A 'Gourmet Festival' Satisfying All Five Senses... 3,000 People Flock to 'K-Food Show' [2026 Seoul Food Distribution Fair]

Approximately 3,000 visitors gathered for the event, which featured the participation of about 40 companies representing the domestic food industry. Photo by Reporter Seo Dong-il 'Showcasing the essence of K-Food.
' The '2026 Seoul Food Distribution Fair (K-Food Show),' where one can see the global craze and current status of K-Food at a glance, opened with great success alongside comprehensive changes. In particular, moving away from the conventional "viewing exhibition" where products are simply observed, the event shifted its paradigm to an "experiential and lingering exhibition" where visitors could directly enjoy the experience with all five senses, presenting a new gastronomic experience and demonstrating the elevated status of K-Food.
The 2026 K-Food Show, hosted by Financial News and held at the aT Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul on the 16th, took place with a differentiated concept of a "five-sense satisfying experiential festival" where consumers could eat, drink, and stay, going beyond simple "exhibition viewing. " The main slogan for this year's event is "K-Street Food, To Global Tables.
" Emphasis was placed on re-examining the industrial value of Korean snack food culture, reflecting the recent global popularity of frozen gimbap and tteokbokki that has swept North America and Europe. At the VIP tea time held as a pre-event, Kim Jong-gu, Vice Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, stated, "We expect the globalization of K-snack food to accelerate further through this year's K-Food Show," adding, "As the government has formed export consultative bodies to resolve difficulties in K-Food exports, we anticipate significant achievements in the future.
" This year's event moved from the traditional Seoul City Hall Plaza to the aT Center, an indoor exhibition space specializing in food. In addition, significant changes were attempted, such as strengthening the substance of the event through a pre-registration system.
Through these efforts, the event was held on the largest scale in its history, with 38 major domestic food companies participating across 40 booths. The event venue was well-organized on a scale that encompassed the entire domestic food industry, including not only snack foods but also food and beverages, restaurant franchises, distribution and alcohol, and food ingredients.
Major booths featured a diverse range of attractions, with participation from food industry companies such as CJ CheilJedang, Nongshim, Pulmuone, Daesang, Ottogi, and Samyang Foods; confectionery companies such as Crown Haitai, Orion, and Lotte Well Food; alcoholic beverage companies such as Hite Jinro, OB Beer, and Shinsegae L&B; dairy companies such as Seoul Milk and Namyang Dairy; retail companies such as E-Mart, Lotte Mart, and GS Retail; and public institutions such as Jangheung-gun, Jeonnam and the Korea Forest Cooperative Federation. Each company displayed their flagship products at their booths and captivated the eyes, ears, and palates of participants through various events.
Notably, starting about an hour before the exhibition opened, a scene unfolded at the entrance where around 100 visitors formed a long line to experience the latest food trends. Visitors flocked to the venue throughout the event, which ran until 5 p.
m. , with approximately 3,000 domestic and international attendees visiting.
For the main event, the live cooking show, Chef Lee Moon-jung, who rose to fame under the nickname "Chinese Witch" in the Netflix series *Chef Black & White: Cooking Class War 2*, took the stage to present special recipes that reinterpreted K-food.
The "Coffee Class," designed to satisfy all five senses, introduced visitors to coffee brewing methods that complement the latest dessert trends through a class led by a renowned barista.
The "Food Truck Zone," infused with street style, allowed visitors to enjoy a festival-like atmosphere by tasting a variety of K-foods on the spot in a special designated area.
Kim Yong-jae, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, stated, "As K-Bunsik is gaining love from people around the world beyond Korea, we will provide support to ensure it secures further competitiveness through technological development," adding, "We will spare no support to facilitate the smooth overseas exports of food companies.
" Special Reporting Team
Approximately 3,000 visitors gathered for the event, which featured the participation of about 40 companies representing the domestic food industry. Photo by Reporter Seo Dong-il 'Showcasing the essence of K-Food.
Approximately 3,000 visitors gathered for the event, which featured the participation of about 40 companies representing the domestic food industry. Photo by Reporter Seo Dong-il 'Showcasing the essence of K-Food.
Approximately 3,000 visitors gathered for the event, which featured the participation of about 40 companies representing the domestic food industry. Photo by Reporter Seo Dong-il 'Showcasing the essence of K-Food.
ssuccu@fnnews.com Kim Seo-yeon, Lee Jeong-hwa, Kang Myeong-yeon, Kim Hyun-ji, Park Gyeong-ho Reporter