Korea launches 'NEXT RUN' festival to turn races into multiday getaways
Runners from around the world set off in a half-marathon at the 2026 World Masters Athletics Championships on a road near Suseongmot Lake in Daegu, Aug. 30. Korea Times file
Runners in Korea will soon have a reason to lace up their shoes and stay awhile, as a new government initiative transforms regional road races into multiday cultural and wellness retreats.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) will launch the first “NEXT RUN Travel Festa” in October, built around running events designed to encourage participants to explore host regions before and after their races.
The program will feature “R1 2026 Jeonju,” held Oct. 17-18 in collaboration with YouTube channel “Sean with You,” and “Bomun Night Run with Wally,” scheduled for Oct. 31-Nov. 1 and featuring Universal’s Wally character.
For participants, the organizers will offer packages combining race entry and lodging at discounted prices, along with programs focused on recovery and other activities tailored to runners.
At “R1 2026 Jeonju,” activities will include a warm-up run with a national team coach, a carb-loading cooking show led by a runner-chef and a recovery tour through central Jeonju.
“Bomun Night Run with Wally” will offer a stamp tour through Gyeongju with Wally and a post-race hot-spring program called “24-Hour No Check-In Trip.”
Each event will center on a “NEXT RUN HUB,” where participants can join activities connecting the races with local experiences.
A stamp-tour book provided through the travel packages will add a game-like element, sending runners to tourist attractions to complete missions featuring Wally.
Travel packages and participation information will be available through the Korea Tourism Organization’s Korea Travel Guide travel-products promotion center.
"Instead of having runners leave immediately after a race, we want to introduce a new travel trend where participants explore the destination before and after their event," said Park Jung-woong, head of the national tourism division at the KTO. "We will continue expanding localized, extended-stay travel programs that encourage visitors to stay longer and rediscover regional charm."
The organization has also been running the “Run Trip Discount: ON” program since May with Lotte ON, the e-commerce arm of Korean retail giant Lotte Group, offering discounts on domestic running trips of at least one night and selected running gear.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.