The largest craft festival in South Korea, "2026 Craft Week," will take place nationwide from June 19 to 28, the Korea Craft and Design Promotion Agency announced on June 2.
Craft Week focuses on discovering and planning unique craft cultural content through collaboration with local craft institutions.
This year's central city for "2026 Craft Week" is Buyeo, selected for its theme "Buyeo, Where Crafts Stay," proposed by the Baekje Cultural Foundation. The event will kick off with an opening ceremony on June 19 at the 123 Sabi Craft Village operated by Buyeo County.
The festival will feature exhibitions, markets, educational programs, and immersive tourism experiences centered around local craft artists' studios, combining craft village elements with experiential, slow-life activities. A highlight of the program is "Seasonal Crafts, the Taste of Gyuham," which connects local spaces with craft sensibilities, allowing visitors to enjoy exhibitions, stroll through the village, and engage with the unique craft worlds of local artisans, enhancing the enjoyment of Craft Week. Buyeo and the 123 Sabi Craft Village aim to present a sustainable craft village model by utilizing the region's historical and cultural assets.
Additionally, ten cities, including Sejong-Gongju, Busan-Ulsan, Jeonju-Gochang, Jeju-Seogwipo, and Chilgok-Gumi, will host region-specific programs. Each program will feature exhibitions, markets, artist workshops, tours, and experiences at attractive local landmarks, particularly encouraging tourism content that allows visitors to deeply understand and enjoy the region through crafts.
In the Sejong-Gongju area, a family-friendly program will offer an ecological craft exhibition and experience using native plants from the Geum River at the Sejong Arboretum starting June 19. This initiative provides families with an opportunity to engage with natural materials and experience crafts hands-on.
Moreover, the "Pachi Market," operated by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Craft Workshop Association, will be held at the Jeju Citrus Museum, allowing visitors to experience the charm of local crafts up close.
The Craft Promotion Agency also supports seven craft creation support centers across the country (Gyeonggi, Jeonnam, Cheongju, Jinju, Gimhae), offering 23 programs and open studios (Wanju, Changwon) that families can enjoy together.
Kim Kyung-bae, head of the Craft Promotion Agency, stated, "2026 Craft Week is designed to combine unique local craft resources and diversity, creating an opportunity for everyone to enjoy crafts and spread joyful daily life nationwide. I hope that through Craft Week, the public can discover and enjoy the unique daily culture of various regions up close."
Details about the programs and schedules for "2026 Craft Week" can be found on the official website and Instagram.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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