Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival 2026: 30th Anniversary Spectacular Complete Guide

Hong Jin-young, Byun Jin-sub, and Baek Ji-young on the same stage?! 🍄 The 2026 Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival runs October 15–18 along Naeseongcheon Stream in Bonghwa-eup — free admission, pine mushroom harvesting open to pre-registered visitors only. From the concert lineup to the Time Auction and booking steps, here’s everything you need. ✨

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※ Check the official website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

The Naeseongcheon Stream area fills with the rich scent of pine mushrooms for four full days. 🍄 Pine mushroom ramyeon sells for just KRW 5,000 a bowl — only 1,000 bowls per day, first-come first-served, so plan to arrive early.

The Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival is Gyeongbuk’s signature autumn specialty festival, held every fall by Bonghwa County in the scenic mountains of North Gyeongsang Province, South Korea.

This is the 30th edition, running under the slogan “Thirty Years of Deep Fragrance, Coloring Bonghwa.” Experience programs centred on pine mushrooms and Hanyakwoo herb-fed beef have been significantly expanded for the anniversary. Based on official announcements by Bonghwa County as of September 29, 2026.

The official website is in Korean only. Your browser’s translate feature (e.g., Chrome → Translate) works well for checking dates and prices.

Official Festival Site (Korean)

1. Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival: 3 Things to Know About the 30th Anniversary

The Slogan and Festival Background

The Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival began in the late 1990s when Bonghwa County began promoting the naturally grown pine mushrooms (songi) found in forests above 600 metres as a flagship local resource. Songi (송이) is a fragrant wild mushroom prized in Korean and Japanese cuisine for its distinct aroma and firm texture. For the 30th edition, the county is running the event under the slogan “Thirty Years of Deep Fragrance, Coloring Bonghwa,” with experience programs around pine mushrooms and Hanyakwoo — herb-fed beef raised locally — significantly expanded. The event is organised by the Bonghwa Festival & Tourism Foundation, and the entire Naeseongcheon Stream area in Bonghwa-eup serves as the festival grounds. Alongside the Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival, the 43rd Cheongnyang Culture Festival runs concurrently in the same area, featuring tug-of-war, a national Chinese poetry competition, and traditional merchant performances.

The Festival Zones and 30th Anniversary Exhibition Tunnel

This year’s festival grounds are organised around four main zones: the Pine Mushroom & Hanyakwoo Square, the Naeseongcheon Food Lounge, the Bonghwa Treasure Market, and the Pine Mushroom Fragrance Stage. The Pine Mushroom & Hanyakwoo Square features 20 vendor booths run directly by local producers, with pine mushrooms sold in portions as small as 100–200g — so you don’t have to buy a full kilogram. Calligraphy, watercolour, and wildflower exhibitions are on display alongside artefacts from the Cheongnyang Mountain area and antique farm tools. Traditional games and craft workshops representing five countries — Japan, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar — are also part of the programme.

5th Osakomi Giant Bibimbap Performance

One of the Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival’s most distinctive crowd events returns: the giant bibimbap performance, in which 500 portions of the rice-and-vegetable dish are prepared on-site with direct visitor participation. Audience participation programmes including Pine Mushroom Golden Bell, Beat the Mushroom!, and the Pine Mushroom Song Festival run throughout all four days. Traditional culture programmes — traditional archery, pottery, hanji (mulberry paper) crafts, folk games, and kimchi-making — are available throughout the festival period.

💡 Agoda lists accommodation in nearby Yeongju and Andong — compare prices early, as autumn foliage season means rooms fill fast across Gyeongbuk.

Autumn festival season drives strong accommodation demand across North Gyeongsang Province. Searching Bonghwa alongside nearby Yeongju (approx. 30 min by car) and Andong (approx. 1 hour) widens your options considerably. Mid-October in Bonghwa also coincides with peak autumn foliage, so accommodation competition is intense. Book lodging at the same time you secure your experience reservation — especially for October 15 (opening day) and October 17 (Saturday before closing).

2. Dates, Venue & How to Get There

Saturday, October 15 (Opening) — Kim Na-young · Lil Boi · Byun Jin-sub · Baek Ji-young

The festival opens on October 15 with the Shining Star Concert Season 3. Kim Na-young, Lil Boi, Byun Jin-sub (변진섭, a veteran Korean ballad singer known for his 1980s hits), and Baek Ji-young take the Pine Mushroom Fragrance Stage for the opening night concert. Hours run 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM. Opening day typically draws the highest foot traffic, so the recommended approach is to arrive in the morning for the vendor booths and experience programmes, then stay for the evening concert.

