Campbell Early, the most widely grown grape in Korea · Photo: Tae Hun Kim / CC0 (Wikimedia Commons)
KoreaNorth Chungcheong · YeongdongYeongdong Grapes and Wine: How a Grape County Became Korea's Wine Country
Yeongdong grows about three quarters of North Chungcheong's grapes and is home to a cluster of small farm wineries. Here is the story of the vineyards that began in Jugok-ri in 1959, why farmers turned to wine when grape prices fell, what Korean wine made from Campbell Early tastes like, and how to enjoy the wine tunnel and festivals.
Three Quarters of the Province's Grapes
Yeongdong sits at the southern tip of North Chungcheong, a mountain county bordering North Gyeongsang and North Jeolla. It has long been known for grapes. According to a July 2026 report, its vineyards cover 1,046 hectares and produce about 8% of Korea's grapes, and the county is said to account for 75% of the province's grapes. Reports from 2006 and 2008 put its national share at 9.4% and 8.5%, so it has been one of the country's leading grape regions for decades. Even the venue for the autumn Yeongdong Grape Festival is called Fruit Country Theme Park. The festival mainly sells varieties such as Muscat Bailey A and Shine Muscat. Fruit farming is busy here beyond grapes, too; there have been reports of local wines developed from peaches and plums.
Where It Began: Jugok-ri
The starting point of Yeongdong grapes is usually traced to Jugok-ri in Yeongdong-eup. According to a 2014 Seoul Shinmun report, Jugok-ri began growing grapes in 1959, and locals still say Jugok-ri grapes are the best. A 2019 report also calls it the place where the county's grapes were first planted. One farm in the village says three generations ago, starting in 1965, the family brewed home wine for its own table, then turned it into a commercial wine in 2010. In other words, farm families making drinks from their own grapes planted the seed for a wine industry. Yeongdong was designated a special grape and wine zone in 2005, and a 2016 report described it as Korea's only grape and wine industry zone. A bunch of grapes grew into the identity of an entire county.
When Grape Prices Fell, Farmers Made Wine
The turning point came in the late 2000s. According to a 2014 report, when grape prices dropped, Yeongdong County decided it needed to diversify and in 2008 began fostering small farm wineries. It ran a wine academy with a local university, gave farms fermentation and aging equipment, sent winemakers on overseas study trips and pushed for a permanent wine shop. In 2014 it also opened the first wine research institute run by a local government. By 2019, reports counted 42 wineries in Yeongdong, one company-run and 41 farm-run, or 22% of the 190 in Korea. Together they produced about 900,000 bottles (750 ml) a year, roughly 24% of domestic wine production. Figures vary slightly depending on how they are counted, but Yeongdong is consistently described as the heart of Korean wine. Its wineries have won prizes at the national Korean liquor competition every year since 2013.
Korean Wine From Campbell Early
Yeongdong wine gets its character from the grapes. Many farms make wine from table grapes such as Campbell Early, the most widely grown variety in Korea. Among the Yeongdong wines that won awards at the 2024 Asia Wine Trophy were a red that adds the weight of wild Korean grapes to Campbell Early's aroma and a Campbell rosé with sweet berry notes. Methods vary too. A 2019 report mentions aging in bamboo barrels, rosé timed carefully during fermentation, ice wine pushed above 30 Brix, and sparkling wine made by the tank (Charmat) method. At the time most wines were around 12% alcohol and cost roughly 13,000 to 50,000 won a bottle. The county has declared August 8 Wine Day, because the figure 8 resembles a grape and the infinity sign.
Wine Tunnel and Festivals: How to Enjoy Them
To meet Yeongdong wine all in one place, head to the Yeongdong Wine Tunnel. Completed in October 2018, it is 420 m long, 4 to 12 m wide and 4 to 8 m high according to reports, with ten themed zones inside. Opening hours, closing days and admission can change, so check before you go. There are two festivals to remember. At the Yeongdong Grape Festival, held between late summer and early autumn, you can taste and buy just-picked grapes (in 2025 it ran September 18 to 21 at Fruit Country Theme Park). At the Korea Wine Festival, held every year since 2010, you can compare wines from the farm wineries. Eat the grapes fresh and pick your wine after tasting at a local winery; that is the most Yeongdong way to travel. Do not drive after tasting; the train or public transport is the better choice.