In the port city of Gunsan, North Jeolla Province, a bowl of jjamppong is as much a piece of local history as it is a meal. This weekend, the city is inviting visitors to taste its signature dish.
The 2026 Gunsan Jjamppong Festival runs from Friday to Sunday at Baeknyeon Plaza in Jangmi-dong. The annual event aims to promote culinary tourism.
Jjamppong, a spicy noodle soup made by stir-frying vegetables, seafood and meat before simmering them in broth, is one of the two pillars of Korean-Chinese cuisine alongside jjajangmyeon, black bean noodles.
The Gunsan version traces its roots to chomamyeon, a noodle dish ethnic Chinese residents made with broth from pork, beef and chicken bones until the early 1970s. Over time, cooks in the port city added fresh seafood from nearby waters and spicy red pepper powder suited to Korean tastes, creating the dish now associated with the city.
To build on that reputation, the city has designated a jjamppong specialty street in Jangmi-dong and hosts the festival every year.
This year's event features 20 booths, including traditional Chinese restaurants from Gunsan and collaborations with star chefs.
Several television chefs are joining the lineup. Mikael, known for JTBC's "Please Take Care of My Refrigerator," appears alongside David Lee and Lee Mi-young, who gained recognition on the Netflix cooking competition "Culinary Class Wars." Each chef will present special dishes reflecting their cooking philosophy.
All food booths will sell jjamppong and jjajangmyeon in half portions, allowing visitors to sample several dishes at a lower cost.
An outdoor dining program called "Jjamppong Restaurant" pairs food with live performances in the evening, while daytime hours focus on tastings and hands-on activities.
Organizers also hope to send festivalgoers beyond the plaza. The city plans to link the festival with nearby attractions including Gunsan's modern cultural heritage sites, the Time Travel Village and the Gogunsan Islands.
"This year, we want to offer visitors a richer experience with a variety of food, hands-on programs and performances. We hope people enjoy Gunsan's jjamppong and the diverse programs and make special autumn memories," said an official from the Gunsan Foundation for Culture and Tourism.
yoohong@heraldcorp.com
