Gumi City is set to uphold its reputation as the birthplace of Korean ramen with an enhanced lineup of events for the renowned "Original Ramen Festival."

On August 18, Gumi City announced it had held a planning briefing for the "2025 Gumi Ramen Festival." The festival, scheduled to take place over three days from October 31 to November 2 around the Gumi Station district, aims to celebrate the city’s pride as the origin of ramen. By blending gastronomy and hands-on experiences, the festival has evolved into a flagship industrial tourism event that reflects the character of the region.

The Gumi Ramen Festival has grown beyond treating ramen as a simple everyday dish, repositioning it as a new culinary industry through a variety of programs. The festival aspires to reinforce Gumi’s identity as Korea’s representative “Ramen Culture City.” Last year, it recorded a nationwide sensation, attracting over 170,000 visitors.

This year's edition will feature novel and distinctive attractions. The main program, titled “World’s Longest Ramen Restaurant,” will be upgraded with table ordering and QR code services to ensure visitors enjoy ramen with greater convenience.

A new “Half-Serving Ramen” menu has also been introduced, enabling participants to savor a broader range of flavors without feeling overwhelmed.

In addition, a wide spectrum of experiential and exhibition programs, as well as performances, will be showcased, including the Ramen Workshop, Rammlerier Contest (which searches for ramen sommeliers), Ramen Bar, Self-Serve Ramen Zone, Slurping Playground, and Ramen Canvas.

This year saw enthusiastic interest from culinary professionals, with 62 chef teams applying to participate in the ramen restaurant—more than double last year’s figure. Out of these, 32 teams were initially shortlisted, and on August 14, a culinary evaluation was held at the Gumi Lifelong Learning Center, where a panel of directors and judges selected the final 23 chef teams.

Upholding the title of “the original ramen festival,” the Gumi Ramen Festival will officially kick off on October 31.

Note “This article was translated from the original Korean version using AI assistance, and subsequently edited by a native-speaking journalist.”

Photo=Gumi Ramen Festival