The 15th Gangnam Festival 2026 · HEY GANGNAM

The 15th Gangnam Festival 2026 · HEY GANGNAM will be held from October 3 to 5, 2026, throughout Gangnam District, including the Dosan-daero area, Bongeunsa Temple, and Maru Park. Admission is free, but the K-POP concert requires a separate ticket. The fashion shows require advance reservations for 200 people per show, with on-site admission available for remaining seats. The reference address is 20 Dosan-daero 45-gil, Dosan Exhibition Hall, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, and operating hours vary by program. Although comparative figures for the venue and scale of previous editions were not available, this year’s 15th edition, which marks the festival’s continuation since its launch in 2012, features 19 programs centered on the entire Dosan-daero area.

The 19 programs of the 15th edition stretch from Dosan-daero to Bongeunsa Temple

Launched in 2012, the Gangnam Festival will celebrate its 15th edition in 2026. According to the official information, its 19 programs will be distributed throughout Gangnam District, including Dosan-daero, Bongeunsa Temple, and Maru Park. The main event area extends along Dosan-daero from Cheongdam Intersection to Dosan Park Intersection.

From 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on October 3, a grand parade will proceed from Cheongdam Intersection toward Dosan Park Intersection. About 2,000 residents from Gangnam District’s 22 administrative neighborhoods will participate. The 88 flag bearers representing the 22 neighborhoods and the 52nd Division military band will lead the parade, followed by a finale performance at 5:30 p.m. and a Pikachu surprise parade at 5:40 p.m.

Apgujeong Station Exit 3 and the October 3 bus detours will change the route.

Vehicle restrictions are scheduled for the Dosan-daero area during the festival, so it is better to plan to use the subway rather than a car. The official information does not provide the locations or fees of parking lots.

All lanes in both directions from Hakdong Intersection to Dosan Park Intersection will be closed from midnight on October 3 until 5:00 a.m. on October 5. On the same day, the 12 lanes from the southern end of Yeongdong-daero to Cheongdam Intersection will be reduced to six lanes. From 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., parade-related restrictions will apply to the lanes in the direction of travel from Mongjungheon to Hakdong Intersection.

Ten trunk bus routes, five branch routes, and one airport route will be detoured, while three metropolitan routes will operate on shortened routes. Detoured routes include 143, 145, 240, 242, 301, 342, 343, 345, 440, 472, 2416, 3011, 4212, 4312, 4318, and 6006. Although the EDM party on October 3 will continue until 10:30 p.m., the last train time is not provided in the official information. A day trip is possible if you are traveling from accommodation in central Seoul, but check subway operating hours separately if returning late.

Seven teams at Dosan Park Intersection and 10 booths at Hakdong Intersection divide October 3 and 4

The family concert on October 3 will take place on a special stage at Dosan Park Intersection from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., featuring seven acts including Lim Chang-jung, Hong Kyung-min, Kim Won-jun, Nam Jin, Hong Ji-yoon, Roo’ra, and Space A. Admission wristbands will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis at the venue from 5:00 p.m. The event will have standing and picnic areas rather than assigned seating. From 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., DJ Aster’s EDM party will continue at the open stage in front of Beer Festa.

A K-POP dance workshop will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the same day, with both advance registration and on-site participation available. From 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., nine teams that passed the U.S. preliminary round will compete in the final of the Global K-POP Dance Championship. The three winning teams will appear on the K-POP concert stage on October 4.

The Fashion & Beauty Festa will take place from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on October 4. CcCc, Adrielos, Asparagus, and Kwak Hyun-joo Collection will present runway shows at one-hour intervals starting at 1:00 p.m. Each show has 200 advance reservation places, and on-site admission is possible if seats remain. A pop-up market featuring 10 beauty teams and six fashion teams will also operate in front of Dosan Park from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on October 3 and 4.

The Food Festa and Beer Festa around Hakdong Intersection will operate from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. from October 3 to 4. Beer Festa will consist of 10 booths and a 30-meter terrace zone. From 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on October 4, the Global Food Competition will be held, where 100 visitors will taste and judge dishes prepared by 10 global chefs. Information about on-site payment methods, restrooms, luggage storage, and rest areas was not available in the published information.

Bongeunsa Temple at 6:00 p.m. and the age-15 restriction affect travelers’ choices

On October 5, the Gangnam International Peace Marathon will start on Bongeunsa-ro at 8:00 a.m., with official information listing the event through 4:00 p.m. KBS Traditional Music Festival will be held at Maru Park, while at 6:00 p.m. the Hey Bongeunsa Mountain Temple Concert will take place at Bongeunsa Temple, adding traditional Korean music and temple music to the three-day K-POP-focused schedule.

The K-POP concert on October 4 will take place at Dosan Park Intersection from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Ticket sales opened on Ticketlink at 8:00 p.m. on September 22. From noon on the day of the concert, mobile tickets and identification will be checked at the ticket booth before wristbands are distributed, and audience entry will begin at 2:00 p.m. Visitors under 15 years old may not enter.

Whether interpretation for foreigners and multilingual information booths will be operated could not be confirmed. It is advisable to plan separately for stages conducted in Korean and booths where food names must be selected visually. Since the event has not yet taken place, actual crowd levels and waiting times for 2026 cannot be measured.

Rules regarding program operation, cancellation, and refunds in case of rain, as well as the locations and fees of temporary parking lots, were not available in the official information. Before departing, check the official schedule for changes due to rain forecasts and parking announcements.

15th Gangnam Festival FAQ: Follow the timetable or stay in one place?

• Can I see the parade and family concert on the same day? — The parade runs from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and the family concert runs from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., so you can see both on the same day. An EDM party will then continue until 10:30 p.m.
• Can I enter the K-POP concert with free festival admission alone? — Festival admission is free, but the K-POP concert requires a separate ticket. You must receive a wristband after your mobile ticket and identification are checked, and visitors under 15 may not enter.
• Can remaining fashion show seats be obtained on-site? — There are 200 advance reservations per show, and on-site admission is possible if seats remain.
• Can visitors taste food at the Global Food Competition? — From 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on October 4, 100 visitors will taste and judge dishes prepared by 10 global chefs.