This year, the K-PLUS Festival shines a spotlight on the richness of premium Korean products, the ancestral know-how, and the exchanges between Korea and Europe through an immersive program that blends tastings, conferences, workshops, and artistic performances.
To discover this authentic Korea, the festival invites you once again to the Université Ouverte de Paris Cité (Paris 13ème arrondissement), a conveniently accessible and ideally located hub, just steps from well-known capital hotspots such as Bercy Village or the BNF – Bibliothèque François Mitterrand.
Beyond the K-pop and dramas already familiar to audiences, the K-PLUS Festival offers a deeper, more authentic immersion into Korean culture. Over three days, visitors will glimpse a vibrant Korea, generous and deeply rooted in its culinary and artisanal traditions.
On the program: a traditional Korean market, tastings of iconic specialties, hands-on workshops, traditional games, calligraphy, Korean karaoke, and artistic demonstrations.
Attendees will be able to enjoy must-try dishes such as bibimbap and a range of kimchi-based preparations, a cornerstone of Korean gastronomy and a symbol of the fermentation know-how handed down through generations, as well as contemporary offerings like sauces made from ingredients hand-harvested by the Haenyeo, Jeju's renowned women divers.
Highlight of this 2026 edition: the launch of the inaugural International Contest for Premium Korean Ingredients.
Following an initial phase held in Seoul before an international panel of chefs, 25 exceptional products have been selected to be presented to the Parisian public. Fermented staples, earth-born specialties, sea treasures: this lineup highlights the full diversity of Korean culinary heritage.
The festival invites visitors to taste, compare and evaluate these rare products in order to measure Korean gastronomic excellence against European consumers' expectations.
At the end of the festival, six products will be awarded : three products from the land and three products from the sea.
The K-PLUS Festival 2026 also places a strong emphasis on cultural reflection and professional exchanges, through several conferences open to the general public.
Korea Cantina: cuisine that mirrors Korean society
Léa Baron and Kang Su-Hyun will lead a conference centered on the book Korea Cantina, examining how the Korean table tells the story of the country, its social transformations, and its cultural influence around the world.
Fermentation in the spotlight: at the heart of Korean flavors
The fermentation roundtable will gather experts from gastronomy, science, and Korean culinary traditions to decode the secrets of umami, time-honored techniques, and the future of fermented foods in our modern diet. This conference will bring together:
E-sports: understanding the Korean phenomenon
Hosted by Amelitha, this conference will bring together Nicolas Besombes, Marie Palot, Fabien Devide, and Samuel Vansyngel to explore the evolution of e-sports and its tremendous cultural impact, especially in South Korea, long considered one of the world’s epicenters of the field.
K-Beauty: where tradition meets modernity
Claire Trinquet-Soléry, curator of the "K-Beauty" exhibition at the Guimet Museum, will revisit the evolution of Korean beauty standards and the global influence of contemporary Korean beauty.
The festival also focuses on experience and interaction, offering a wide range of activities accessible throughout the weekend:
More than 30 exhibitors are set to attend, showcasing handcrafted goods, cosmetics, cultural items, and gourmet specialties.
With this new edition, the K-PLUS Festival confirms its ambition: to forge a genuine cultural and gastronomic bridge between Korea and Europe.
Through cuisine, traditions, language exchanges and expert conferences, the festival offers a full experience that invites both culture enthusiasts and curious newcomers to discover an authentic, contemporary Korea that is wholeheartedly devoted to sharing.
Dates and Opening Time
From May 22, 2026 to May 24, 2026
Location
Paris Cité Open University
5, Rue Thomas Mann
75013 Paris 13
Prices
Free
Official website
www.k-plusfestival.com
Instagram page
@kplusfestival
More information
Free admission for all audiences!
Also catch the K-PLUS Festival on Facebook: @kplusfestival
