These are wine snacks chosen by CEO Kim Seul-ah of Kurly.
On the afternoon of the 18th at Coex Magok in Gangseo District, Seoul, inside the Kurly Food Festa's Dream Table space. On the large dining table, props the size of real food such as herb salad, gambas, and old-style whole fried chicken were laid out here and there. A Kurly official said, "Referring to the curation (display) concept chosen by CEO Kim Seul-ah and Kurly, this is where visitors can set up their own year-end table the way they want."
On the wall, a video played showing bowls on the table being filled one by one with foods recommended by CEO Kim Seul-ah. Centered on cheeses that go well with white wine, biscuits, vegetable sticks, and roasted vegetables were added. These are products sold on Kurly's online mall, and visitors could check information using QR codes attached throughout.
The Food Festa that Kurly is holding from the 18th to the 21st marks its third year. It is a flagship offline event presented by the e-commerce company Kurly. Starting last year, the venue moved from Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) to Coex in Magok, expanding its scale. The number of participating companies and brands, as well as visitors, all increased. This year, 109 partner companies and about 160 food and beverage (F&B) brands are participating.
Following last year's open run (people lining up before opening), large crowds gathered again this year. On the first day of the event, most booths had lines for tastings and event participation. From late afternoon, people had to line up from the first floor, where the entrance to the venue is, up to the second floor to get in. The event is expected to draw up to 30,000 visitors this year.
Upon entering the venue, booths were arranged around a giant Christmas tree and a banquet table, divided into zones. There are seven zones in total: ready-to-eat meals, grocery, fresh and livestock/seafood, bakery/dessert, beverages/snacks, and health. Each company or brand focuses on different flagship products and showcases them in various ways.
At the booth of the brand "Treasure Island," which sells seafood such as oysters and abalone caught each morning from fisheries in Namhae, tanks were installed. The tanks were full of live abalone and clams. The fishing nets and dip nets hung throughout the booth also stood out. There was also a booth for "Cinco Jotas," which hand-carves Spanish Iberico jamón, and "Bareum Farm," where visitors could pull organic vegetables like lettuce and sweet potatoes from a claw machine.
In addition to the Dream Table, Kurly created brand-specialized spaces such as the chef table and the rice table. At the chef table, where 12 famous chefs including Lee Yeon-bok, Jeong Ji-seon, and Kim Do-yun participate, three chefs conduct a live cooking show each day. At the rice table, guided by Kurly's rice merchandise planner (MD) serving as a docent, visitors can taste five rice varieties and find their preferences.
A Kurly official said, "These are spaces that show our brand identity," adding, "Starting with commercializing menu items such as jajangmyeon and jjamppong sold at Lee Yeon-bok's restaurant Mokran, we have been collaborating with famous chefs." The official added, "With the protein-diet trend, more consumers are choosing carbohydrates more carefully, and among them we are putting particular effort into rice."
Most products are difficult to purchase on-site; instead, visitors order through Kurly Mall accessed via QR and receive next-day delivery. This is because fresh food accounts for a high proportion and there are limits to inventory management during the event. Kurly is also running a Kurly Food Festa special sale through the 29th, offering up to 40% off participating brand products.