King Suro's Gaya Feast lunch box at 2025 Korea Heritage Week / Courtesy of Korea Heritage ServiceThe Korea Heritage Service, together with the Korea Cultural Heritage Utilization Council, will run "2026 Korea Heritage Week" throughout October across 16 local governments in five regions nationwide.Now in its third year, Heritage Week is an annual program designed to let the public experience the value of heritage sites close to home through hands-on activities. This year continues last year's approach and centers Korean food culture. It links the history of heritage sites to regional cuisine through five special programs, along with 380 separate local heritage programs and a mobile stamp tour event running nationwide.In the Seoul-Gangwon region, a program at the Yanghwajin Ferry and Jamdubong Peak Historic Site — once a hub of Joseon-era commerce and shipping on the Han River — lets participants cook and taste dishes tied to the area's food history while listening to a heritage court music performance.In Gyeonggi and Incheon, a program at Incheon's former port district — home to Japanese colonial-era buildings including bank and shipping company buildings — has participants tour the historic architecture and make dishes such as jajangmyeon that emerged from the multicultural food scene that emerged after the port opened in 1883.In the Chungcheong region, a program in Cheongju draws on a century-old local recipe book to explore the city's traditional food and drink. In Jeolla, a program at the ancient Byeokgolje irrigation reservoir in Gimje pairs a history lesson with hands-on lesson in cooking using local rice. In the Gyeongsang region, an evening program at the Gyeongju Choi Family House includes traditional dishes, court music performances and homemade rice wine.All five special programs are free but require online reservations. Spots open on a staggered, first-come basis by region from Sept. 14 to 18 through the event's official website, k-heritageweeks.kr.This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.Q.Q.Q.