Friday, October 16 — Hong Jin-young & Nam Seung-min, Shining Star Concert

Day two brings Hong Jin-young and Nam Seung-min to the stage. The Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival’s signature Han-songi Time Auction also runs in full force from this day — three sessions daily throughout the festival. The auction pits visitors against each other in a live bidding format for a single freshly harvested pine mushroom from Bonghwa’s forests, creating a genuinely tense atmosphere. A free Hanyakwoo bulgogi tasting session runs three times daily as well.

Saturday, October 17 — Global Song Festival: Jang Han-byeol · Jeon Yu-jin

Jang Han-byeol and Jeon Yu-jin perform at the Global Song Festival stage on day three. This is the busiest day of the Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival — the Saturday crowd means pine mushroom harvesting slots are in highest demand. The Bonghwa Treasure Market runs in full swing, with apples, shiitake mushrooms, fresh mushrooms, and processed foods sold directly by producers, alongside traditional liquor brewing demonstrations and tastings.

Sunday, October 18 (Closing) — Drone Show & Fireworks Finale

The closing concert features Cheonrokdam, Haru, Kim So-yeon, and Jeon Yu-jin, followed by a drone light show and fireworks over the Naeseongcheon Stream area. The finale lights up the entire festival grounds, so secure a riverside viewing spot at least 30 minutes early.

Getting There from Seoul
The most practical route from Seoul to Bonghwa is by intercity bus from Dong Seoul Bus Terminal. Buses depart at 07:40, 09:40, and 11:50, with a travel time of approximately 2 hours 40 minutes (fare: approx. KRW 32,000–46,000, roughly USD 24–34 at current rates). From Bonghwa Terminal, the festival grounds at Naeseongcheon Stream are reachable by taxi or local bus. Train travellers can use the Yeongdong Line to Bonghwa Station, then take a taxi (approx. 5 min). Confirm shuttle bus schedules with the Bonghwa Festival & Tourism Foundation (+82-54-674-3053) before your trip.

3. Tickets & Booking: 4 Steps for Foreign Visitors

Step 1: Access the Bonghwa Festival & Tourism Foundation Website

Pine mushroom harvesting at the Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival runs on 100% advance online reservation only — walk-in registration is not accepted under any circumstances. Visit the official Bonghwa Festival & Tourism Foundation website (bhftf.or.kr) and look for the experience booking notice in the announcements section. The booking form has historically been published as a separate announcement post, so check the notice board regularly. For English assistance, Korea Tourism’s 1330 hotline (dial 1330 in Korea, or +82-2-1330 from abroad) operates 24/7 in English, Chinese, and Japanese. The booking page itself is in Korean — Chrome’s built-in translation tool works reliably for navigating the form.

Step 2: Select Your Date and Party Size

Each harvesting session is capped at 100 participants. Based on the 26th edition, sessions ran twice daily (up to 200 participants per day), for a total of approximately 800 spots over the festival period. The exact session schedule and daily quotas for the 30th edition require confirmation via the official announcement. When registering, enter your preferred date, number of participants, and contact details. Foreign visitors should note that a Korean mobile number is often required for booking confirmation — if you don’t have one, the 1330 hotline can help with alternatives.

Step 3: Receive Confirmation and Prepare

A confirmation text message is sent once your booking is complete. Wear comfortable walking shoes or light hiking footwear, as the harvest experience involves moving through forest terrain. Weather-dependent adjustments are possible — check official channels before departing. Overseas credit cards (Visa, Mastercard) are accepted at most festival vendor booths, though carrying some Korean Won (KRW) is useful for smaller stalls and food trucks. ATMs are available in Bonghwa-eup town centre.

Step 4: Arrive at the Festival on the Day

Bring your booking confirmation (screenshot or print) and arrive at the designated point on time. Beyond the harvest experience, pine mushroom ramyeon (KRW 5,000 / approx. USD 3.70, 1,000 bowls daily, first-come first-served) and traditional makgeolli (Korean rice wine), jeon (savoury pancakes), and buchimgae are all available at the Songi Joomak food stall. Purchased pine mushrooms and Hanyakwoo can be grilled on-site at the Matdeul Shelter adjacent to the festival grounds.

The official website is in Korean only. Your browser’s translate feature (e.g., Chrome → Translate) works well for checking dates and prices.

Official Festival Site (Korean)

4. Where to Eat & Stay Nearby

Naeseongcheon Food Lounge — On-site Food

The festival’s Naeseongcheon Food Lounge serves pine mushroom ramyeon — a self-cooking format using a meal kit with a self-serve noodle cooker station (20 units). A bowl costs KRW 5,000 (approx. USD 3.70). Hours: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM, 1,000 bowls daily, first-come first-served. Arriving right at opening (10:00 AM) and heading to the Food Lounge first is the safest strategy on weekends. The Songi Joomak stall serves local makgeolli and savoury pancakes.

