Festivals
Mungyeong Apple Festival 2026: A Day Trip from Pangyo by KTX-Eum (Oct 17–Nov 1)
A Day Trip from Pangyo by KTX-Eum
The Mungyeong Apple Festival (문경사과축제) is an apple festival that the city of Mungyeong in North Gyeongsang Province (경북) holds every autumn. 2026 is its 21st year. It runs for 16 days, from Saturday October 17 to Sunday November 1, in Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park (문경새재도립공원), where a mountain road from the Joseon dynasty (1392–1910) still survives, and entry is free. Mungyeong's apple farmers sell freshly picked apples themselves, and there are stage shows, apple games and family activities.
From Pangyo Station (판교역), the KTX-Eum (KTX-이음) train gets you to Mungyeong Station (문경역) in about 1 hour 30 minutes, and from there a free city bus takes 10–15 minutes to the festival. This guide explains what Mungyeongsaejae is and why the apples here are famous, then covers the program by date, train and bus times, day-trip and overnight plans, where to eat and stay, and the old gates, the historical drama film set and an apple-picking farm nearby.
At a glance
Dates: Saturday, October 17 – Sunday, November 1, 2026 (16 days)
Hours: 09:00–18:00 daily (Korea Tourism Organization data). Stage program on weekends, 11:00–17:00
Venue: Around Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park (932 Saejae-ro, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do)
Admission: Free (you pay for apples and food)
From Pangyo: KTX-Eum Pangyo Station → Mungyeong Station, about 1 hr 34 min, ₩17,400, then a free city bus, 10–15 minutes
Last train back: Mungyeong Station 18:55 → Pangyo Station 20:26
Last checked: October 10, 2026
In this guide
- Venue and contacts
- Why go: Mungyeongsaejae and Mungyeong apples
- Festival program
- Getting there
- Sample itineraries
- Where to eat · Where to stay
- Tips for foreign visitors
- Nearby · Sources
Venue and Contacts
| Venue | Around Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park: the Outdoor Stage (야외공연장), the Lawn Plaza (잔디광장), the front of the Old Road Museum (옛길박물관) and the front of the 1st Gate (제1관문) 932 Saejae-ro, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do (경상북도 문경시 문경읍 새재로 932). For car navigation, enter ‘문경새재야외공연장’ (Mungyeong Saejae Outdoor Stage, 943 Saejae-ro) |
|---|---|
| Nearest station | Mungyeong Station (문경역) on the KTX-Eum. From the station, a free city bus takes 10–15 minutes to the ‘Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park’ (문경새재도립공원) stop |
| How long to stay | Half a day to a full day. If you see the festival and also walk to the 1st Gate and the Open Set, the day fills up |
| Parking | The provincial park's public parking lots are free (open 08:30–17:30). On weekends the road into the parking lots backs up, so the train and bus are easier |
| Contacts | Instagram @mgtpcr_festival (the festival account of the Mungyeong Tourism Corporation, 문경관광공사) |
| Official website | mgapple.or.kr (in Korean) · 2026 leaflet (PDF) |
Why Go: Mungyeongsaejae and Mungyeong Apples
The pass scholars crossed to sit the state exam
In the Joseon dynasty, scholars from Yeongnam (영남, today's Gyeongsang provinces in the southeast) had to cross the Baekdudaegan (백두대간), the mountain range that runs down the length of the peninsula, to sit the gwageo (과거), the state civil service exam held in Hanyang (한양, today's Seoul). There were three passes, and many scholars are said to have chosen Mungyeongsaejae (문경새재) on purpose. The reason was wordplay. Crossing Jungnyeong (죽령) Pass was said to make you “cook porridge” (juk sounds like the pass's name, and “making a mess of porridge” is Korean slang for botching something). Crossing Chupungnyeong (추풍령) Pass meant you would fall like “leaves in the autumn wind” (chupung nagyeop, 추풍낙엽). But Mungyeong (聞慶) is written with characters meaning “hearing happy news.” That's why families of students facing exams still come to walk this road today.
