What is Seoul Food & Hotel?

South Korea's largest food and hospitality trade show. General food exhibition with growing halal pavilion as Korea expands Muslim-friendly tourism. 1,500+ exhibitors.

When is Seoul Food & Hotel 2026?

Seoul Food & Hotel takes place from May 12 to May 15, 2026.

Where is Seoul Food & Hotel held?

Seoul Food & Hotel is held at COEX Convention & Exhibition Center, Seoul, South Korea.

Who organises Seoul Food & Hotel?

Seoul Food & Hotel is organised by Informa Markets.

What industries does Seoul Food & Hotel cover?

Seoul Food & Hotel covers Food & Drinks, Meat, Seafood, Dairy, Fresh Produce, Food Ingredients, Organics, Halal, Snacks & Confectionery, Bakery & Pastry, Wine & Spirit, Tea & Coffee, Processing Machinery, Packaging Machinery, Foodservice Equipment.

Who should attend Seoul Food & Hotel?

Seoul Food & Hotel is most relevant to Halal certification bodies, Importers, distributors & wholesalers, Retail & procurement buyers and Halal trade buyers across East Asia.

Seoul Food & Hotel 2026

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Your guide to Seoul

Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is a fast, ultra-modern city that hosts major food and halal-focused trade shows — events such as Seoul Food & Hotel and Korea's halal food and cosmetics expos draw international buyers to venues like the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center in Gangnam. Korea is not a Muslim-majority country, so halal food is not the default: it is concentrated around the Seoul Central Mosque in Itaewon (and the 'Muslim street', Usadan-ro, beside it), with a growing number of certified and Muslim-friendly restaurants elsewhere that the Korea Tourism Organization formally classifies. Outside those, pork and non-halal meat are common in Korean cooking, so it pays to plan meals. The upside: the subway is world-class, cheap and signed in English, the city is extremely safe, and a 24-hour multilingual tourist hotline (1330) is a phone call away.

Day	Fajr	Sunrise	Dhuhr	Asr	Maghrib	Isha
Tue 12 May	03:43	05:26	12:28	16:18	19:31	21:07
Wed 13 May	03:42	05:25	12:28	16:18	19:32	21:09
Thu 14 May	03:40	05:24	12:28	16:18	19:33	21:10
Fri 15 May	03:39	05:23	12:28	16:19	19:34	21:11

Getting in

Incheon International Airport (ICN)

• AREX airport railroad — ~43 min (Express) to Seoul Station; ~60 min all-stop (the fastest, best-value link; the Express runs non-stop to Seoul Station, the all-stop connects to the wider subway)

• Airport limousine bus — 60-90 min depending on traffic and district (comfortable coaches to hotels and districts across the city; easiest with luggage)

• Taxi / Kakao T — 60-80 min (convenient door-to-door but the most expensive; book via the Kakao T app for an easy hail)

Gimpo International Airport (GMP)

• Subway (lines 5 & 9) / AREX — 30-50 min to the centre (Gimpo handles domestic and some regional international flights and is much closer to the city than Incheon)

Getting around

Seoul's subway is one of the best in the world — vast, frequent, punctual, cheap and fully signed in English (with numbered lines and exits). It reaches almost everywhere a visitor needs, including COEX (line 2, Samseong) and Itaewon (line 6) for halal food and the mosque. Buses fill the gaps and taxis are reasonably priced; the AREX railroad links Incheon airport into the same network.

Buy a rechargeable T-money card (from convenience stores and station machines) and tap on for the subway, buses and even taxis — it is the simplest way to pay and gives small transfer discounts. Single-journey tickets are also available from machines.

Taxis are plentiful, metered and reasonably priced; the Kakao T app is the standard way to hail one and removes any language barrier. Orange/silver taxis are regular; black taxis are premium. Few drivers speak English, so show your destination in Korean (the app or a screenshot) or use the 1330 hotline's interpretation help.

Weather in May

High ~23°C · Low ~13°C

Mild, mostly dry and pleasant late spring — one of the best months to visit.

Light clothing for the day and a light layer for cooler evenings.

Visa & entry

Entry rules depend on nationality. South Korea has extended its K-ETA exemption for citizens of 67 visa-waiver countries (including the US, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and most EU states) through 31 December 2026 — those travellers may enter without applying for a K-ETA. If you enter without a K-ETA you must instead complete the mandatory digital e-Arrival Card before arrival (it replaced the old paper arrival card for most arrivals from 1 January 2026); holding a valid K-ETA exempts you from the e-Arrival Card. Travellers not covered by the visa-waiver exemption should apply for a K-ETA online before flying, or obtain a visa. Confirm your status on the official K-ETA portal before you travel.

Money

South Korean Won · KRW

Korea is highly cashless — cards and contactless (including mobile pay) are accepted almost everywhere, including taxis and convenience stores. Carry a little cash for traditional markets and small stalls.