Bonghwa Treasure Market — Local Produce

The Bonghwa Treasure Market brings together producers selling apples, shiitake mushrooms, fresh mushrooms, and processed foods directly. Bonghwa apples are regionally recognised and often sell below standard retail prices during the festival. For accommodation, Agoda and Booking.com list options in nearby Yeongju and Andong. Yeongju is approximately 30 minutes by car; Andong is approximately 1 hour.

Accommodation Near Bonghwa — Yeongju & Andong

Bonghwa-gun has limited lodging capacity, and festival-period rooms sell out quickly. Searching Yeongju (approx. 30 min by car) or Andong (approx. 1 hour) on Agoda or Trip.com gives you far more options, including guesthouses, business hotels, and serviced apartments. Bonghwa-eup itself has pensions and motels. For group visits, contact the Bonghwa Festival & Tourism Foundation (+82-54-674-3053) directly about group accommodation coordination.

5. Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival vs. Ganggyeong Salted Seafood Festival at a Glance

Two major Korean autumn specialty festivals run concurrently from October 15–18. If you’re planning a regional food festival trip, here’s a direct comparison to help with your decision.

6. 5 Tips for Foreign Visitors

Tip 1: Book the Pine Mushroom Harvesting Experience in Advance

The Bonghwa Pine Mushroom Festival’s most popular experience accepts zero walk-in registrations. Online pre-booking through the Bonghwa Festival & Tourism Foundation website (bhftf.or.kr) is the only route in. Based on previous editions, total capacity was approximately 800 spots — these fill within hours of the booking notice going live. Register the moment the announcement appears. Inquiries: +82-54-674-3053. Chrome’s translation tool handles the Korean booking form reliably.

Tip 2: Han-songi Time Auction — Check Session Times On-site

The Han-songi Time Auction (단일 송이 현장 경매 / dan-il songi hyeonjang gyeongmae) runs three times daily with no advance registration required — just show up. Bidding is for a single freshly harvested pine mushroom from Bonghwa’s forests, sold to the highest bidder in a real-time auction format. Exact session times are posted on on-site notice boards and the Foundation’s official channels.

Tip 3: Pine Mushroom Ramyeon — Go Early

At KRW 5,000 (approx. USD 3.70) per bowl with a limit of 1,000 daily, the pine mushroom ramyeon regularly sells out before noon on weekends. With 20 self-serve cookers running, wait times can develop. Head to the Naeseongcheon Food Lounge immediately after the 10:00 AM opening to avoid the rush.

Tip 4: Secure Your Spot for the Closing Drone Show

The drone light show and fireworks on October 18 fill the sky above the entire Naeseongcheon Stream area. The riverbank on the Naeseongcheon side offers an unobstructed sightline — be there at least 30 minutes before the show begins. The closing concert immediately precedes the show, so plan your evening around it.

Tip 5: Getting There and Parking

Parking in the Naeseongcheon Stream area becomes congested during the festival. Public transport or arriving early is strongly recommended. From Bonghwa Station (Yeongdong Line), a taxi or local shuttle can reach the festival grounds. Confirm shuttle bus availability and timing with the Foundation (+82-54-674-3053) before your trip. English may be limited at the station — having the address written in Korean (봉화읍 내성천 일원) is useful for taxi drivers.

💡 Trip.com lists intercity bus and KTX options to the Bonghwa area — compare travel times and book in advance during peak autumn season.

Many visitors plan an overnight trip given Bonghwa’s distance from Seoul. Agoda and Trip.com list accommodation in Yeongju and Andong that pairs well with a Bonghwa festival visit. October in North Gyeongsang Province is peak foliage season, so rooms across the region fill fast. Book accommodation at the same time as your experience reservation.

Frequently Asked Questions

More to Explore

The Ganggyeong Salted Seafood Festival runs concurrently in Chungnam, October 15–18. If direct-purchase jeotgal (fermented salted seafood) and an EDM party sound appealing alongside your Gyeongbuk autumn trip, check the link below. Booking your intercity bus or KTX via Trip.com in advance is the smoothest way to travel between regions during Korea’s busy autumn festival season.

For more Korean autumn specialty festivals, also check out the Ganggyeong Salted Seafood Festival running the same dates in South Chungcheong.

Heading to Bonghwa by intercity bus from Seoul? Check the timetable in advance — note that this page is in Korean, so your browser’s translate feature will help.

Sources: Bonghwa Festival & Tourism Foundation official website, Bonghwa County official press release (September 2026), Seoul Economic Daily (October 2026).