25.10.15.Today News : Jeju Tamna Festival Faces Double Scandal over 4,000-Won Gimbap and Road Damage

Jeju Tamna Festival Faces Double Scandal over 4,000-Won Gimbap and Road Damage

📍Citizens Furious over Overpriced Food and Unsafe Installations; Jeju Officials Issue Apology and Promise Reform

Jeju’s flagship historical and cultural event, the 64th Tamna Cultural Festival, has come under fire for poor management. Some food stalls sold gimbap rolls filled mostly with rice for 4,000 KRW each, while festival staff hammered nails into newly paved roads without permission to set up booths, raising safety concerns and public outrage.

The Jeju Tamna Cultural Festival is drawing complaints from residents and tourists due to its poor management.

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🔹“4,000 Won for This?” Gimbap Controversy Sparks Public Outcry
The 64th Tamna Cultural Festival, Jeju’s flagship historical event, is under fire for poor management and price gouging.
A food stall sold gimbap rolls filled almost entirely with rice for 4,000 won each (8,000 won for two), causing widespread outrage among citizens.

Photos posted online showed gimbap containing mostly rice, with only a few pieces of egg, pickled radish, and carrot.
The original poster wrote, “People were angry over a 20,000-won sundae dish not long ago, yet at a festival filled with foreigners, they sell gimbap like this. They wouldn’t even sell one roll—it was 8,000 won for two, and there was no soup.”

The post went viral across social media, prompting widespread criticism such as “It’s not about the price—it’s about integrity,” and “This is not the Jeju we used to know.” The stall halted gimbap sales on October 13 after mounting backlash.

🔹City Officials Cite “Skill Differences,” Public Not Convinced
A Jeju City official explained that “ingredients were sufficiently prepared, but differences in cooking skill among local volunteers may have affected quality.” However, the public dismissed this, calling it a management failure rather than a cooking issue.

Jeju’s Culture and Education Director Ryu Il-soon later issued an apology at a provincial assembly hearing, saying,
“We take responsibility and will strengthen monitoring to prevent recurrence.” The festival committee also apologized on its website, clarifying that the booth was operated by a local women’s association, not the organizing committee itself.

🔹Booths Installed with Nails on Public Roads — “Safety Oversight”
Adding to the scandal, inspectors discovered that dozens of large nails were driven into newly paved roads and sidewalks to install booths without authorization. Repair teams have since been deployed to assess and fix the damage.
Residents criticized the lack of oversight, saying, “How can a cultural festival damage public infrastructure? It’s absurd.”

🔹Repeated Price-Gouging Scandals Tarnish Jeju’s Reputation
This is not the first time Jeju’s festivals have drawn such criticism. Earlier this year, at the Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival, a sundae dish containing only six pieces was sold for 25,000 won, sparking national outrage. Despite government promises to enforce transparent pricing and on-site complaint centers, similar controversies continue to emerge.

🔹Calls for Reform to Restore the Festival’s Original Spirit
First held in 1962, the Tamna Festival honors Jeju’s ancient heritage and identity. However, with recurring management failures and commercial exploitation, experts warn the event is “losing its authenticity.”

The Jeju government announced it would hold an evaluation meeting in December, promising to rebuild public trust through stronger standards, clearer pricing guidelines, and improved oversight for next year’s festival.

One-line summary : At Jeju’s Tamna Festival, 4,000-won gimbap sales reignited price-gouging outrage, compounded by road damage from unauthorized booth installations and poor management oversight.