‘Saejae’ (새재) is usually explained as “a pass even birds (sae) find hard to fly over” (there are a few other theories too). Three gates built to guard the pass after the Imjin War (임진왜란, the Japanese invasions of 1592–1598) still stand: the 1st Gate Juheulgwan (주흘관) (1708), the 2nd Gate Jogokgwan (조곡관) (1594) and the 3rd Gate Joryeonggwan (조령관) (1708). Between the gates runs a wide, car-free dirt road that is perfect for a slow walk, and the festival spreads out in front of the 1st Gate, right where this road begins.
Mungyeong apples and ‘Gamhong’
Mungyeong is a mountain area with big swings between day and night temperatures, and its apples are known for being sweet and firm. The variety to try at the festival is Gamhong (감홍). Developed in 1992 by the Rural Development Administration (농촌진흥청), it looks lumpy but usually tops 16 Brix in sugar content, and it is only on sale for a short time around mid-October. About 60% of Korea's Gamhong orchards are in Mungyeong, so if you come early in the festival you can buy Gamhong just off the tree.
In Korean, an apple is also an apology
In Korean, sagwa (사과) means both “apple” and “apology.” That's why October 24 is known as Apple Day (애플데이): read 10/24 as “two (dul, 둘) apologize (sa, four + gwa),” the day two people make up. Since 2002 it has been known as a day to hand an apple to someone you've fallen out with and make peace. The festival theme, ‘Mungyeong Apples, Snow White's Favorite’ (백설공주가 사랑한 문경사과), comes from the fairy tale with the famous apple, and there's a booth where you can dress up as Snow White for photos.
How big is it?
The festival started in 2006, and 2026 is its 21st year. According to the organizers, 460,000 people came in 2025, and ₩2.5 billion worth of apples and other goods were sold.
Good to know
The Open Set (오픈세트장) right behind the festival grounds is where the 2026 hit film The King's Warden (왕과 사는 남자) was shot. According to Mungyeong City, visitors in February–March after the release were up 59% on a year earlier (see Nearby).
Festival Program
The schedule below follows the official website and the timetable in the leaflet. Apple sales, exhibitions and activity booths are open all 16 days, while the stage program is concentrated on weekends (plus Friday, October 23). On the stage timetable, 12:00–13:00 is a break.
Stage timetable by date
| Date | Time · place · what's on |
|---|---|
| Sat, Oct 17 Opening day |
Outdoor Stage 11:00–12:00 orchestra rehearsal for the opening ceremony 14:00 opening ceremony and celebration concert: singers Park Ji-hyeon (박지현) and Kyoungseo (경서), Esplava (에스플라바), the Novus Symphony Orchestra (노부스심포니오케스트라) and a taekwondo demonstration team |
| Sun, Oct 18 | Lawn Plaza 11:00 local artists' showcase · 13:00 local artists' performance · 14:00 Main Event · 15:00 artists' performance · 16:00 Main Event (1 hour each) |
| Fri, Oct 23 | Outdoor Stage Afternoon: ‘Apple Day with Mungyeong Nonghyup’ (문경농협과 함께하는 애플데이), an event by the local farmers' cooperative to promote apples |
| Sat, Oct 24 Apple Day |
Lawn Plaza 11:00 Main Event · 13:00 Main Event · 14:00 artists' performance · 15:00 Main Event · 16:00 artists' performance |
| Sun, Oct 25 | Outdoor Stage 11:00–13:00 Mungyeong singers' concert Lawn Plaza 11:00 artists' performance · 13:00 artists' performance · 14:00 Main Event · 15:00 artists' performance · 16:00 Main Event |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Lawn Plaza 11:00 Main Event · 13:00 Main Event · 14:00 artists' performance · 15:00 Main Event · 16:00 artists' performance |
| Sun, Nov 1 Final day |
Lawn Plaza 11:00 artists' performance · 13:00 artists' performance · 14:00 Main Event · 15:00 artists' performance · 16:00 Main Event Mungyeong Apple Giveaway (문경사과 나눔행사): a surprise event handing out apples on a first-come, first-served basis. The place is announced over the festival PA on the day |
The ‘Main Event’ is an audience quiz on the Lawn Plaza. You answer general-knowledge true-or-false (OX) questions and questions about Mungyeong, then there's a second-chance round for those who are out, and a final round to crown the winner. Taking part is free.
