Korea Forest Service Administrator Park Eun-sik, 10th from left, poses with chef Cho Hee-sook, 11th from left, and participants of the 2026 Forest Food Festival at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Korea Forest Service
A vibrant forest has momentarily taken root in Gwanghwamun Square at the heart of the capital.
The Korea Forest Service and the Korea Forestry Promotion Institute launched the 2026 Forest Food Festival earlier this week, transforming the historic square into a sprawling marketplace for the nation’s seasonal mountain delicacies.
The event serves as the physical centerpiece of a monthlong campaign to promote the culinary and medicinal value of Korea’s forest products. As spring reaches its peak, the festival offers urbanites a rare chance to source premium wild mountain herbs directly from the growers who cultivate them.
The opening ceremony featured an unlikely culinary duo: Park Eun-sik, administrator of the Korea Forest Service, and Cho Hee-sook, the esteemed chef often hailed as the "Godmother of Hansik" (traditional Korean cuisine). Together, they led a demonstration showcasing the health benefits and gastronomic potential of forest-grown ingredients. Attendees were treated to tastings of modernized Korean dishes featuring foraged mountain greens, elevated from rustic mountain staples to gourmet delicacies.
For shoppers, the festival’s "direct trade market" offers seasonal favorites, such as "dureup" (fatsia shoots), various wild mountain herbs and shiitake mushrooms at prices lower than typical retail rates. Beyond the stalls, the event aims for a family-friendly atmosphere with interactive programs including social media "photo zones," stamp rallies and bite-sized forest snacks.
For those unable to make the trek to central Seoul, the festival has expanded its digital footprint. Online storefronts on Naver Shopping, the Korea Post Mall, and Market Kurly are offering discounts of up to 15 percent on spring mountain greens through a dedicated virtual pavilion.
"Through this festival, we hope to publicize the excellence of our forest products and provide a vital boost to the economic independence of regional foresters," Park said.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
Source: Korea Times News
