The month-long Vietnam-South Korea Festival opened in District 7, Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday evening, attracting both locals and tourists, including the South Korean community in the southern metropolis.

The event, which features attractive trade, culinary, cultural, music, and sports activities, is taking place along the Sky Garden commercial and food street in Tan Phong Ward, District 7 and lasts until January 7.

The area has been crowded with large waves of visitors, including South Koreans working and living in the city, who come to experience diverse festivities and enjoy colorfully decorated spaces to welcome the coming Christmas and New Year.

Colorful art performances, which harmoniously combined the traditions and modernity of both Vietnam and South Korea, graced the opening ceremony for the festival, which opens to visitors from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm every day during the month-long fest.

Many booths introduce a variety of dishes, from traditional to modern, from both South Korea and Vietnam, providing diverse and attractive culinary experiences for gourmets.

Particularly, festival goers can also enjoy dishes that are prepared and processed on mobile food stalls rapidly and conveniently.

The entire Pham Van Nghi Street in the Sky Garden area became bustling with visitors coming to enjoy the year-end festivities.

As part of the event, many small and medium enterprises of Vietnam and South Korea display and introduce their typical products, promoting trade connections and exchanges.

The festival features vibrant street art and music performances by artists from both Vietnam and South Korea to celebrate Christmas, along with a countdown program to welcome the New Year.

The event also includes cultural exchange sessions and showcases of traditional costumes from the two countries.

Visitors can enjoy thrilling taekwondo demonstrations, traditional martial arts performances, and a variety of other engaging activities.

Lee Shin, a South Korean tourist, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that he traveled to Vietnam to visit friends, who then brought him to the festival.

Lee expressed his delight at immersing himself in the lively and festive atmosphere.

The weather here is a bit warmer compared to South Korea, but the vibrant and bustling atmosphere of this event is truly impressive, Lee remarked.

With approximately five million South Korean visitors traveling to Vietnam in 2024, cultural, culinary, and tourism events continue to play a vital role in fostering the strong friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, said Lee Nam Kee, chairman of the Korea-Asia Economic Cooperation Association (KOAECA), during the festival’s opening ceremony.

He highlighted the ambitious goals set by Vietnam and South Korea to boost bilateral trade to $100 billion by 2025 and $150 billion by 2030.

The KOAECA also plans to facilitate the arrival of 1,500 South Korean small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam in the near future to explore investment and partnership opportunities, chairman Lee added.

Nguyen Thi Be Ngoan, deputy chair of the District 7 administration, emphasized that integrating night-time economy development with tourism is a central strategy for Ho Chi Minh City.

With its modern infrastructure and distinctive event spaces, District 7 is positioning itself as a key destination for both domestic and international visitors.

Ngoan said that District 7 will continue hosting diverse themed events at the Sky Garden area to establish the district as a must-visit destination for international tourists arriving in the city.

She also noted that the Phu My Hung urban area in Tan Phong Ward, where the festival is being held, is home to a growing foreign community.

Among them, 38 percent hail from South Korea, Japan, China, and Taiwan, with South Koreans making up the largest proportion.

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