Haenam County in South Jeolla Province is launching a major promotional campaign to boost the consumption of pickled cabbage, a key local agricultural product, and secure sales channels for cabbage farmers as the Kimjang season approaches.
The county announced that it will host the '2026 National Health Kimjang Festival (with Haenam)' from November 17 to 19 at Urideul Park in Daejeon, along with a special online and offline sales event in collaboration with Gmarket.
This event aims to alleviate the sales burden on farmers facing decreased demand for Kimjang and a bumper crop of fall cabbage, while also showcasing the quality of Haenam pickled cabbage to urban consumers.
In response to the trend of simplifying Kimjang culture, the campaign will emphasize pre-prepared pickled cabbage to enhance consumer convenience and encourage actual agricultural product consumption.
During the festival, a Kimchi pop-up store operated by Gmarket will be set up at Urideul Park.
Visitors will have the opportunity to participate in kimchi-making and tasting experiences, and a live broadcast featuring a renowned chef making and introducing kimchi will also take place.
Additionally, various interactive events and prize giveaways will be held to increase interest in Kimjang and promote the consumption of Haenam's agricultural specialties.
Online sales will also be part of the initiative.
Starting November 19, Gmarket will operate a dedicated section for Haenam agricultural products related to Kimjang and will begin pre-orders for Haenam pickled cabbage.
Notably, pickled cabbage and Kimjang seasoning will be offered at a 20% discount, along with Haenam's representative rice brand, 'Ttangkkeut Haetsal,' also available at a 20% discount.
Haenam County expects this special sales event to expand the purchasing demand not only among existing consumers of Haenam pickled cabbage but also among younger generations and smaller households who are new to Kimjang.
Furthermore, the county will actively participate in the 'Add One More Cabbage' campaign promoted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
This campaign aims to increase participation in Kimjang and the consumption of domestic cabbage, and Haenam County plans to promote the convenience of pickled cabbage to support the spread of Kimjang culture.
Yoon Young-rok, head of the Haenam County Public Relations Team, stated, "Recently, there has been an increase in people who give up on Kimjang due to not knowing how to do it or finding it cumbersome, known as the 'Kimpo tribe.' By using convenient pickled cabbage, anyone can participate in Kimjang without burden."
He added, "We hope for much interest and participation to help farmers who are struggling with decreased demand and a bumper crop of fall cabbage, and to expand the consumption of domestic agricultural products."
Meanwhile, Haenam County plans to enhance the brand recognition of Haenam pickled cabbage through this Kimjang Festival and aims to expand the consumer market using online distribution channels. The county is also committed to connecting the concentrated cabbage consumption during the Kimjang season to actual income increases for local farmers and securing stable sales channels for Haenam's agricultural specialties.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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