Gumi City Achieves Joint Growth in Tourism and Commerce with 'Kyochon 1991 Cultural Street'

Combining 35 Years of Kyochon History with Gumi’s City Brand
Expanding Into Culinary Tourism Content
Pursuing Designation of the K-Chicken Belt
Envisioning a Stay-Type Tourism Model Linking Geumosan Mountain and the Ramen Festival

The 'Kyochon 1991 Cultural Street', established by Gumi City in North Gyeongsang Province, is drawing attention as a new model for revitalizing local tourism and commercial districts, producing tangible results such as increased sales and a rise in tourist numbers. Building on these achievements, the city is also aiming to secure the designation of the 'K-Chicken Belt' centered around the first Kyochon Chicken store.

Since the creation of the 'Kyochon 1991 Cultural Street', sales at the first Kyochon Chicken store have risen by more than 40%, and the number of visitors has more than doubled. The street is regarded as a prime example of how developing a cultural street can lead to increased tourist inflow and revitalization of local business districts.

'Kyochon 1991 Cultural Street' Kyochon Chicken Korea's first store started in Songjeong-dong, Gumi City Photo by Kim Ewhan

This street was developed around Songjeong-dong in Gumi, where the first Kyochon Chicken store in South Korea was launched. Designed as an experiential tourism space that combines the brand’s history, urban culture, and culinary content, it offers new sights and tastes for tourists visiting Gumi.

In particular, region-exclusive menu items and branded content, available only on this cultural street, are key factors in lengthening tourists’ stays. The space has evolved beyond a simple dining area, expanding into tourism content that merges brand history with local culture, becoming a new axis for Gumi’s tourism industry.

Such achievements were made possible through the longstanding partnership between Gumi City and Kyochon. The collaboration between Kyochon, which grew from its origins in Gumi into a leading domestic dining brand, and city policies aimed at transforming local history and brand assets into tourism content, has created a model for mutual growth.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of Kyochon Chicken’s founding. The journey of Kyochon, which started as a small fried chicken shop in Songjeong-dong, Gumi in 1991 and grew into a nationwide brand, is seen as a symbolic example of how a city and a company can grow together. Gumi City aims to leverage this symbolism to expand its tourism content and further elevate the city’s brand value.

Based on these results, the city is also promoting the creation of the 'K-Chicken Belt' centered around the first Kyochon Chicken store. The K-Chicken Belt is a project hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, which selects four regions nationwide and provides between 100 million and 200 million won in project funding. Its aim is to attract domestic and international tourists by developing tourism products that combine regional specialty ingredients and culinary content.

Gumi City is planning a culinary tourism model that links the Kyochon 1991 Cultural Street, nearby commercial districts, and culinary experience offerings with local tourism resources such as Geumosan Mountain and the Gumi Ramen Festival. The city intends to develop this into a tourism platform that goes beyond simple visits, combining food, culture, and hands-on experiences for extended stays.

Jangho Kim, Mayor of Gumi, stated, "Kyochon 1991 Cultural Street is a symbolic space that represents both Kyochon’s 35-year history and Gumi’s urban identity," adding, "Through the creation of the K-Chicken Belt and a variety of tourism programs, we will develop Gumi into a representative destination for culinary tourism."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.