Every day of the festival
| Program · place | What it is |
|---|---|
| Apple market In front of the Old Road Museum |
An apple market where 30 Mungyeong apple farms sell directly. They also sell online |
| Local produce market In front of the 1st Gate |
34 stalls selling Mungyeong's other farm products and local specialties |
| Stage games Outdoor Stage |
Apple speed-eating, apple speed-splitting, longest apple peel (whoever peels the longest unbroken strip wins), an apple basket game for pairs, and apple stacking |
| Play zone Free |
An eco-friendly wooden playground, Life4Cuts (인생네컷) photo-booth strips taken in a Snow White costume, apple sticker tattoos, ‘Gamhong Noraebang’ (감홍노래방, an on-the-spot karaoke contest), apple-hat making and cornhole. It runs for 45 minutes, then closes for 15 minutes to reset |
| Mungyeong Apple Pavilion 문경사과홍보관 |
An apple photo zone, prize-winning apples from the apple contest, oddly shaped ‘Byeolbyeol’ (별별, “all sorts of”) apples, apples by variety, apple products, and Gamhong branding and premium exhibits |
| Apple picking | The leaflet lists 15 farms that offer apple picking. For a farm close to the festival, see the Saejae Apple Farm card in Nearby |
Good to know
On weekdays (October 19–22 and 26–30) there's no stage program; only the apple market, exhibitions and activity booths are open. Go on a weekend for the shows, or on a weekday to pick your apples at leisure.
Getting There
The KTX-Eum to Mungyeong runs on the Jungbu Naeryuk Line (중부내륙선) and starts from Pangyo Station (판교역, ‘Pangyo(Gyeonggi)’ on Korail), just south of Seoul. From central Seoul, take the Shinbundang Line (신분당선) or the Gyeonggang Line (경강선) to Pangyo Station. There are four trains a day in each direction.
| Route | Times · duration · fare |
|---|---|
| KTX-Eum Pangyo → Mungyeong |
08:22 → 09:56 · 12:31 → 14:05 · 16:45 → 18:19 · 20:56 → 22:29 About 1 hr 34 min · Standard class ₩17,400 Book on the Korail+ (코레일+) app. On the English booking screen, choose ‘Pangyo(Gyeonggi)’ and ‘Mungyeong’ |
| KTX-Eum Mungyeong → Pangyo |
06:04 → 07:37 · 10:26 → 11:57 · 14:36 → 16:07 · 18:55 → 20:26 (last train) About 1 hr 31 min · Standard class ₩17,400 |
| Mungyeong Station → festival (bus) |
City buses timed to the trains: No. 211 at 09:50, Express at 10:10, No. 211 at 13:50, Express at 14:15, Express at 18:15, No. 211 at 18:50 → ‘Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park’ (문경새재도립공원) stop 10–15 minutes · Free Based on the Mungyeong Yeogaek (문경여객) KTX connection timetable in effect since July 21, 2025. Our pick |
| Festival → Mungyeong Station (bus) |
Express at 10:10, Express at 14:10 (station 14:20), No. 211 at 18:15 (station 18:28), Express at 18:25 (station 18:35) Free The 18:15 and 18:25 buses connect with the last train (18:55) |
| Mungyeong Station → festival (taxi) |
From the taxi stand in front of the station to the Mungyeongsaejae parking lot About 7 km · around 12 minutes (OpenStreetMap route) |
Our pick
Take the 08:22 KTX-Eum from Pangyo, get off at Mungyeong Station at 09:56 and hop on the 10:10 Express bus. On the way back, take the 18:15 (No. 211) or 18:25 (Express) bus from the festival to catch the 18:55 last train from Mungyeong Station. If you miss that train, there are no more trains to Pangyo that day.
Good to know
Mungyeong city buses are free for everyone. Since January 1, 2025, no fare is charged regardless of where you live or how old you are, so visitors can just get on without a transit card.
