Sancheong County Proves the Excellence of Premium Gotgam at the Jirisan Sancheong Gotgam Festival

Visitors Flock from Across the Country, Including Seoul and Jeju
Sales of Dried Persimmons and Other Local Products Reach 820 Million Won

The Jirisan Sancheong Gotgam Festival, held over four days, concluded successfully with visitors from all over the country in attendance.

Sancheong County in South Gyeongsang Province announced on January 13 that the 19th Jirisan Sancheong Gotgam Festival had been held from January 8 to 11 at the Sancheong Gotgam Distribution Center in Sicheon-myeon.

This year’s festival received an enthusiastic response from visitors by offering a variety of gourmet foods, including premium Sancheong dried persimmons made from Sancheong Gojongsi-selected as Korea’s representative fruit for ten consecutive years-as well as diverse activities and attractions.

During the four-day event, tourists flocked from all over the country, including Seoul and Jeju. In particular, sales at the dried persimmon market and the local agricultural specialty market reached approximately 820 million won, which is credited with boosting farm income and revitalizing the local economy.

Photos from the 19th Jirisan Sancheong Gotgam Festival.

The festival began on January 8 with a ceremonial ritual at the Gojongsi tree, the original species of Sancheong dried persimmon, which is 641 years old and located in Namsa Yedamchon, Danseong-myeon, to wish for the festival’s success.

After the ritual, the festival officially kicked off, offering a variety of programs for families visiting in the new year. Activities included pounding rice cake with dried persimmons, sharing dried persimmon rice cakes, a free instant photo booth, and a “make your own mug” experience.

In addition, various hands-on programs such as traditional folk games and a dried persimmon photo zone were available, allowing visitors to participate directly and create enjoyable memories.

Furthermore, celebratory performances by popular singers Kim Yongbin, An Sunghun, and Miss Kim drew large crowds, creating a vibrant festival atmosphere.

Other events held during the festival included the Sancheong Gotgam Quality Contest, a cooking competition using Sancheong dried persimmons-made from Gojongsi, which has won Korea’s top fruit award for ten consecutive years-a singing contest for local farmers, a raffle, and a payback event, all of which attracted attention.

The Sancheong Gotgam Quality Contest provided another opportunity to showcase the excellence of Sancheong dried persimmons to visitors from across the country.

An official from Sancheong County said, “With so many visitors attending this year’s festival, it was an opportunity to reaffirm the excellence and reputation of Sancheong dried persimmons. We will prepare an even wider range of programs for next year’s Jirisan Sancheong Gotgam Festival so that visitors can take home wonderful memories and the festival can continue to grow as one of the nation’s top events.”