The 2026 Taean International Horticultural Healing Expo, currently taking place on Anmyeondo in Taean, South Chungcheong Province, is tempting visitors with a lineup of taste-driven, hands-on experiences. The expo’s organizing committee announced that every Sunday starting the 3rd, the central plaza will host “Tasty Horticultural Healing” events featuring celebrity chefs.
Designed to make the expo’s core theme—horticultural healing—feel more accessible, the interactive program pairs plants and produce with food so visitors can experience it with all five senses. The events run four Sundays: the 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th. The participating chefs—Jeong Ji-seon, O Se-deuk, Lim Hee-won and Kim Seong-woon—are all serving as the expo’s ambassadors.
At the kickoff on the 3rd, Chef Jeong Ji-seon will present a lavender-forward creation called “Lavender Lo Changfen.” On the 10th, Chef O Se-deuk will offer a jasmine-and-coconut-cream twist on kaiserschmarrn. On the 17th, Chef Lim Hee-won will showcase a “sulpang tiramisu” made with Taean’s honey sweet potatoes, and on the finale, the 24th, Chef Kim Seong-woon will serve an arugula kimbap made with arugula from Popo Farm.
The program’s standout feature is that every dish is built around horticultural ingredients—flowers, herbs and local produce. These creations reimagine food as “healing cuisine,” marrying plant aromas, colors and textures so visitors can taste and feel the expo’s mission for themselves.
Sales are set up a little differently, too. Each serving is priced at 5,000 KRW (approximately $3.75), with only 300 servings available per day. They’ll be sold in two batches—150 at 12:00 p.m. and 150 at 2:00 p.m. With limited quantities, early lines are expected.
Before and after the sales, the plaza will buzz with performances and interactive activities. A percussion ensemble called “La Percussion” will perform before the sales to kick up the festival energy, followed by a live introduction from each chef. After sales wrap, chefs and visitors can grab photos together in front of the expo’s flower garden, leaving behind picture-perfect memories.
The expo, co-hosted by South Chungcheong Province and Taean County, runs through the 24th at Flowerji Coastal Park on Anmyeondo in Taean County. It features exhibitions, hands-on activities and performances, and is drawing attention as a fresh tourism concept that blends nature and healing.
An organizing committee official said, “We want to give visitors a fresh experience by combining horticulture, food and performances. With a different chef each week, people will have reasons to come back.” They added, “Going beyond simply viewing and enjoying flowers and plants, these tasting and hands-on programs help communicate the value of horticultural healing more directly.”
Chungnam—Kim Chang-young, reporter cy12200@viva100.com
