Writer: Riya Choudhary (Delhi, India)
Editor: Prachi Vaid (Delhi, India)
The 2026 K-Food Fair was held on August 1 and 2, 2026, at Ambience Mall, Gurugram, by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of the Republic of Korea and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation. The fair transformed into a vibrant celebration of Korean food, lifestyle, and culture for Indian fans residing in Delhi-NCR. This two-day event welcomed visitors of all ages, from dedicated K-Pop fans and lovers of Korean cuisine to curious families experiencing Korean culture for the very first time. The event was well-organized and packed with cultural experiences, interactive games, and fun activities.
As soon as the fans arrived at the fair, they were welcomed with an interesting twist. At the information counter, they received a stamp collection slip. They had to visit booths and play games in order to gather six stamps. Once they had done so and displayed them, they received prizes and gifts. There were also plenty of exciting activities to take part in. The Korean Games Zone included various traditional Korean games such as Jegichagi, Ddakji, Marble Game, Gonggi, Crown game, along with a Capsule game (a claw machine challenge) as well as K-place guessing games where fans could go back with exciting gifts and many more interactive experiences.
Apart from that, a free food tasting was organised by chefs from Kori’s restaurant for Korean food lovers, featuring dishes like kimbap, tteokbokki, pajeon and ramyeon. Also, there was a K-Noodle Zone where attendees could experience Korean noodle making and tasting. Moreover, the K-Food Market Zone encouraged attendees to shop for their favourite Korean food and snacks, which they had seen on screens.
One of the unique attractions was the Personal Colour Testing session, where visitors could discover the colours that suit them best. Furthermore, there was a booth by the Korea Tourism Organization India, where fans participated in activities like Spin the Wheel and won souvenirs. The crowd was incredibly friendly, and the energy throughout the event was absolutely amazing.
HIGHLIGHTS FROM DAY 1 & 2
The first day featured the inauguration of the fair, which was done by the attending officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs of the Republic of Korea, the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, Korea Tourism Organization India, and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the Republic of India. There were Indo-Korean fusion performances as well as K-Pop performances.
For both days, the Korean Color & Makeup Seminar was held by experts from IICI INDIA, where attendees understood how Korean color and makeup analysis is done, and some chosen ones got their analysis done on stage. Along with this, Korean Food Open Kitchen was organised, where the host, a Korean chef, demonstrated the making of Korean dishes like Kimbap, which helped everyone learn more about Korean ingredients and cooking styles. Also, fans participated in the Spicy Challenge Game and showed their spice tolerance.
However, the fair wasn’t just about food; it also featured exciting K-Pop cover performances. The K-Pop Dance Competition was held, where talented top 8 semi-finalist teams from across Delhi-NCR competed and showcased their energetic moves, choreography, and charmed the fans with their stage presence as they performed on the K-Pop hits, creating a concert-like experience at the venue. EVERDAWN won the competition, whereas GENZ secured 2nd position and Panther’s Dance Institute secured 3rd position.
They were judged by the special guest from South Korea, GoToe (고퇴경), South Korea’s most recognized K-Pop YouTube creator, who is also known for his iconic K-Pop Random Play Dance events hosted across the globe. Beyond the competition, K-Pop Random Play Dance, hosted by GoToe, was held, where fans brought their K-Pop fan energy on the dance floor as they danced to hits by BTS, ATEEZ, SEVENTEEN, CORTIS, KATSEYE, etc. It brought many fans together. Every song turned the venue’s vibe into a big celebration of K-Pop fans in India. The fair successfully brought K-food and K-culture under one roof.
EXPERIENCES SHARED BY FANS
TANVI VERMA
My experience at the 2026 K-Food Fair was truly memorable and enjoyable. I attended the event with one of my friends, and we had an amazing time exploring everything together. We participated in several games and activities, and I was lucky enough to win a few exciting prizes, including a mini fan, BTS Oreo Biscuits, a tote bag, and some Korean drinks.
One of my favourite parts of the event was the food. There was such a wide variety of authentic Korean dishes, from kimbap and ramen to many other delicious treats. As someone who is a huge fan of Korean cuisine, I absolutely loved being surrounded by so many Korean food options in one place.
The entire event was fun, lively, and beautifully organized. It truly felt like a small Korean festival in India, and I enjoyed every moment of it. I would definitely love to attend more events like this in the future, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves Korean culture, food, or K-Pop.
INDU SHARMA
The performances were amazing, and the games were so fun. I got to try Yakgwa and Korean ice cream for the first time (and I’m definitely buying them again). The most memorable part for me was the RPD for sure. We were just vibing and dancing for an hour straight. A big thanks to Gotoe for joining us!!
CHANDRA JOSHI
My experience was great. I got to see so many new things. I played all these games for the first time, which was very unique. It was a very exciting and fun fair for me, and I won a lot of prizes, which was completely new. And when the competition started, I looked around and realized that I wasn’t the only one anymore who was interested in Korean culture and dance; the youth were with us, which was a positive vibe for me. I hope that such fairs continue to be held in India so that we can meet people with similar interests and the people of India can learn more about Korean culture, food, and Korean dance.
MORE THAN JUST A K-FOOD FAIR
Events like K-Food Fair highlight how much K-culture has evolved in India. Fans are getting the chance to explore and savor a first-hand experience of Korean Food along with Korean cultural activities. On the other hand, it gave the Indian audience more exposure to Korean culture and brought people with similar interests together.
All in all, it was the kind of fair where you arrive empty-handed and leave with armfuls of gifts. Being loved and demanded by many Indian fans, such events are also playing a big role in MoUs and other official trade collaborations between the two countries and strengthening their economic as well as cultural bond. The fair created meaningful experiences around food, music, and shared cultural interests.
Did you attend the 2026 K-Food Fair? Or have you ever attended a South Korean cultural fair? How was your experience? Let us know in the comments!
Missing out on this one hurts 😭🇰🇷 The food, the activities, everything looked amazing! Manifesting that I get to attend the next K-Food Fair. 🍜✨
I was able to attend the event on both days and had so much fun with my friends there 😉 We went absolutely bonkers during the RPD. I planned to grab lots of gifts from the KTO stall but the luck wasn’t by my side both days 🙁 Nonetheless I had so much fun playing the other games (got my first win at the claw machine game yayyy)