Korea's southwestern city of Gwangju is famed for its rich culinary heritage thanks to its mild climate and rich harvests.

The city has a highly developed cuisine and has been called the home of Korean food for its wide variety of delicious and rich-tasting delicacies.

For one thing, Gwangju instantly comes to mind when Koreans think of kimchi made the old-fashioned way.

Kimchi is an indigenous Korean food made of a base of salted vegetables, such as cabbage, radish, red pepper, shrimp or small fish, pickled with salt, green onions and garlic.

Pretty much anything can go in, depending on the type of kimchi you're making.

After all the ingredients are put together, they are left to ferment.

Koreans definitely love kimchi.

Koreans eat approximately 20 kilograms of kimchi per person each year.

Being proud of the city's long culinary tradition and its delicious kimchi, Gwangju has for some years been hosting the Gwangju Kimchi Festival every October to promote the excellent quality of kimchi to the world and commercialize it as a must-buy tourist product.

This year, the festival will be held for five days from Oct. 15 through 19.

During the festival, visitors are invited to join in making, tasting and buying a variety of kimchi products. Visitors can learn more about the history of and recipes for the centuries-old traditional dish.

The event also features cultural performances, which are sure to add to the total enjoyment of the festival.

Numerous types of kimchi will also be made from scratch in front of your very own eyes, and you can taste freshly made kimchi right on the spot.

You can even purchase these rich varieties of kimchi at lower prices than at the average market.

On top of all this, kimchi-making events are the focus of this year's festival.

At a number of kimchi-making experience booths, visitors will first listen to the history of Gwangju kimchi and watch kimchi-making demonstrations, and then try out making kimchi.

Also, the festival offers Korean traditional performances and other international performances as well.

For more information, http://www.kimchi.gwangju.kr(Korean only)

How to get there from Seoul

By train:

Several Gwangju-bound trains leave Yongsan Station daily (05:20 am - 23:10 pm)
/ Travel time: KTX 3 hours 5 minutes, Saemaeul 3 hours 50 minutes, Mugunghwa
4 hours 15 minutes) ? From Gwangju Station, take bus no. 58 or a taxi (approximately ?4,000) to Jungoe Park.

* There are several bus stops in front of the station, so if you want to take the bus, please ask at the Tourist Information Center in the station for directions to the stop for bus no. 58.

By bus:

Take a Gwangju-bound bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal in Seoul (05:40 am - 21:10 pm / Travel time: 3 hours 55 minutes) ? from Gwangju Bus Terminal, take bus no. 16 or a taxi to Jungoe Park.

By Han Aran
Korea.net Staff Writer

SOURCE : Korea.net