Danyang's traditional market embraces Dracula theme to pitch local garlic

For the 2026 Danyang Garlic Festival Season 2: Count Dracula's Secret Shop, the Danyang Gugyeong Market in North Chungcheong Province is transforming into a haven for garlic enthusiasts and a nightmare for vampires. This annual event, organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, blends local six-clove garlic with gothic fantasy to deliver an unforgettable market experience.

Last year's Dracula Garlic Night attracted nearly 8,900 participants, but this year's sequel looks set to raise the stakes. In preparation, local shopkeepers will be donning costumes as immortal shopmasters, serving up delectable culinary delights while transforming the market aisles into a haunted gauntlet.

Festival-goers will have the opportunity to participate in a ghostly stamp tour, navigating through secret shops adorned with cobwebs and bats to claim exclusive souvenirs. For foodies seeking a gastronomic adventure, the festival will feature the Secret Banquet, a prebooked four-course fine dining experience showcasing the local garlic flavors.