Even if you pull your collar tight against the cold wind, there is no stopping the mouthwatering saliva. Huddled around a 2-meter-diameter giant brazier, you get drunk on the aroma of chestnuts popping as they roast, and even the general of winter quietly retreats. The fun of blowing "ho-ho" on golden-brown chestnuts roasted over a wood fire and peeling them to eat—the "delicious temptation" you can meet only in Winter Gongju—begins.
Gongju city said on the 28th that it will hold the "Winter Gongju Roasted Chestnut Festival" from Feb. 4 to 8 at Geumgang Singwan Park and Mir Island. This year's theme is the fiery-from-the-name "Burning night, sweet Gongju."
Gongju is a leading production area in Korea, accounting for 17% of the nation's chestnut output. Every year, more than 2,000 farms produce 7,000 tons (t) of chestnuts.
Gongju is famous for high-quality chestnuts thanks to the clean air, water, and soil of the Charyeong Mountains and Gyeryong Mountain, along with the large daily temperature swings of the growing region. Only chestnuts that fell naturally, not those forcibly picked, are selected and packed, so taste and storability are already guaranteed.
Marking its ninth year, the roasted chestnut festival is a kind of brand festival to promote the excellence of Gongju's chestnuts. Admission to the festival grounds is free.
The highlight of the festival is the "giant brazier experience." At a 2-meter-diameter giant brazier, you can use a wire basket to roast and eat chestnuts yourself. A total of 14 braziers will be installed across the venue. The "Gongju roasted chestnut grill zone," where you can grill and taste agricultural and livestock products from the Gongju area, will also operate. Using chestnut charcoal, you can grill chicken skewers, sausages, and marshmallows. All are 3,000 won.
Chestnuts can be purchased on-site. Depending on the variety, they cost 7,000 to 12,000 won per kilogram. Chestnuts pre-scored for the experience cost an additional 1,000 won over the base price. Roasted chestnuts and peeled chestnuts are also sold.
Once you have warmed up by the brazier and filled your stomach, fully enjoy the venue. This year's festival expanded the event space to Mir Island.
On Mir Island, the "Winter Gongju Snowflake Kingdom" has been created with a sledding hill and rotating sleds. The sled lending fee is 1,000 won. You can also try building an igloo and making a snowman. It is good for family visitors to enjoy or as a date course.
Visiting with pets is also recommended. The organizers will run the "Winter Gongju Doggy Kingdom" for visitors who come with their pets. Here, various programs you can enjoy with pets, such as doggy aroma therapy and making homemade treats, will be offered.
On one side of the festival grounds, the Roasted Chestnut FM visual radio will operate. It is a performance program in which everyone at the venue can participate, featuring special festival broadcasts, performances by local artists, talks, and sharing of stories. It will run every day from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the event, aiming to captivate visitors' ears without a dull moment.
If you head into downtown Gongju, you can enjoy a walking path along Jemicheon, where cafes and restaurants cluster. Strolling through Gongsanseong, a UNESCO World Heritage site, to feel the breath of Baekje is also recommended. You can also experience the brilliant Baekje culture through the Royal Tomb of King Muryeong, the Royal Tombs Park, and the Woongjin Baekje History Museum.
South Chungcheong Province recommended the following Gongju travel course: Winter Gongju Roasted Chestnut Festival → Gongsanseong → Chungnam Museum of History → Wildflower Literature House → Jemicheon → Royal Tomb of King Muryeong and Royal Tombs Park → Woongjin Baekje History Museum → Baekje Five Senses Experience Center → Robocar Poli Safety Experience Park.
Gongju Mayor Choi Won-cheol said, "I hope the festival will help Gongju establish itself as a leading destination for cultural tourism festivals and become an opportunity to leap forward as a city leading the chestnut industry in Korea."