Over 110 bakeries to gather at Gwanghwamun Square for K-Bakery Festival

The K-Bakery Festival in Gwanghwamun will run for three days, from Nov. 18 to Nov. 20, at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul. The event will showcase the strength of K-bakeries alongside the competitiveness of small independent bakeries from across the country.

The festival will be open daily from noon to 7 p.m. The opening ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. on Nov. 18 at Yukjo Madang within Gwanghwamun Square.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups is hosting the event, organized jointly by the Korea Bakery Association and the ministry. Sponsors include the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the US Embassy in Seoul, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Naver, Baemin, CJ Foodville, Paris Croissant, Sungsimdang, Seoul Food IND, M's Food System, Daedu Food, Saerom Food, Semi Corporation, the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business and the Korea Confectionery Master Craftsmen Association.

More than 110 bakeries from across the country will take part in the Bread Pilgrimage Zone. Participants include Daejeon's Sungsimdang, Gwangju's Bevier, North Jeolla Province's Pungnyeon Jegwa and Busan's Adela7.

This year, for the first time in the festival's history, the pickup area and the payment area will be separate. Visitors can browse and collect bread at individual bakery booths, then pay for everything at once at a dedicated payment zone. The payment zone will feature a "bread scanner" system that identifies each item. Customers paying with Naver Pay Face Pay can earn 10 percent Naver Points on their purchases.

Baemin will create a dedicated K-Bakery Festival category within its app during the event. Some products from participating bakeries — including Hong Jong-heun Bakery and EFT Bakery — will be available for on-site pickup.

The K-Bakery Zone will feature Paris Croissant (Paris Baguette), CJ Foodville (Tous Les Jours) and Daedu Food.

The US Embassy Zone will present baked goods, bread and cake made with American-sourced ingredients. Participating vendors include Napoleon Confectionery, Sona, Seongsu Bakery Studio, Bonjour Madame, Pieces Montees Boulangerie, Le Bon Mariage, Lian Bakery, Bada Garden, Le Pain 99-1, Blendy Studio and Hey Dough.

ABCD, an all-in-one food and beverage platform presented by Bakery Monthly — South Korea's leading bakery trade magazine — and the Korea Bakery Association, will also participate in the festival. Prize giveaway events for visitors will also be held throughout the event, sponsored by Nongshim, Korea Yakult, Seoul Food IND, Semi Corporation and LF Food.

Korea Bakery Association President Woo Won-seok described the event as "a festival held at Gwanghwamun Square, the symbol of Seoul, centered on bread," adding that it brings together "small independent bakeries that have quietly baked bread in communities across the country and companies that are introducing K-bakeries to the world."