The last stretch to the festival
- Bus: The ‘Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park’ stop is in front of the parking lot and the park office. The apple market in front of the Old Road Museum is about a 2-minute walk (about 140 m), and the 1st Gate is about 1 km away.
- Electric shuttle: Electric shuttle carts (전동차) run from the parking lot area toward the gates. One way costs ₩2,000 for adults, ₩800 for teens and ₩500 for children, and adults get ₩1,000 back in Mungyeong Sarang gift vouchers (문경사랑상품권, a local currency) (Mungyeong City information).
- Car: Enter ‘문경새재야외공연장’ (943 Saejae-ro) in your navigation. The public parking lots are free.
Sample Itineraries
Train and bus times are from the timetables checked on October 10.
Tip
Apples are heavy, so buy them just before you leave. During the day, taste and remember the farms you liked, then buy around 17:00 and get on the bus.
Day trip (Saturday, October 24, Apple Day)
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 08:22 | KTX-Eum departs Pangyo Station → arrives Mungyeong Station 09:56 |
| 10:10 | Express bus (free), Mungyeong Station → Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park |
| 10:30 | Browse the apple market in front of the Old Road Museum; see apples by variety and the Gamhong exhibit at the Mungyeong Apple Pavilion |
| 11:00 | Join the Main Event (OX quiz) on the Lawn Plaza |
| 12:00 | Lunch: gochujang grilled pork at Saejae Halmaejip, or sanchae bibimbap at Gwangseong Sikdang (Where to eat) |
| 13:00 | Walk through the 1st Gate, Juheulgwan, to the Open Set (where The King's Warden was filmed) (Nearby) |
| 15:00 | Back at the Lawn Plaza for the Main Event (15:00) and an artists' performance (16:00). With kids, try the play zone |
| 17:00 | Buy your apples. Early dinner at Mungyeong Sikdang (open until 18:30) |
| 18:15 | No. 211 bus (free) → Mungyeong Station 18:28. Next bus: Express 18:25 → 18:35 |
| 18:55 | KTX-Eum departs Mungyeong Station (last train) → arrives Pangyo Station 20:26 To head back earlier: Express bus 14:10 → KTX-Eum 14:36 → 16:07 |
One night, two days (Saturday, October 17 – Sunday, October 18, opening weekend)
Day 1 (Saturday, opening ceremony)
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 08:22 | KTX-Eum departs Pangyo Station → Mungyeong Station 09:56 → Express bus 10:10 |
| 10:30 | Leave your bags at your hotel (Mungyeong Tourist Hotel and Petro Hotel are right next to the festival). Browse the apple market and the Apple Pavilion |
| 11:00 | Orchestra rehearsal for the opening ceremony at the Outdoor Stage |
| 12:00 | Lunch: Saejae Halmaejip or Gwangseong Sikdang |
| 14:00 | Opening ceremony and celebration concert (Outdoor Stage) |
| 16:00 | 1st Gate → Open Set (open until 18:00 in October) |
| 18:00 | Check in. Dinner at Hachodong (open until 21:00) (Where to stay) |
Day 2 (Sunday)
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| 08:30 | Morning walk: 1st Gate → 2nd Gate, Jogokgwan (3 km one way, about 50 minutes) |
| 10:30 | Apple picking at Saejae Apple Farm (book ahead by text message or on the farm website) |
| 12:00 | Lunch, then a look around the Old Road Museum (free) |
| 13:00 | Local artists' performance (13:00) and the Main Event (14:00) on the Lawn Plaza |
| 14:10 | Express bus → Mungyeong Station 14:20 → KTX-Eum 14:36 → 16:07 Pangyo Station To stay longer: bus 18:15 or 18:25 → last train 18:55 → 20:26 |
Where to Eat
Restaurants line the road to the 1st Gate (Saejae-ro, 새재로). The local favorites are gochujang seoksoe-gui (고추장 석쇠구이), Mungyeong Yakdol pork (약돌돼지) marinated in red chili paste and grilled on a wire rack; deodeok-gui (더덕구이), grilled deodeok, a chewy mountain root; and sanchae bibimbap (산채비빔밥), rice topped with wild mountain greens. Here are four places within walking distance of the festival.
