Travel
Fun in Korea: Jinju City lights up saturdays with ‘Olbam Saturday Night Market’ starting April 5
Haps Magazine Korea
April 2, 2025
(Photo by Jinju City. Courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea.)
The popular Olbam Saturday Night Market opens on April 5 and continues every Saturday evening through the end of October except during July for the rainy and heat season.
The night market will run from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the arcade section of Nongae Market, located behind the Jinju Employment and Welfare Plus Center.
First launched in 2022, the Olbam Saturday Night Market was introduced to breathe new life into the local traditional market and attract night-time and overnight visitors. Since then, Nongae Market has grown into a recognized tourist destination in the region.
To prepare for this year’s festivities, the Jinju City Commercial District Activation Foundation has been actively working with local merchants, benchmarking successful night market operations and encouraging cooperation with traditional vendors.
This year’s market promises 14 food stalls featuring popular street eats like yukjeon (Korean-style pork cutlet), flat bibim dumplings, and mala cream shrimp fritters. Visitors can also enjoy busking performances, street karaoke, and even free caricature drawings, offering fun and engaging experiences for all ages.
With major events such as the Gyeongnam Provincial Sports Festival and the Korea Garden Industry Fair also taking place during the season, Jinju expects to welcome an even larger number of tourists this year.