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

Danyang Gugyeong Market in North Chungcheong Province is set to transform into a garlic lover's wonderland and a vampire's nightmare from Friday to Saturday, as the 2026 Danyang Garlic Festival Season 2 takes center stage with the theme "Count Dracula’s Secret Shop". The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism are jointly organizing this unique event, blending local six-clove garlic with gothic fantasy to offer an unforgettable market experience.

Last year's Dracula Garlic Night attracted nearly 8,900 enthusiastic participants, but this year's sequel is expected to raise the bar even higher. Local shopkeepers are donning the role of immortal shopmasters, adding a touch of drama to their stalls while serving up a mouth-watering variety of culinary delights. The market aisles are being turned into a haunted gauntlet, complete with spooky decorations and a ghostly stamp tour.

Visitors can participate in the ghostly stamp tour, navigating through secret shops adorned with cobwebs and bats to claim exclusive souvenirs. Food enthusiasts are in for a treat with the Secret Banquet, a prebooked four-course fine dining experience that showcases the best of local garlic dishes. This year's Danyang Garlic Festival Season 2: Count Dracula’s Secret Shop promises to be a captivating event for both garlic aficionados and fans of the supernatural.