Tip
Gwangseong Sikdang is closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays. For a late dinner on a weekday, pick Hachodong, which is open until 21:00.
Saejae Halmaejip (새재할매집), ‘grilled gochujang pork since 1973’
A second-generation restaurant (the name means “Grandma's place at Saejae”) that opened in front of the 1st Gate in 1973. The signature dish is pork in gochujang marinade grilled on a wire rack and served with lettuce, and it has been listed in the Blue Ribbon Survey, Korea's restaurant guide, for several years (visitor review).
Type: Korean (grilled pork, grilled deodeok)
Signature dishes: gochujang grilled pork (meal) ₩15,000 · grilled deodeok (meal) ₩14,000 · pajeon (green onion pancake) ₩13,000
Hours: 11:00–18:00 (last order 17:00)
Tip for foreign visitors: Meal sets can be ordered for one person and come with rice, side dishes and doenjang (soybean paste) soup (DiningCode)
Getting there: About a 4-minute walk (about 270 m) from the festival grounds (in front of the Old Road Museum)
Address · phone: 922 Saejae-ro, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si (문경시 문경읍 새재로 922) · 054-571-5600
Visitor review (in Korean, use your browser's translate): 문경새재 맛집 새재할매집│블루리본 석쇠구이 후기 (숑숑이, 2026-04)
Gwangseong Sikdang (광성식당), ‘sanchae bibimbap, even on your own’
A Korean restaurant on Saejae-ro, designated a ‘Good Price Business’ (착한가격업소), a label for restaurants that keep their prices stable. The best seller is a set meal with Yakdol grilled pork, grilled deodeok and salted mackerel (간고등어), and if you're on your own, the ₩9,000 sanchae bibimbap is a good choice.
Type: Korean (set meals, sanchae bibimbap)
Signature dishes: sanchae bibimbap ₩9,000 · Gwangseong set meal ₩18,000 · pajeon ₩13,000 (DiningCode)
Hours: 10:00–19:00 · closed Wednesdays and Thursdays
Tip for foreign visitors: Cards accepted. There are outdoor tables (DiningCode)
Getting there: About a 4-minute walk (about 320 m) from the festival grounds (in front of the Old Road Museum), just below Saejae Halmaejip
Address · phone: 918 Saejae-ro, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si (문경시 문경읍 새재로 918) · 054-572-3466
Visitor review (in Korean, use your browser's translate): [문경 맛집] 광성식당 (약돌돼지구이, 더덕구이, 간고등어) (큰구름, 2026-09)
Mungyeong Sikdang (문경식당), ‘omija gochujang grilled pork’
Serves grilled pork-belly set meals cooked in gochujang made with omija (오미자, the tangy “five-flavor berry” that is a Mungyeong specialty), plus grilled deodeok set meals. It's one of the closest restaurants to the parking lot, so it's handy for an early dinner before the bus.
Type: Korean (grilled pork set meals)
Signature dishes: omija gochujang grilled pork set · grilled deodeok set (from 2 servings, ₩32,000–34,000 for two)
Hours: 10:30–18:30 · open every day
Tip for foreign visitors: Set meals start at two servings, so solo travelers are better off elsewhere. Cards accepted, phone reservations, no smoking anywhere (Korea Tourism Organization data)
Getting there: About a 4-minute walk (about 290 m) from the festival grounds (in front of the Old Road Museum), right next to Parking Lot 1
Address · phone: 920-1 Saejae-ro, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si (문경시 문경읍 새재로 920-1) · 054-571-3044
Visitor review (in Korean, use your browser's translate): 문경새재 맛집·카페 코스 정리｜문경식당 오미자 석쇠구이 & 됴심카페 아이스크림 (행운대디, 2025-11)
Hachodong (하초동), ‘Yakdol pork, open late’
A large restaurant by Parking Lot 3 serving Mungyeong Yakdol grilled pork and a Yakdol Hanwoo (Korean beef) and neungi mushroom hot pot. Most restaurants in front of Saejae close at 18:00–19:00, but this one stays open until 21:00, which makes it a good dinner spot on an overnight trip.
