Jeonju Kimchi Culture Center: The Kimchi Story That Stopped at 29 Eojin-gil

29 Eojin-gil, Wansan-gu, a Hanok Next to Gyeonggijeon

Jeonju Kimchi Culture Center is a hanok building located at 29 Eojin-gil, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeonbuk State, right next to the Hanok Village No. 1 Paid Public Parking Lot at the entrance to Jeonju Hanok Village.

Its main telephone number is 063-287-6302. The building was established as part of the central tourist route through Hanok Village, where Gyeonggijeon, the Jeonju Sori Culture Center, the Jeonju Traditional Liquor Museum, and the Jeonju Hanok Village History Museum are clustered.

UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy in 2012, Premium Kimchi Industrialization Project Group in 2017

In 2012, Jeonju became South Korea's first member of the gastronomy field of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, making it the world's fourth UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy after Popayán, Colombia (2005), Chengdu, China (2010), and Östersund, Sweden (2010).

Following this designation, Jeonju held the inaugural general meeting of the incorporated Premium Kimchi Industrialization Project Group at the Korea Traditional Culture Center on December 26, 2016. In 2017, the group secured 3 billion won in national funding through the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' Regional Strategic Industry Promotion Project and systematically pursued the premium kimchi industrialization initiative.

The Jeonju Kimchi Culture Center was opened by this project group as an exhibition hall in a hanok introducing the history and varieties of kimchi as well as kimjang culture. According to the portfolio records of the web production company, the related promotional website was created in June 2017.

Closed in July 2022 — Kimjang Experiences Interrupted by COVID-19

In July 2022, the Jeonju Kimchi Culture Center ended its regular operations and closed. As the spread of COVID-19 made it difficult to operate key programs such as the Kimchi Academy and kimjang experiences normally, the center maintained a presence for some time through exhibitions only before eventually shutting its doors.

According to local reporting on October 25, 2023, the building had stood unused for more than a year without a formal reopening plan. There was not even an official nameplate beside the entrance, leaving citizens and tourists wondering what kind of facility it was.

The QR Code Still Points to the “Jeonju Kimchi Culture Center”

When the QR code attached beside the entrance was scanned during reporting in October 2023, the screen still displayed information for the “Jeonju Kimchi Culture Center.” Around that time, Jeonju City had remodeled the building and was temporarily operating it for one month as a “Jeonju Travel Souvenir Pop-Up Store.”

Jeonju City conducted a public call for subsidy project operators to redevelop the space as a tourism hub specializing in foreign visitors and announced that it was discussing its internal plans with local cultural and tourism planners. However, the presence of nearby information facilities such as a travelers' lounge and tourist information center was cited as a challenge for differentiation.

Kimchi Experience Programs Relocated to the Jeonju Kimchi Industry Center in Dododong

The kimchi education and experience programs formerly handled by the Jeonju Kimchi Culture Center were transferred to the Jeonju Kimchi Industry Center under the Jeonju Agricultural Technology Center, where they are conducted alongside processing, production, and distribution operations.

The Jeonju Kimchi Industry Center in Dododong was completed in May 2022 as a single-story building with a total floor area of 1,740 square meters, funded by 3 billion won from the national government and 5.5 billion won from the city. Its opening was delayed by the late enactment of an ordinance for entrusted operations, but Jeonju Food took over its management in December 2023 and began full-scale operations.

Can You Visit Now? — Before Looking for 29 Eojin-gil

No official announcement confirming whether the Jeonju Kimchi Culture Center has formally reopened has been found since October 2023. Before visiting, it is safest to call the main number, 063-287-6302, to ask about its current operating status.

Since the website's operating-period information stated, “There are no convenience facilities (mart or convenience store) inside the Jeonju Kimchi Culture Center,” it would be better to purchase water or snacks in advance from shops at the entrance to Hanok Village, even if the center reopens.

The Instagram account (@jeonjukimchi_kr) still lists 29 Eojin-gil, Wansan-dong, and 063-287-6302 as contact information, but with 20 posts and around 242 followers, there are few signs of active operation.

Things to See Anyway — Attractions on the Same Alley as Gyeonggijeon

The area where the Jeonju Kimchi Culture Center stood is connected along one route with Gyeonggijeon, the Eojin Museum, the Jeonju Sori Culture Center, the Jeonju Traditional Liquor Museum, and the Jeonju Hanok Village History Museum, and is included in recommended accessible tourism courses. The area also features barrier-free tourism infrastructure such as accessible restrooms and tactile and voice-activated comprehensive information boards.

Gyeonggijeon right next door charges admission of 3,000 won for adults, 2,000 won for teenagers, and 1,000 won for children. Therefore, even if a visit to the Kimchi Culture Center falls through, you can fill your itinerary with other activities on the same alley.

If You Want to Explore Kimchi Culture Properly — Museum Kimchikan in Seoul as an Alternative

If you definitely want to visit a facility covering the same subject, Museum Kimchikan in Insadong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, can be an alternative. Operated by Pulmuone, this museum has explored the history, science, and culture of kimchi since opening in 1986. In 2015, it was the only museum in South Korea to be named among CNN's “11 Food Museums Around the World.”

Museum Kimchikan is open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (last admission at 5:30 p.m.). It is closed every Monday, January 1, the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays, and December 25. Admission is 5,000 won for adults, 3,000 won for teenagers, and 2,000 won for preschool children. Experience programs incur separate fees.