Tteokbokki and gimbap, staples of South Korea's casual street-food culture, are emerging as a draw for foreign visitors. A group of 145 Taiwanese tourists will travel to Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province to attend Korean street-food festivals.
The Korea Tourism Organization said on the 21st that it is working with local governments including Daegu's Buk District and the North Gyeongsang cities of Gimcheon and Gumi to attract foreign tourists and promote the festivals overseas.
Since September, the agency has worked through its Taipei office with major Taiwanese travel agencies to develop tour packages built around the street-food festivals.
The effort drew 145 Taiwanese tourists, who will visit Daegu and Gimcheon on the 23rd and 24th to attend the tteokbokki and gimbap festivals and experience Korean street-food culture.
The packages were designed around strong interest in Korean food and culinary travel in Taiwan. The agency also took into account the large share of Taiwanese visitors among foreigners using regional airports such as Daegu International Airport and Gimhae International Airport.
The agency aims to expand foreign visits outside the capital region by building distinctive local foods into travel itineraries.
From Tteokbokki to Gimbap and Ramen: Street-Food Festivals Across the Southeast
The festivals in Daegu and Gimcheon that the Taiwanese tourists will attend both open on the 23rd. In Daegu's Buk District, the sixth Tteokbokki Festival runs through the 25th around Daegu iM Bank Park, offering a range of tteokbokki-themed food and hands-on programs.
Buk District secured 184 million won in central government funding this year to expand a "global lounge" and K-food experience space for foreign visitors.
Over the same period, the 2026 Gimcheon Gimbap Festival will be held around Jikji Culture Park, SaMyeongdaesa Park and the Eco Park in Gimcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, with gimbap-themed food and activities.
The Gumi Ramen Festival is scheduled for Nov. 6 to 8 around Gumi Station in North Gyeongsang Province.
The agency plans to invite overseas influencers to the three festivals to publicize them, and will also run promotional campaigns on social media.
The project is notable for linking K-food, a major attraction for foreign visitors, to regional tourism. The aim is to spread inbound demand beyond Seoul and other main destinations and to draw foreign visitors by pairing regional airports with local festivals.
"This is significant in that it improves access to regional tourism through regional airports and turns local tourism resources into products around a single theme, street-food festivals," said Min Byung-sun, head of the tourism industry division at the Korea Tourism Organization. "We will develop distinctive local tourism resources into global tourism content so that they lead to more regional visits and new inbound demand."