Type: Korean (grilled pork, hot pot)
Signature dishes: Yakdol pork gochujang grilled ₩17,000 · Yakdol Hanwoo neungi mushroom hot pot ₩17,000 (DiningCode)
Hours: 10:00–21:00 daily (last order 20:00)
Tip for foreign visitors: Group seating and high chairs for small children (DiningCode)
Getting there: About a 12-minute walk (about 890 m) from the festival grounds (in front of the Old Road Museum) toward Mungyeong-eup, on the way to Parking Lot 3
Address · phone: 861 Saejae-ro, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si (문경시 문경읍 새재로 861) · 054-571-7977
Visitor review (in Korean, use your browser's translate): 문경새재 약돌돼지 맛집 ‘하초동’ (더덕구이도 먹음) (짜리몽땅연필, 2026-10)
Where to Stay
Stay at the Saejae entrance, right next to the festival, to walk the gate road early in the morning, or stay in the Mungyeong Hot Springs (문경온천) area near Mungyeong Station to enjoy the hot springs and have an easy train ride.
Mungyeong Tourist Hotel (문경관광호텔), ‘right at the park entrance’
A 43-room tourist hotel that opened in 2001. It sits right at the entrance to Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park, so you can walk to the festival. There are bed rooms and Korean-style ondol rooms (heated floors), plus a Korean restaurant and a coffee shop. The building is old, but many reviews say it's clean.
Type: Tourist hotel
Check-in · check-out: 15:00 / 11:00
Tip for foreign visitors: In an ondol room you sleep on a padded mattress (yo, 요) laid on the floor. If you prefer a bed, choose a standard double or twin
To the festival: About a 3-minute walk (about 220 m)
Address · phone: 32-11 Saejae 2-gil, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si (문경시 문경읍 새재2길 32-11) · 054-571-8001
Booking: Mungyeong Tourist Hotel official website · email [email protected]
Visitor review (in Korean, use your browser's translate): [문경 여행] 문경관광호텔 :: 문경새재 바로 앞에 위치한, 호텔 조식이 맛있었던 관광호텔! (체리, 2024-11)
Petro Hotel (페트로호텔, formerly Ramada Mungyeongsaejae), ‘the big hotel at the Saejae entrance’
A 71-room hotel that opened as a Ramada in 2018, right behind the Mungyeongsaejae park office. The underground parking connects to the lobby, and there's a buffet restaurant and a coffee shop.
Type: Hotel
Check-in · check-out: 15:00 / 11:00
Price on booking sites: ₩91,180 per night on average (HotelsCombined list of Mungyeong hotels, updated 2026-10-10)
Tip for foreign visitors: The official website has English, Chinese and Japanese pages. Breakfast 07:30–09:30 (extra charge), free Wi-Fi and no smoking in all rooms (Triple)
To the festival: About a 2-minute walk (about 140 m)
Address · phone: 32-3 Saejae 2-gil, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si (문경시 문경읍 새재2길 32-3) · 054-504-7077
Booking: Petro Hotel official website · HotelsCombined
Visitor review (in Korean, use your browser's translate): 문경 숙소 추천, 10만원대 페트로호텔 온돌룸 4인 후기, 문경새재 도보 가능 (나미꾼, 2026-07)
Sadamjae (사담재), ‘a private stay in Mungyeong Hot Springs’
A 10-room luxury stay that opened in 2026 in the Mungyeong Hot Springs area. Every room has its own private garden and bathtub (some rooms have an open-air bath with hot-spring water), and it runs tea classes with traditional tea and tea sets (book ahead). It's a place for a special occasion.
