Fermentation, Flowers, and Mountain Parks: Sunchang Makes Its Case at Seoul

So here's a destination that doesn't always make the top of Korea's tourism lists, but is quietly building a very compelling case for itself. Sunchang County, a small but historically significant town in North Jeolla Province known above all else for its gochujang — that deep, complex fermented chili paste that's been a cornerstone of Korean cuisine for centuries — is now actively pitching itself as a full-blown wellness destination. And it took that pitch straight to Seoul.

From May 21 to 22, Shilland, Sunchang's flagship wellness tourism complex, participated in the 2026 K-Wellness Food and Tourism Fair, held at the aT Center in Seoul. For those unfamiliar, the aT Center is a major convention and exhibition venue operated by the Korea Agro-Fisheries and Food Trade Corporation, and it regularly hosts large-scale food and agricultural expos — so it's exactly the kind of venue where a town built on fermented foods wants to be seen.

What Is the K-Wellness Food and Tourism Fair?

The event itself is worth understanding for a moment. The 2026 K-Wellness Food and Tourism Fair is a national showcase designed around the themes of wellbeing, health, and happiness. It brings together local governments from across Korea to spotlight their best agricultural and marine products alongside their wellness tourism offerings. Think of it as a nationwide pitch competition for places that want urban Koreans — and international visitors — to slow down, eat well, and breathe some fresh air.

Wellness tourism, for context, has been growing rapidly across Asia, and Korea has been leaning into it hard. The concept blends travel with intentional health practices — whether that's forest bathing, traditional medicine, fermented food diets, or simply retreating to cleaner environments. Sunchang, with its centuries-old fermentation heritage and clean rural landscape, sits squarely at the center of that conversation.

Shilland and the Sunchang Fermentation Tourism Foundation Team Up

At the fair, Shilland collaborated closely with the Sunchang Fermentation Tourism Foundation to present the county as what they're calling North Jeolla Province's representative K-Wellness city. That's a bold claim, but they came prepared to back it up.

The booth highlighted a range of Sunchang's most recognizable attractions. The Fermentation Theme Park was front and center — an entire park dedicated to exploring the science, culture, and culinary history of fermented foods, which makes a lot more sense when you realize that Sunchang has been producing gochujang in a way protected and celebrated as a regional tradition for well over 500 years. Alongside the park, they promoted the scenic Gyeongcheon and Yangjicheon flower-lined riverside paths, as well as Gangcheonsan County Park, a mountain recreation area known for its dramatic rock formations and seasonal foliage.

What's really interesting is how the team used on-the-ground engagement to draw people in. Visitors at the fair could participate in SNS follow events and on-site surveys to win Sunchang-themed merchandise — including miniature gochujang kits and character goods featuring fermentation microbes, which, yes, are apparently charming enough to be turned into collectible figures. The response was strong, with attendees lining up to take part and pick up their goods.

The Festival Angle: A Global Ambition

Beyond the tourist attractions, the fair appearance also served as a platform to promote the 21st Sunchang Jang-ryu Festival — jang-ryu referring to fermented sauces and pastes like doenjang, ganjang, and gochujang. This particular edition of the festival has been designated as a "2026 Pre-Global Festival," meaning it has been recognized at a national level as a candidate for eventually earning full global festival status. That's a significant marker, and it's one Shilland clearly wanted on people's radar.

Tourism packages aimed at attracting foreign visitors were also on display, signaling that Sunchang isn't just thinking about domestic tourism. The push to bring international travelers into a small, rural county built around fermented food culture is ambitious — but given the global boom in interest around Korean cuisine and wellness practices, it's not unrealistic.

What Visitors at the Fair Were Saying

The reception at the fair gave some genuine insight into how people perceive Sunchang from the outside. One attendee summed it up in a way that probably reflects a lot of people's first impressions.

"Sunchang had a strong image of just being about gochujang, but seeing the range of fermentation-based tourism content and natural scenery was really impressive. If I get the chance, I'd definitely like to visit and experience it in person."

That quote gets at something important: Sunchang has a strong brand identity with gochujang, but that very specificity has perhaps limited how people imagine it as a travel destination. The county seems to be working hard to expand that perception — showing that fermentation culture is a lens through which you can explore food, nature, history, and even wellness all at once.

Shilland's Bigger Picture

A representative from Shilland reflected on the fair's significance in building that broader narrative.

"This event gave us the opportunity to introduce Sunchang's unique and differentiated tourism resources to urban residents who have a high interest in healthy living and wellness. We will continue to work through diverse promotional marketing efforts to bring more visitors to Sunchang."

It's a straightforward statement, but the strategy behind it is clear. Shilland isn't just trying to attract a weekend crowd looking for a nature retreat. It's positioning Sunchang within a larger cultural and wellness movement — one where fermented foods aren't just condiments on a dinner table, but the centerpiece of an entire lifestyle philosophy that happens to align very well with where global health and travel trends are heading.

Whether Sunchang can break through the noise and establish itself as a must-visit K-Wellness destination remains to be seen. But between the Fermentation Theme Park, a nationally recognized festival with global ambitions, and the natural beauty of Gangcheonsan, they've got more than gochujang to work with. And Seoul's aT Center was just the first step in making sure people know it.

This article is based on reports from Sjbnews, Jeollailbo, Kwangju.