan District
The Wolgok Mokryeon-ro area in Gwangsan District, Gwangju, was filled with food, performances, and experiences from around the world. The 'Gwangsan World Night Market,' held on October 18, attracted about 40,000 visitors, successfully concluding with a larger scale and richer attractions compared to last year.
According to Gwangsan District on October 19, this year's night market increased the number of participating countries and booths, and moved the opening time earlier from 4 p.m. to 2 p.m. The event area was also expanded from the previous 260 meters to 400 meters, transforming the street from Lotte Hi-Mart to Nonghyup Sanjeong Branch into a car-free zone, allowing visitors to stroll and enjoy the festival at a relaxed pace.
The opening ceremony of the 2025 Gwangsan World Night Market held on the 18th in the Wolgok Magnolia Road area. Provided by Gwangsan District
A street performance stage was set up in front of the Wolgok 1-dong Administrative Welfare Center, filling every alley with sounds from around the world. The number of participating countries in performances increased from five last year to seven this year, and the number of food stalls grew from 27 to 36. Visitors could enjoy a variety of global cuisines in one place, including large Russian-style skewers, traditional Central Asian bread, and Southeast Asian spiced dishes. The number of experience and sales booths more than doubled from 19 to 36, attracting even more citizens.
To reduce single-use items, Gwangsan District provided reusable containers throughout the entire event area, making the festival eco-friendly. Programs that allowed citizens to participate and learn firsthand were also strengthened, going beyond simple spectating. Activities such as traditional games from around the world, costume experiences, and dance performances created a space where people of all ages could come together. The parade, where immigrants from various countries wore their traditional costumes, received enthusiastic cheers and applause from citizens, further enhancing the festive atmosphere.
This year, a talk show hosted by comedian Kim Yongmyeong energized the night market and fostered communication with the citizens.
Park Byungkyu, mayor of Gwangsan District, is conducting a talk show with comedian Kim Yongmyeong at the 'Power Empathy Talk Show,' a program of the 2025 Gwangsan World Night Market Festival held on the 18th in the Wolgok Mokryeon-ro area. Photo by Gwangsan District Office
To promote coexistence between local residents and neighborhood businesses, Gwangsan District formed a task force that included resident representatives from Wolgok 1-dong and 2-dong, as well as the merchants' association. The task force created and distributed maps of nearby stores and held discount and service coupon events to boost local consumption.
Park Byungkyu, the mayor of Gwangsan District, stated, "We prepared even more diverse experiences, food, and performances than last year. This became a venue for citizens to learn about and understand cultures from around the world. We will continue to develop this into a global cultural festival where long-term residents and immigrants come together and local businesses thrive."
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