Type: Luxury stay (hot springs)
Check-in · check-out: 15:00–22:00 / 11:00
Price: ‘Sayu’ (사유) rooms from ₩600,000 on weekdays and ₩800,000 on weekends, for two (official rate table, checked 2026-10-10)
Tip for foreign visitors: It's about 670 m from Mungyeong Station, so it's easy to come and go by train. Inquiries by email: [email protected]
To the festival: About 10 minutes by taxi (about 6 km), or walk to Mungyeong Station and take the free bus
Address · phone: 29 Oncheongangbyeon 1-gil, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si (문경시 문경읍 온천강변1길 29) · 054-572-1516
Booking: Sadamjae official website · Trip.com
Visitor review (in Korean, use your browser's translate): 아기랑 문경 사담재 스테이 사유패밀리 내돈내산 숙박 후기 (바케리리투, 2026-08)
Tips for Foreign Visitors
- Free buses: Mungyeong city buses are free for visitors too. At the stop in front of Mungyeong Station, take No. 211 or the Express bound for ‘Mungyeongsaejae’ (문경새재).
- Last train: The last train from Mungyeong Station to Pangyo leaves at 18:55. If you miss the 18:15 or 18:25 bus from the festival, take a taxi (about 12 minutes).
- Gamhong early: Gamhong is only around for a short time in mid-October, so if you want to buy some, come early in the festival (October 17–25).
- November 1 closes early: The Open Set and the Old Road Museum switch to winter hours (09:00–17:00) in November, so on the final day they close at 17:00.
- Walking: The road between the gates is flat, car-free dirt. On the stretch between the 1st and 2nd gates, some people take off their shoes and walk barefoot (KOREA.net). Wear comfortable sneakers.
- An Apple Day greeting: On October 24, hand a Korean friend an apple and say “sagwa halge” (사과할게, “I'm sorry”), and they'll get the pun and laugh.
Good to know
Apple Giveaway (November 1): On the final day, the organizing committee holds a surprise event handing out apples to visitors on a first-come, first-served basis. The time and place aren't fixed in advance and are announced over the festival PA on the day, so it's worth staying near the Lawn Plaza on the afternoon of the final day.
Nearby
The festival grounds sit where the old Mungyeongsaejae road begins, so the gates and the historical drama film set are all within walking distance. The apple-picking farm is a little way from the festival, toward Mungyeong-eup.
Mungyeongsaejae Gates: Juheulgwan → Jogokgwan (문경새재 관문길), ‘walk the exam road’
A walking trail that links the three gates along the road scholars once took to the state exam. It starts at the 1st Gate, Juheulgwan, just above the festival, and climbs gently beside a valley stream to the 2nd Gate, Jogokgwan, built in 1594. The 1st-to-2nd-gate stretch is the one most people walk.
Getting there: About 1 km from the Mungyeongsaejae Provincial Park bus stop to the 1st Gate, around 15 minutes on foot. 1st → 2nd Gate 3 km, about 50 minutes; 2nd → 3rd Gate (Joryeonggwan) 3.5 km, about 70 minutes (one way)
Hours: The trail is always open
Price: Free (no provincial park admission since 2008)
How long: About 2 hours for a round trip to the 2nd Gate
Visitor review (in Korean, use your browser's translate): 문경 가볼만한곳｜문경새재 2관문 코스 아이랑 3대 가족 가을 산책 후기(+ 전동차) (엘아빠, 2026-09)
Mungyeongsaejae Open Set (문경새재 오픈세트장), ‘the historical drama film set’
Also called the ‘historical drama set’ (사극 촬영장) or the ‘outdoor set’ (옥외 세트장); it's all the same place. KBS built it in 2000 to film the Goryeo-era drama Taejo Wang Geon (태조 왕건), and in 2008 it was rebuilt as a Joseon-era set with replicas of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gwanghwamun Gate and more. Chuno (추노), The Moon Embracing the Sun (해를 품은 달), Sungkyunkwan Scandal (성균관 스캔들) and the films The Face Reader (관상) and Masquerade (광해) were shot here, and so were the Gwangcheon-gol (광천골) village scenes of the 2026 film The King's Warden (왕과 사는 남자). Walk the palace courtyards and thatched-roof village lanes for photos that look straight out of a K-drama.
