Imsil N Cheese Festival (임실N치즈축제)

The Imsil N Cheese Festival celebrates the story behind Imsil cheese. That story began in 1967, when Father Didier t'Serstevens (Korean name: Ji Jeong-hwan), a Belgian priest, started out in Imsil with just two goats. After years of trial and error, he succeeded in producing Korea's first cheese. Rooted in this history and its spirit of perseverance, the festival has grown into one of Korea’s leading cheese festivals. It offers visitors from Korea and abroad a wide range of hands-on activities and attractions featuring Imsil N Cheese, while promoting it as one of the country’s flagship cheese brands. One of the festival’s signature programs is "Stretch, Stretch! Make Your Own Cheese," a large-scale group activity where participants stretch and share cheese together. Exhibitions, lively competitions, and a variety of food programs add to the fun, creating a festival that engages all five senses. The festival is also shaped by the local community, with residents playing an active role in bringing it to life. This strong community involvement makes it more than just a tourist event, giving it a genuine sense of shared celebration.