"The World's Healthy Tables Come to Seoul"

A special festival bringing the food cultures of the world together under the shared theme of "health" is coming to Seoul. Rather than simply offering a taste of international cuisine, the event invites Korean and international visitors alike to explore traditional ingredients and food cultures from a health perspective, and to eat, move, and connect together.

The Global Healthy Food Festival — Seoul Connects the World's Healthy Tables, hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Seoul Global Center and organized by K-Health Media and Makesian, will be held from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on October 7 at Oullim Square, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP).

Going beyond a conventional food festival centered on selling and sampling dishes, the event is designed as a participatory festival that lets visitors directly experience diverse food cultures while raising interest in healthy eating habits.

■ Six Healthy Tables, From Energy-Boosting to Fermented and Color Foods

At the heart of the festival are six health-themed food zones that reinterpret the world's food cultures through a health lens: "Energy-Boosting Foods," featuring spices, beans, and beverages; "Gentle Fermented Foods," comparing the flavors and aromas created through fermentation; "Inner Beauty Color Foods," showcasing colorful ingredients and food traditions; "Light Meals," offering small, approachable dishes made with fresh ingredients; "Relaxing Teas and Foods," a space to unwind over the aroma and taste of tea; and "Healthy Alternative Snacks," introducing snack ideas made with grains, beans, and vegetables.

Visitors can follow each theme from booth to booth and naturally encounter ingredients and food cultures from around the world.

■ Not Just for Eating: A "Healthy Table Journey" Powered by a Single QR Code

Letting visitors complete the festival themselves is another key feature of the event. Advance registration provides an entry QR code and a "Global Healthy Table Passport." Presenting the QR code at each booth lets visitors collect stamps to record their experience.

Visitors can also take part in a "Favorite Food Vote," choosing the food booths they liked best — up to two votes per person, one per booth — with small gifts offered to participants.

On site, visitors can also try a simple "Food Signal" test: by selecting concerns such as "I want to eat light," "I feel bloated," or "I've been tired lately," they receive recommendations for themes worth exploring based on their answers.

■ Beyond Food: A Health Festival Experienced Through Movement and Consultation

Programs that let visitors experience health directly, beyond the food itself, are also part of the lineup. From 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., the Seoul Global Center will run a "Wellness Class" on the main stage — a beginner-friendly yoga program open to everyone.

At the health service booth, visitors can get a body composition analysis and multilingual health consultations for international residents, giving those who have struggled with language barriers at hospitals a chance to check their health.

■ A Day That Connects Koreans and International Residents Through "Healthy Tables"

The Global Healthy Food Festival is less about the nationality or unfamiliar names of the dishes than about connecting different cultures through the everyday question of "how to eat and live healthily."

For international residents living in Seoul, it offers a chance to introduce their own food culture and experience other countries' tables; for Seoul citizens, a chance to look at unfamiliar ingredients and food cultures from around the world through the lens of health.

Admission is free. Advance registration (via the QR code on the festival poster) provides an entry QR code, a Healthy Table Passport, and voting rights for the Favorite Food Vote. Full details and registration are available on the festival's official website (https://seoulhealthyfood.com/).