Getting there: Through the 1st Gate, Juheulgwan, then about 10 minutes on foot into Yongsa Valley (용사골). The electric shuttle also goes there
Hours: March–October 09:00–18:00, November–February 09:00–17:00 · closed January 1 and on the day of Seollal (Lunar New Year) and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving)
Price: Adults ₩2,000 · teens ₩1,000 · children ₩500
How long: About 1 hour
Visitor review (in Korean, use your browser's translate): 문경새재도립공원 오픈세트장 왕과사는남자 촬영지 내돈내산 후기 (한복체험 정보) (트래밸리, 2026-10)
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Mungyeong Saejae Old Road Museum (문경새재 옛길박물관), ‘a museum of roads’
A museum about old roads that opened in 2009. It shows the maps, travel records and exam-road stories left by people who traveled the Yeongnam Great Road (영남대로), the main route between Seoul and the southeast, in the Joseon era. During the festival, the area in front of the museum becomes the apple market.
Getting there: Right behind the festival grounds (the apple market)
Hours: March–October 09:00–18:00 (last entry 17:30), November–February 09:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30) · closed January 1, Seollal and Chuseok
Price: Free
How long: 40 minutes to 1 hour
Visitor review (in Korean, use your browser's translate): 문경새재 옛길박물관에서, 문경새재 아리랑을 불러 본다 (푸르미박, 2026-08)
Apple picking: Saejae Apple Farm (문경새재농장), ‘a farm close to the festival’
One of the 15 apple-picking farms in the festival leaflet, in Hacho-ri (하초리), a little way down from the festival toward Mungyeong-eup. You pick Fuji (부사) apples straight from the tree and pay for what you pick by weight. You can choose a date and book on the farm website, which makes it easy for foreign visitors.
Getting there: 120 Hacho-ri, Mungyeong-eup, Mungyeong-si (문경시 문경읍 하초리 120). About 500 m from the Saejae parking lot, according to the farm's map
Hours: October–November every year, 10:00–17:00
Price: The basic experience is 5 kg; the price is agreed with the farm based on group size (official experience page)
How long: About 1 hour
Booking · contact: Book on the farm website · email [email protected]
Sources
- Official: Mungyeong Apple Festival official website / 2026 leaflet (timetable, apple-picking farms) / Program: official events, special events, hands-on events, other events / press releases / Instagram @mgtpcr_festival
- Korea Tourism Organization festival information: VisitKorea festivals (Korean) / Opening lineup: Kyongbuk Ilbo
- Mungyeongsaejae history and gates: Mungyeong City, origins of Mungyeongsaejae, SBS, Herald Economy, Asia Economy / Distances between the gates: Sportal Korea, VisitKorea (Korean)
- Gamhong and Apple Day: Chosun Ilbo, Maeil Shinmun, Kyunghyang Shinmun (Apple Day)
- Trains: Pangyo(Gyeonggi) → Mungyeong timetable, Mungyeong → Pangyo(Gyeonggi) timetable, pat.im (Jungbu Naeryuk Line timetable) / English station names: Korail English booking
- Buses: Mungyeong Yeogaek KTX connection timetable, Mungyeong City, how to get here / Free fares: Yonhap News
- Provincial park, parking and electric shuttle: Mungyeong City visitor information, Daily Hankook (free parking)
- Where to eat: Saejae Halmaejip Korea Tourism Organization data (KoreaCharts), DiningCode / Gwangseong Sikdang KoreaCharts, DiningCode / Mungyeong Sikdang KoreaCharts, DiningCode / Hachodong DiningCode
- Where to stay: Mungyeong Tourist Hotel official website, Korea Tourism Organization data (KoreaCharts) / Petro Hotel official website, Triple, HotelsCombined / Sadamjae official booking information, official room information, Trip.com
- Maps: three illustrated maps by WonderGrid. Distances and times to restaurants and hotels: OpenStreetMap routes from the festival grounds (in front of the Old Road Museum)
- Nearby: Open Set Mungyeong City, VISITKOREA (English), Edaily (The King's Warden) / Old Road Museum Mungyeong City, National Museum of Korean Contemporary History partner network / Saejae Apple Farm experience information / Barefoot walking: KOREA.net / Distances: OpenStreetMap routes
Last checked: October 10, 2026