The Sept. 12 event serves as an official ceremony marking the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic ties, themed around the Belle Époque — the golden age of French culture and arts. The district stages its first outdoor concert opera, Carmen, alongside seven themed zones featuring food, experiences and a kids' area.
Yangcheon-gu will host the "2026 Paris Park Cultural Festival — Opera in Paris" at Mokdong Paris Park on Saturday, starting at 12:30 p.m., bringing French culture and arts together in a single outdoor venue.
This year's festival carries added significance as an official event marking the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations, designated by the French Embassy in Seoul. Paris Park was established in 1987 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of those ties, and the district plans to celebrate the 140th milestone at this symbol of bilateral friendship while weaving the park's identity throughout the festival.
This year, the festival has chosen the Belle Époque — the period when French culture and arts flourished most brilliantly — as its theme. The park will be transformed into an atelier, with masterworks evoking the artistic spirit of the era displayed throughout, so that visitors feel the romance of late-19th-century Paris from the moment they enter.
The festival is organized around seven themes — a French culture concert, a Michelin Guide zone, a wine festa, a petit flea market, the Yangcheon Atelier, Mok5sion World and Mok5 Land — offering performances, fine food, cultural experiences and entertainment all in one place.
The festival's headline act is Carmen, a concert opera performed by Noble Art Opera Company starting at 6:30 p.m. on the Han-Bul Plaza stage — marking the first time an opera has been staged on an outdoor park stage in Yangcheon-gu. Before the opera, residents of Mokdong 5-dong, along with local schools and clubs, will take the stage in a series of performances, followed by a chanson concert that adds to the French atmosphere and builds the festive mood.
Spaces to taste and experience French culture firsthand will also be on offer. The Michelin Guide zone will run an outdoor bistro serving both French cuisine and K-food, while the Wine Festa will showcase a range of French and domestic wines. A bakery and French food booth operated by French nationals will be on site, and the Petit Flea Market will for the first time include a French artisan craft-sales team, expanding the presence of French residents throughout the festival.
The Yangcheon Atelier on the lawn will be set up as an immersive, multisensory space for French culture and art. Visitors can experience the sensibility of late-19th-century Paris through a beginner French language class offered by the French Embassy's language center and an Art Nouveau moss frame-making workshop, among other activities. Seoul Metropolitan Government's street performance series "Guseokkuseok Live," along with bubble and magic shows, will bring energy to every corner of the lawn.
Children's programming is equally varied. Mok5 Land, linked to Seoul's "Yeogiyeogi Seoul-type Kids Cafe" initiative, will offer a rail train, a Viking seesaw and sports activities, while Mok5sion World near the ground fountain will feature a musical fountain alongside water play. French-style children's recreational activities are also planned, promising a distinctive experience for families.
This year, organizers have significantly enhanced rest and convenience facilities to make the festival one where visitors linger and enjoy, rather than simply watch. Shade structures and rest areas will be expanded across the seating area, food zone and lawn, and a picnic zone on the lawn will allow visitors to borrow mats and enjoy performances at a leisurely pace. Two previously underused basketball courts will be converted into Mok5 Land, widening circulation routes and reducing crowding inside the venue for a safer, more comfortable festival environment.
"It is especially meaningful that we are once again celebrating a milestone anniversary — this time the 140th — at Paris Park, which was created to mark the 100th anniversary of Korea-France relations," Yangcheon-gu District Mayor Lee Gi-jae said. "I hope visitors will come and create special autumn memories at Paris Park in the heart of the city, enjoying the romance and art of the Belle Époque, an outdoor opera and French cultural experiences all in one place."
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