Tipping is not customary or expected in South Korea — prices are as listed, and leaving extra can cause confusion. Good service is standard.

Connectivity

KT, SKT and LG U+ tourist SIMs and rentable pocket-WiFi at Incheon and Gimpo arrivals; Korea has some of the world's fastest mobile and public Wi-Fi

eSIM: Airalo and similar eSIMs cover South Korea

Plug: Type C / F (two round pins, European-style) · 220V / 60Hz

Emergency

General: 112 (police) / 119 (fire & ambulance); 1330 = 24h multilingual tourist hotline

Fire: 119

Safety

Seoul is among the safest large cities in the world, with very low violent crime and a strong public-safety culture. The main seasonal considerations are summer heat and humidity, the late-June-to-July monsoon (jangma) and occasional late-summer typhoons that bring heavy rain. Rush-hour trains are very crowded but orderly. Tap water is officially safe though many locals prefer bottled/filtered. For any help, the free 1330 tourist hotline offers 24-hour interpretation and travel assistance.

Travelling from a major halal market?

Most halal-expo buyers and exhibitors travel from the world's main halal hubs. Here's how to connect to Seoul from each — entry rules vary by nationality, so check the Visa & entry note above.

Kuala Lumpur (KUL)

Malaysia

Find flights →Kuala Lumpur guide →

Jakarta (CGK)

Indonesia

Find flights →Jakarta guide →

Dubai (DXB)

United Arab Emirates

Find flights →Dubai guide →

Riyadh (RUH)

Saudi Arabia

Find flights →Riyadh guide →

Istanbul

Halal food

Itaewon halal quarter (Usadan-ro / 'Muslim street')

Itaewon (Yongsan-gu), beside Seoul Central Mosque · $-$$

halal — many certified, some self-certified

The heart of halal dining in Seoul: the streets around the Seoul Central Mosque have the city's densest cluster of halal restaurants, butchers and grocers, from kebabs and biryani to halal Korean BBQ. The widest, most reliable choice in the city.

KTO Muslim-friendly classified restaurants

citywide · $-$$$

Halal Certified / Self-certified / Muslim-friendly / Pork-free (KTO tiers)

The Korea Tourism Organization runs a Muslim-friendly restaurant classification across four tiers — look for its signage, or check the official Visit Korea list before you go, since standards vary between full certification and simply pork-free menus.

Halal-friendly options near COEX & Gangnam

Gangnam-gu (Samseong / COEX) · $$-$$$

Muslim-friendly — confirm per restaurant

Around the COEX exhibition centre and the Gangnam business district you'll find Indian and Middle Eastern restaurants and hotel dining that cater to Muslim guests; confirm halal status with each, as it is not guaranteed.

Convenience stores & self-catering

citywide · $

check labels

Korea's ubiquitous 24-hour convenience stores, bakeries and fruit stalls are handy between sessions; seafood and vegetarian Korean dishes (e.g. bibimbap without meat) are widely available, but always check labels for pork/alcohol-based ingredients.

Prayer spaces

Seoul Central Mosque

Hannam-dong, Itaewon (Yongsan-gu)

Korea's first and main mosque, opened in 1976 on a hill above Itaewon — the centre of Muslim life in Seoul, with a large Friday congregation and the halal food quarter at its foot.

Airport & venue prayer rooms

Incheon Airport and selected malls/venues

Incheon International Airport has dedicated prayer rooms in both terminals, and a growing number of malls, hotels and convention facilities provide musalla; outside these, prayer space is limited, so plan ahead.

When you're free

Gyeongbokgung Palace & Bukchon Hanok Village

Jongno-gu (city centre)

The grandest of Seoul's royal palaces (watch the changing-of-the-guard) beside Bukchon's lanes of traditional hanok houses — the historic heart of the city.

N Seoul Tower & Namsan

Namsan (central)

The hilltop tower and park give the classic panorama over the whole city; reachable on foot, by cable car or bus, and a short walk from Itaewon.

Myeongdong & Insadong

Jung-gu / Jongno-gu

Myeongdong for street food and shopping, Insadong for tea houses, galleries and crafts — both compact, walkable and on the subway.

Seoul Central Mosque & Itaewon

Yongsan-gu

Worth a visit in its own right — the mosque on the hill, the halal food street below, and Itaewon's international restaurants and shops.

Sources: https://www.k-eta.go.kr/portal/apply/index.do · https://english.visitkorea.or.kr · https://www.airport.kr/ap/en/index.do · https://english.seoul.go.kr

Seoul Food & Hotel

About This Event

Why Attend & Exhibit

Why Attend

Where it's held

About the Organiser

Informa Markets

Past Editions — By the Numbers

2025 Edition

Frequently Asked Questions

Booth Packages

Shell Scheme Standard (9 sqm)

How to Exhibit at Seoul Food & Hotel

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