Geumcheon Siheung Temporary Palace Cultural Festival

The 2026 Geumcheon Siheung Haenggung Cultural Festival will be held on October 4 at 44 Eunhaengnamu-ro (Siheung-dong), Geumcheon-gu, Seoul, with free admission. The event is scheduled to run from 12:00 to 20:00. It has not yet been announced whether advance reservations or ticketing will be required. The biggest change this year is that the event, which lasted two days on September 27–28 in 2025, will be held for just one day, October 4, in 2026.

The Geumcheon Siheung Haenggung Cultural Festival changes from two days in 2025 to one day in 2026

The 2025 event was held over two days, September 27 and 28, while the 2026 edition will operate for only one day, October 4. The 2026 operating hours are 12:00–20:00, and admission is free. Articles from 2025 recorded performances of folk songs, Korean traditional dance, and line dancing.

The theme of the 2026 event is Yeomindongnak (與民同樂), meaning that the king and the people enjoy themselves together. Geumcheon-gu was home to Siheung Haenggung, where King Jeongjo stayed overnight during his royal journey. This event is connected to the Royal Procession of King Jeongjo, a modern reenactment of Jeongjo’s Eulmyo Royal Procession of 1795. The overall program consists of Part 1, the Royal Celebration; Part 2, the Royal Procession of King Jeongjo; and Part 3, Siheung Haenggung Night. The organizing and operating institutions are Geumcheon-gu and the Geumcheon Cultural Foundation.

The 1.6 km royal procession begins at the Geumcheon-gu Office Entrance Intersection

The 2026 Geumcheon-gu section of the Royal Procession of King Jeongjo is scheduled to travel approximately 1.6 km from the Geumcheon-gu Office Entrance Intersection to the Siheung 5-dong Community Center. Because this is a jointly reenacted procession coordinated with Seoul, it is important to check the direction of travel along this route first rather than viewing the event from only one point.

The event area includes 44 Eunhaengnamu-ro and the area around Siheung-daero. However, currently available materials do not provide information about the nearest station and exit, bus routes and travel times, temporary shuttles, traffic controls, or parking. Since the event runs from 12:00 to 20:00, travelers staying in Seoul may plan it as a day trip, but they should separately check the last transport service home before departing.

The Geumcheon Siheung Haenggung Cultural Festival continues in three parts from 12:00

Between 12:00 and 20:00, Part 1, the Royal Celebration, will be presented first, expressing the feelings of residents waiting for the king’s procession. This stage includes performances by local artists based on pansori and traditional performing arts. Part 2 is the Royal Procession of King Jeongjo, reenacted together with Seoul, with Geumcheon-gu residents expected to participate in roles representing key royal figures rather than as professional actors.

The four principal royal roles in 2026 are King Jeongjo, Lady Hyegyeong Hong, Princess Cheongyeon, and Princess Cheongseon, with one person assigned to each role. The application deadline in the related recruitment notice is September 7. Part 3, Siheung Haenggung Night, is introduced as a performance combining traditional Korean music with contemporary music and traditional performing arts, in which residents participate by dancing together.

Additional programs include an outdoor Gyujanggak and traditional performing arts experience programs. Seoul’s festival guide also lists experience and play programs, along with an outdoor Gyujanggak library. Whether English signs, English leaflets, interpretation, or multilingual audio guides will be provided has not been announced, so travelers who require English explanations should consider that they may need to rely on Korean-language guidance.

Four things to check even after free admission: limitations of the Geumcheon Siheung Haenggung Cultural Festival

Admission is free, but separate fees for 2026 experience booths, card or cash payment options, and whether food will be sold have not been announced. Details about restrooms, luggage storage, rest areas, temporary parking, and cleanliness and safety management are also difficult to determine from the currently available materials.

Operations and cancellation criteria in case of rain, as well as stroller and wheelchair accessibility, have not yet been confirmed. The start times for individual performances and the expected crowd levels for 2026 have also not been announced. For travelers who require English guidance, use mobility aids, or want to watch quietly at a fixed time, this is an event with many details to confirm before finalizing an itinerary.

The final update date on the Korea Tourism Organization’s festival page is August 18, 2026, and the program may change depending on conditions at the venue. Before departing, check the official festival page for detailed times, transportation, rain-related policies, and accessibility information. If necessary, contact 070-4114-6352.

Four frequently asked questions about the Geumcheon Siheung Haenggung Cultural Festival

• Do I need to stay for two days in 2026, as in 2025? — No. The event changed from two days, September 27–28, 2025, to one day, October 4, 2026, with operating hours from 12:00 to 20:00.
• Where does the Geumcheon-gu section of the 1.6 km royal procession run from and to? — From the Geumcheon-gu Office Entrance Intersection to the Siheung 5-dong Community Center.
• What kind of performance is Siheung Haenggung Night? — It is a performance program combining traditional Korean music with contemporary music and traditional performing arts, with residents participating by dancing.
• Can I expect English guidance or interpretation? — Whether English guidance or interpretation will be provided has not yet been announced.