Nowon District to Host 'Gyeongchun Line Gongneung Forest Trail Coffee Festival' on June 13-14

Over 20 Coffee-Producing Countries and Renowned Cafés Nationwide to Participate

Nowon District in Seoul will host the 4th Gyeongchun Line Gongneung Forest Trail Coffee Festival—Coffee Culture Journey on June 13-14 along the Gongneung Forest Trail.

The festival venue covers a stretch of about 1.1 kilometers, starting from Gongneung Station on Subway Line 7, passing through Dongbu Apartment Samgeori, and continuing along the Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail. The Gyeongchun Line Gongneung Forest Trail was created by transforming the discontinued Gyeongchun railway into a park, which later gave rise to a café street as cafés and dessert shops gathered in the area. Nowon District was the first among Seoul’s autonomous districts to launch a coffee festival in 2023 to revitalize the local business district, and this year marks the fourth event.

A commemorative photo of the winners of the WCC World Coffee Championship taken at the Gyeongchun Line Gongneung Forest Trail Coffee Festival last year. Courtesy of Nowon-gu.

The main stage will be set up near Gongneung Station, and the road toward Seoul National University of Science and Technology will feature a Global Zone, Local Coffee Zone, and Dessert Zone. The Gyeongchun Line Forest Trail section will include a Food Zone, an Experience Zone with rest areas, and a Youth Market Zone with booths for young entrepreneurs and a busking stage. Nearby, visitors can find "Malberk," an exhibition of 1,105 rare coffee grinders from around the world, as well as the Gongneung-dong Dokkaebi Market.

Local cafés and nationally renowned establishments such as Gangneung Bohemian will participate, and embassies from over 20 coffee-producing countries will join the event. Countries like Kenya, Guatemala, and Vietnam will operate booths where visitors can experience their coffee and culture, while nations such as Ecuador and Indonesia will present cultural performances.

One of the programs drawing the attention of coffee enthusiasts is the "World Coffee Championship." Winners in seven categories—including roasting, tasting, brewing, latte art, and coffee quiz—will demonstrate their skills on the main stage after passing through preliminary and final rounds. The "Local Coffee Competition" will also take place, with visitors blind-tasting and ranking beans roasted by Nowon District cafés, and awards will be given to the top three winners during the closing ceremony.

At local café and dessert booths, visitors who bring their own tumblers will receive a 500 won discount to encourage the use of reusable items. The main stage will feature performances by singers such as Ailee, Norazo, and Park Sangmin, global cultural performances prepared by coffee-producing countries, unique shows including Indian dance and yodeling, as well as emotional performances such as electronic string, a cappella, and saxophone acts. At the experience booths, visitors can enjoy activities like making drip bag coffee organized by Malberk and crafting character keyrings using coffee grounds.

The festival will kick off at 11 a.m. on June 13, with the opening ceremony taking place at 7 p.m. on the main stage, accompanied by a welcome ceremony from the participating embassies.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon District, said, "We have prepared a unique coffee journey where Nowon's cultural strengths meet the essential beverage of modern life—coffee. Through Seoul’s only coffee culture festival, we will support the Gyeongchun Line business district in becoming a leading hub for coffee culture in the city."

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