Youth, Coffee Festival

The 2026 Youth Coffee Festival will be held from September 19 to 20 at the Arena Plaza and Lawn Plaza of Lotte World Tower (Lotte World Tower) at 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (Sincheon-dong), with free admission. As of September 4, 2026, it has not been announced whether advance reservations or ticketing are required. While the 9th festival in 2025 centered on the Tasting Zone, Picnic Zone, and food trucks, the official page for this year lists the Daily Studio, Awake Stage, and Blending Lounge as well, so the names of the publicly announced components have changed. The theme is “The Perfect Blending That Awakens Me Today,” and coffee and dessert company tastings, artist performances, a Youth Talk Concert, a classical screening, a Youth Audition, and an awards ceremony for the 29-Second Film Festival are scheduled.

How the 2026 Blending Program Differs from the 9th Festival in 2025

The 9th festival in 2025 was held on September 27–28 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., while this year’s dates have been moved earlier to September 19–20. The daily operating hours for this year have not yet been announced, so the previous session’s 6:00 p.m. closing time should not be applied directly to this year’s schedule.

In 2025, Starbucks, A Twosome Place, Angel-in-us, Ediya Coffee, CU, GS25, and Dong Suh Foods participated. On the official 2026 website, the Daily Studio, Awake Stage, Blending Lounge, MAP / TIME TABLE, and LINE UP menus have been posted ahead of a list of participating companies, so the way visitors choose programs may differ.

According to reviews of the 9th festival in 2025, approximately 420,000 people attended over the two days, and tasting zones, picnic zones, and food trucks were operated. At the Paik’s Coffee booth during the same session, approximately 1,000 prizes and 1,000 drinks were prepared, but records also indicate that more than 70–80 people gathered just in the prize queue.

An Itinerary from 300 Olympic-ro to Getting Home That Cannot Yet Be Planned Numerically

Enter 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (Sincheon-dong) as the destination in a map app. The event will use the Arena Plaza and Lawn Plaza of Lotte World Tower. Based on the currently available information, it is not possible to determine which of the two plazas will be the main stage or where the entrance will be located.

The publicly available 2026 information does not specify nearby stations and exits, bus routes, temporary shuttles, or parking locations and fees. Therefore, it is not currently possible to confirm numerically which station or terminal in Seoul to depart from or how many minutes it will take to reach the venue.

The festival operated until 6:00 p.m. in 2025, but this year’s closing time and transportation options for returning home have not been announced. The conclusion at this stage is not to assume that a same-day trip is guaranteed; decide on a same-day itinerary only after operating hours and return transportation have been released.

What to Do at the Youth Audition and Coffee Tastings at 2:00 p.m. on September 20

Between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. on September 20, performances by the finalists of the Youth Audition are scheduled, with each team giving a 20-minute performance. There are three finalist teams, and each team will receive prize money of 500,000 won.

The Youth Audition was open to individual or team-based artists in their 20s and 30s, and five teams were selected in the first round. The application period was announced as August 18–30, the online viral voting period as September 2–7, and the announcement date for the final performers as September 9.

Submitted videos had to be no longer than one minute, with a recommended resolution of 1,920×1,080px or 1,080×1,920px. In addition to the audition, visitors should check the coffee and dessert company tastings, consumer-participation events and games, artist performances, the Youth Talk Concert, the classical screening, and the awards ceremony for the 29-Second Film Festival.

The GS25 booth at the 9th festival in 2025 prepared 2,000 cups of coffee and around 600 pieces of bread each day, and operated an event offering coffee or bread through a large roulette wheel. It has not yet been announced whether the same company, quantities, or roulette event will be operated in 2026, so last year’s figures should not be used to calculate this year’s supplies or budget.

Outstanding Points to Confirm for 2026 After Free Admission

Admission is free, but the sales prices at each 2026 booth and whether card or cash payments will be accepted have not been announced. The prize quantities and drink and bread quantities at Paik’s Coffee and GS25 in 2025 can serve as references, but the participating companies and whether food trucks will operate in 2026 require separate confirmation.

The 2026 publicly available information also does not confirm whether English signs, leaflets, or interpretation will be available, nor the accessibility for wheelchairs and strollers or the locations of restrooms and rest areas. Travelers who require English guidance or are accompanied by mobility aids should not assume that these needs will be immediately accommodated on site.

For those who prefer a quiet visit, the artist performances and games, as well as the record of more than 70–80 people waiting at the Paik’s Coffee booth in 2025, may be burdensome. Operating or cancellation rules in case of rain, cleanliness management, and safety routes have also not yet been announced, so before departing, check the official website youthcoffee.co.kr and the inquiry number 02-360-4354 for operating hours, transportation, and rain-related rules.

• What are the performance times for the 2026 Youth Audition? — The three finalist teams are scheduled to perform for 20 minutes each between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. on September 20.
• What kind of video had to be submitted for the 2026 Youth Audition? — It was open to individual or team-based artists in their 20s and 30s, and a video no longer than one minute with a resolution of 1,920×1,080px or 1,080×1,920px was recommended.
• Which booth reportedly had a long queue in 2025? — Records indicate that more than 70–80 people lined up for the prize event at Paik’s Coffee during the 9th festival.
• Will food trucks and the GS25 roulette event appear again in 2026? — In 2025, there were tasting zones, picnic zones, food trucks, and a GS25 roulette event, but whether they will operate in 2026 has not been announced.