Busan is good

Gourmet on the Road – Taxi Drivers Recommend the Tastes of Busan!

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The Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Heong-joon) announced that the 10th Busan Original Downtown Revitalization Festival <Taxi-chelin> will be held from May 16 to 18 in the original downtown area (Jung-gu, Seo-gu, Dong-gu, and Yeongdo-gu).

○ Originally a festival that highlighted alleyway-centered content tailored to each downtown district’s unique characteristics, the event was revamped last year to embrace the growing popularity of culinary culture and localism under the new theme <Taxi-chelin>.

○ Moving away from the traditional model of watching performances and tasting food at fixed locations, this is an interactive festival where participants carry the Taxi-chelin Guidebook and explore the hidden culinary gems of the original downtown on foot.

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Debuting last year, <Taxi-chelin> has become a distinctive food tourism festival where veteran taxi drivers recommend hidden local eateries, offering a multi-sensory experience that received enthusiastic feedback from participants.

○ The festival gained widespread attention through TV programs, YouTube videos, and blog reviews using the Taxi-chelin Guidebook, establishing itself as a fresh and interactive type of culinary event.

○ The City’s Festival Development Committee also selected <Taxi-chelin> as the top-rated festival of 2024 among all city-hosted festivals.

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This year’s guidebook expands to include not only recommendations from taxi drivers but also citizen-submitted culinary gems.

○ Based on a survey of over 250 veteran taxi drivers, the guidebook introduces selected eateries and local attractions, as well as driver interviews, driving tips, and new limited-edition Taxi-chelin dishes.

○ It also features citizen-recommended dessert spots and cafés in the original downtown area, and will be published in English for international tourists.

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The Taxi-chelin Opening Ceremony will take place at 7:30 p.m. on May 16 at Busan Station Plaza.

○ Open to 150 citizens through pre-registration, the ceremony will include:

• ●An awards event for selected eateries featured in the guidebook

• ●The first reveal and tasting of a new Taxi-chelin-exclusive menu item

○ This year’s special menu was co-developed by “Gogwan Hamburg” (a 2024 Taxi-chelin Guide restaurant) and Chef Lee Gyu-jin of the Michelin Guide restaurant “Ramzi.”
The dish will be available to the public at the Gogwan Hamburg location for one month following the event.

○ Guests can also enjoy a full-course dining experience featuring dishes from original downtown eateries, desserts, and drinks to satisfy all five senses.

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Various interactive experience programs will also be offered during the festival:

● “Mission Walking Tour: Finding Lost Appetites” – a themed walking tour in Jung-gu and Seo-gu combining culinary exploration, local content, and missions
● “Market-to-table Cooking Class” – a hands-on culinary session using Busan specialties and storytelling guided by local vendors
● “Nightscape Street Bar” – enjoy dishes like spicy pollack roe ramen and Choryang fish cake skewers with the beautiful night view of the city
● “Taxi-chelin Guide Taxi” – a surprise gourmet tour where participants leave the destination to the driver and discover new eateries

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More information about the festival is available on the official website of the Busan Cultural Tourism Festival Organizing Committee (www.bfo.or.kr).

○ Tickets for the Opening Ceremony and advance reservations for various programs are available via Interpark (https://tickets.interpark.com) until May 17.

○ The Taxi-chelin Guidebook will be provided in print to program participants and will be downloadable from the official website starting May 16 at 8:00 p.m.

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Kim Hyun-jae, Director General of the Tourism and MICE Bureau of the City, stated:
“This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Busan Original Downtown Revitalization Festival.
With the enthusiastic participation of taxi drivers and citizens, <Taxi-chelin> will be a rich and meaningful celebration.
We hope the festival inspires more people to discover the hidden culinary treasures of the original downtown,
and that it contributes greatly to revitalizing the local economy.”

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Appendix 1: Festival Poster

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Appendix 2: Program Overview (Draft)

Program	Period	Location	Description	Notes
Taxi-chelin Guide	May 16–	–	Guidebook of local eateries recommended by veteran taxi drivers	Free distribution
Opening Ceremony	May 16, 19:30	Busan Station Plaza	Introduction to Taxi-chelin, awards, dining experience	Paid: KRW 13,900 (reservation required via Interpark)
Mission Walking Tour (Finding Lost Appetites)	May 17–18	Jung-gu, Seo-gu	A thematic culinary tour with missions, events, and busking performances	Paid: KRW 10,000/person
Market-to-table Cooking Class	May 17–18	Seo-gu	Local food experience featuring market stories and Busan specialties	Paid: KRW 22,000/team (2 sessions/day)
Nightscape Street Bar	May 17–18	Yurari Plaza	Night dining experience with Busan delicacies like spicy cod roe ramen and fish cake skewers	Menu prices vary
Taxi-chelin Guide Taxi	May 17–18	Nampo Station (Jung-gu)	Surprise taxi tour of selected eateries with driver commentary	Paid: KRW 4,900/person (on-site registration)
Tasting Event & Review Campaign	May 16–	SNS	Tastings and reviews by influencers and citizens for viral promotion	Free