Dongdaemun Festival

The 2026 Dongdaemun Festival will be held on October 3 for one day on Janghan-ro, stretching from 87 Hancheon-ro 14-gil, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul (Jangan-dong) to the Jangan-dong area. Admission is free, and it has not yet been announced whether visitors need to make advance reservations. While the 6th festival in 2025 used approximately 700 m from Woori Bank Intersection to Jangan-dong Intersection, the 2026 festival will encourage citizen participation on the same road section by adding a unique roller rink and “The Day My Car Becomes a Store,” which uses citizens’ vehicles.

Changes from the 700 m route of the 6th festival in 2025 to Janghan-ro in 2026

The 6th Dongdaemun Festival in 2025 was held on October 18 from 11:00 to 22:00 across approximately 700 m from Woori Bank Intersection to Jangan-dong Intersection. The 2026 festival route is also announced as approximately 700 m, and vehicle traffic on Janghan-ro will be restricted so that the road itself can operate as a cultural and artistic space.

The theme for 2026 is “A New Rush of Culture.” Based on the history of Janganpyeong, where military horses ran during the Joseon period, and Janghan-ro, which was the center of the modern and contemporary automobile industry, the festival will feature “Party, Not Art,” street performances of circus, mime, and puppetry, “Lazy Floor,” urban camping, a roller-skating rink, the Dongdaemun Community, the Dongdaemun Planning Team, and an open call for local artists.

In 2025, a Dongdaemun Community Zone, where local businesses introduced their menus and products, and a delivery pickup hub, where visitors collected orders placed by QR code, were operated. The Dongdaemun Community is also included in the citizen participation programs in 2026, but whether the delivery hub and sales booths will operate this year has not yet been announced.

How to enter Janghan-ro from 11:00 to 22:00 and decide when to head home

The 2026 operating hours are from 11:00 to 22:00. The event route extends from 87 Hancheon-ro 14-gil, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul (Jangan-dong) to Jangan-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul; for navigation purposes, you can use the approximately 700 m stretch between Woori Bank Intersection and Jangan-dong Intersection.

Vehicle traffic on Janghan-ro is scheduled to be restricted on the festival day, so planning to drive into the event area is not appropriate. Detailed public transportation routes, whether temporary shuttles will operate, and detour information for the event day have not yet been announced. The location and fees for temporary parking lots have also not been confirmed.

The roller-skating and DJ programs are scheduled for 11:00–21:00, while “Lazy Floor” is scheduled for 11:00–22:00. Since the event is held in Seoul and ends at 22:00, it can be planned as a day trip; however, if you plan to stay late, check the actual return routes and last trains or buses separately before setting out.

What to do at the 12×40 m roller rink and “The Day My Car Becomes a Store”

The 2026 event operation plan includes installing a roller rink measuring at least 12×40 m and preparing adult and children’s roller skates, helmets, beginner support equipment, and protective gear. The roller rink and DJ program are scheduled to operate until 21:00, ending earlier than the overall festival, which runs until 22:00.

“The Day My Car Becomes a Store,” which uses citizens’ vehicles, is a 2026 program connected to Janghan-ro’s automobile industry history. The main program is called “Party, Not Art”; visitors can watch circus, mime, and puppetry on the street, while “Lazy Floor” and urban camping are also scheduled to operate.

The June 2026 open call for the citizen planning team required applicants to form teams of at least two people and participate through on-site operations; five teams were to be selected. The open-call programs were based on free experiences, and operating expenses were announced as 800,000–1,500,000 won depending on scale. This open call is a process for creating citizen participation programs, not an admission ticket for visitors.

The 6th community welcome party workshop in 2025 included line dancing and Zumba by local clubs. The detailed performers and performance times for 2026 have not yet been released, so if you want to target a particular stage, it is safest to check the schedule on the official Instagram account ddm_festival or by calling 02-3295-5568.

Restrictions foreigners should check at the 2026 Dongdaemun Festival

It has not been confirmed from the publicly available information whether English signs, English leaflets, interpretation, or multilingual audio guides will be provided. The program includes performances centered more on movement than speech, such as circus, mime, and puppetry, but it is difficult to determine whether the procedures for participation programs requiring Korean-language guidance will also be provided in English.

Accessibility on Janghan-ro for wheelchairs and strollers, as well as the locations of restrooms, luggage storage, and rest areas, has not been announced. A schedule involving movement along a 700 m road and going between the roller-skating rink and citizen participation areas may not suit travelers who prefer quiet indoor viewing.

Rain-related operation, cancellation, and refund policies have not yet been confirmed, and whether food and sales booths will operate in 2026 has also not been announced. Before departure, check the operating hours, detailed performance schedule, rain notices, public transportation detours, and accessibility information through ddm_festival or 02-3295-5568.

• How does the festival route differ between the 6th festival in 2025 and the 2026 festival? — Both editions use approximately 700 m, but the 2026 festival includes a unique roller rink and “The Day My Car Becomes a Store.”
• Until what time can the roller-skating rink be used? — According to the operating plan, roller skating and the DJ program are scheduled from 11:00 to 21:00.
• Can I drive into the event area? — Vehicle traffic on Janghan-ro is scheduled to be restricted on the 2026 festival day, so do not plan on entering by car.
• Can I order food on-site as in 2025? — In 2025, there was a delivery pickup hub for orders placed by QR code, but whether a delivery hub and sales booths will operate in 2026 has not been announced.