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FestivalAutumn 2026

Jukbyeon Port Seafood Festival

죽변항 수산물축제

This edition · Data as of · Published · Compiled by

Jukbyeon Port Seafood Festival runs from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 November 2026 around Jukbyeon Port in Uljin, on Korea's east coast. The official listing says entry is free. Expect live fish caught by hand, on-the-spot seafood auctions, a mul-hoe (cold raw-fish soup) performance, night fireworks and an opening concert with trot singers Park Seo-jin, Park Hyun-bin and Park Ju-hee. We read three years of Korean blog posts and kept 8 written by people who actually went.

Jukbyeon Port Seafood Festival
Photos: Korea Tourism Organization (KOGL Type3). Shown uncropped, as supplied.

What's on

Based on the Korea Tourism Organization listing updated 20 October 2026. Day-by-day times and any charges are not out yet — check Uljin County's website before you go.

Jukbyeon Port

Opening concertWalk-in
Trot singers Park Seo-jin, Park Hyun-bin and Park Ju-hee
Night fireworksWalk-in
Main programme
Mul-hoe performanceWalk-in
Cold raw-fish soup made on a grand scale
Catching live fish by handWalk-in
Hands-on activity
Live seafood auctionWalk-in
Bid for fresh catch on the spot
Seafood filleting showWalk-in
Sea craft workshopWalk-in
Fishing-boat paradeWalk-in
County residents' gatheringWalk-in
Side event for local residents
MBN singing show recordingWalk-in
Open recording of a TV singing contest final round

Source: Korea Tourism Organization event listing (updated 20 Oct 2026); Uljin County website

The essentials

Dates2026-11-06 – 2026-11-08
WhereAround Jukbyeon Port (main stage), 150 Jukbyeonhang-gil, Jukbyeon-myeon, Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do
CostFree entry (official). Charges for individual activities not announced
OrganisersUljin County Festival Development Committee, 054-789-5485~6 (Korean)
Address경상북도 울진군 죽변면 죽변항길 150
Contact054-7895-4856 · www.uljin.go.kr/
ProgrammeOpening concert, night fireworks, mul-hoe performance, hand fish-catching, seafood auctions, filleting show, fishing-boat parade, MBN singing-show recording

What 8 visitors said

We read 30 Korean blog posts for each year from 2023 to 2025 and kept 8 that describe an actual visit, half from 2023 and half from 2024. None of the 2025 posts we read described a visit. Facts about this year come only from the Korea Tourism Organization listing and Uljin County's website.

What people liked

Lively crowds5 of 8 posts

Past visitors found the port busy and lively whatever the weather, with locals and tourists alike. 23-25 23-27 23-28 24-25 24-29

Catching live fish by hand4 of 8 posts

The most-mentioned attraction. Fun to watch even if you don't join in; one visitor noted the catch is sliced into sashimi on the spot. 23-25 23-28 23-29 24-25

Free tastings and giveaways3 of 8 posts

Snow-crab legs, spicy raw-fish salad and co-op sashimi were handed out free. In another year one visitor found no tasting stalls at all. 23-28 23-29 24-25

Plenty of snacks3 of 8 posts

Food stalls with tteokbokki, fish-shaped pastries, fritters and fish cakes made easy grazing. 23-28 24-29 24-30

Evening stage and singing contests4 of 8 posts

Televised singing heats and trot concerts on the evening stage drew crowds and good cheer. 23-29 24-25 24-28 24-29

Fair prices2 of 8 posts

Visitors found the nearby fish market cheap with little hard selling, and discount coupons stretched budgets further. 23-25 23-28

What people struggled with

Bitter cold4 of 8 posts

Everyone who went to the December 2023 edition mentioned a sudden cold snap. This year is early November, so it may be milder, but the sea wind still bites. 23-25 23-27 23-28 23-29

Early close, thin line-up2 of 8 posts

In 2024 one visitor regretted stalls shutting around 5pm; another found the festival lacked character. 24-25 24-29

These are raw counts, not percentages. Someone who did not mention something is not someone who disagreed.

Who goes, and when

Of the 8 posts, 4 say who they went with: two couples, one family with a 17-month-old and one person on their own.

Who they went with

4 of the 8 posts did not say.

Time of day

2 of the 8 posts did not say.

Visiting from abroad

None of the posts mentioned foreign visitors or English signage, and the official listing says nothing about English support. There is no mention of advance booking; admission is listed as free. Expect Korean-only announcements and stalls — a translation app helps at the auction and fish market.

Weather and crowds

The 2023 edition, held in mid-December, hit a sudden cold snap: 4 of the 8 posts dwell on the cold. In 2024, closer in timing to this year, one visitor had a chilly morning and warm sunshine. It is a harbour, so pack warm, windproof layers. Past visitors found even Friday daytime busy; crowds thinned when stalls closed around 5pm, then gathered again for the evening stage. No post pins down a quiet time. Official hours this year are 11:00–19:00.

Getting there and access

The festival site is at 150 Jukbyeonhang-gil, Jukbyeon-myeon, Uljin. Past visitors drove and used car parks near the port or the event car park. We could not confirm a shuttle or public-transport arrangements for this year. If you take a taxi, show the driver the destination card below. Organiser's line (Korean): 054-789-5485~6.

None of the posts covered wheelchair or pushchair access or toilets in any detail. In 2023 heated shelters were put up during the cold snap. Facilities for this year have not been announced; ask the organiser.

Year by year

Autumn 2023

The 2023 edition ran 15–17 December, more than a month later than this year, marking the port's centenary. Rain the day before pushed back the opening ceremony. Posts mention first-come discount coupons, free phone-photo prints, snow-crab and raw-fish giveaways, a yellowtail filleting show, fish-lantern making and a desk for reporting overcharging.

Autumn 2024

The 2024 edition ran 8–10 November. TV Chosun filmed a singing show there with open heats, the fisheries co-op gave out free sashimi, and flounder, cod and octopus went under the hammer at live auctions — though one visitor noted the auction order was reshuffled.

Tips from people who went

  • Queues for hands-on activities and free tastings get long — arrive early. One late arrival missed out entirely.
  • Ask staff on site for tasting times.
  • Fish-catching and auctions ran at the weekend too.
  • Seafood prices change daily; treat past prices as a rough guide.
  • Stalls closed around 5pm last time; this year's official hours run to 19:00.
  • The harbour wind is cold — bring a jacket.

The 8 posts we read

  1. 23-25 · 2023-12-16 2023 울진군 죽변수산물축제 방문기
  2. 23-27 · 2023-12-17 12월15일~17일 : 한겨울 분천 산타마을 개장식 외
  3. 23-28 · 2023-12-18 2023 죽변항 수산물축제(12/15-12/17) 가자, 죽변! 먹자, 수산물!
  4. 23-29 · 2023-12-18 울진군 죽변항 수산물 축제와 대 방어 해체쇼
  5. 24-25 · 2024-11-08 2024 울진 죽변항 수산물축제 방문 후기
  6. 24-28 · 2024-11-09 11월 9일 : 2024 죽변항 수산물 축제 외
  7. 24-29 · 2024-11-09 죽변항 수산물축제 가자 죽변항 먹자 수산물
  8. 24-30 · 2024-11-09 17개월 아기의 울진나들이(울진 아이랑가볼만한 곳)

All posts are in Korean. We summarise them in our own words rather than quoting.