KoreaSeekSEOUL · FOOD & DRINK
Taste of Seoul 2026: food markets, rice workshops and what to book
Plan Seoul’s October 23–29 food week: DDP market dates, an English rice workshop and the difference between festival reservations and everyday cooking classes.
A food festival is most useful when it helps you choose how to spend a day, rather than adding another list of restaurants to your phone. Seoul’s newly announced food-week programme offers two quite different possibilities: a flexible market visit or a small, scheduled learning experience. Pick one as the anchor and leave the rest of the day loose.
The dates that change your plan
The city’s October 14 announcement places Taste of Seoul on October 23–29, with the DDP food market on October 24–25. Reservations for tours, classes and workshops are announced to open October 15 at 10:00 KST. That opening time is not a promise that a place remains available when you read this.
If your trip falls midweek, do not build the day around a weekend-only market. Start with your actual travel date, then follow the official programme link for its venue and booking conditions. “Food week” does not mean every activity happens every day or in the same neighbourhood.
An English session with a specific focus
The published schedule includes an English-language heritage-rice workshop on October 25, 15:00–16:30, with 25 places and a listed fee of ₩20,000. Other sessions have different capacities and fees. English support should be checked separately for each programme.
For a visitor who likes understanding ingredients, a rice-focused session could be more memorable than rushing between tasting stalls. For a group with different interests or an uncertain arrival time, an open-ended market outing is easier to adapt. Ask about dietary needs before paying; a food theme alone says nothing about allergen handling.
Turn the inspiration into a workable food day
Keep a reserved workshop as your one fixed commitment. Add a nearby walk and an unhurried meal instead of booking another tightly timed activity immediately afterwards. Save the exact meeting point in Korean as well as the programme name.
If festival dates do not match your holiday, a regular market-and-cooking class can still answer the same curiosity: what people buy, how ingredients become a meal, and what you can cook again at home. The options below are separate commercial experiences, not tickets to Taste of Seoul.
Before you go
- Match your date to the individual programme, not just the festival week.
- Check live capacity, language, dietary accommodation and cancellation terms.
- Keep the official reservation confirmation and exact venue.
