The 2026 Jongno Hanbok Festival brings together hanbok and traditional Korean music at Gwanghwamun Square on Friday and Saturday, featuring orchestral performances, traditional arts, a hanbok showcase, exhibitions, hands-on experiences and a market.
Jongno-gu will host the 2026 Jongno Hanbok Festival at Gwanghwamun Square over two days, Friday and Saturday, showcasing the essence of Korea's traditional culture.
The festival is Jongno-gu's signature event celebrating the beauty of traditional Korean dress. Since its launch in 2016, it has drawn residents and tourists alike and established itself as Seoul's premier autumn traditional-culture event.
This year's festival unfolds under the theme "Hanbok × Korean Traditional Music" and the slogan "Wearing Our Dress, Our Music."
The district paired the distinctive lines and colors of hanbok with the spirited rhythms and resonant melodies of traditional Korean music, designing a program of performances, exhibitions and hands-on activities. The lineup engages all five senses, adding the pleasure of sound to the visual splendor of traditional culture.
On Friday, a special stage performance and an opening parade are planned, with about 80 Jongno residents joining the Seoul Children's Chita Band. The opening ceremony runs from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and brings together a traditional Korean orchestra, choral singing and traditional performing arts on a single stage. The program blends classic and contemporary sensibilities to create an evening accessible and enjoyable for all ages.
Saturday features the festival's highlight — the Hanbok Showcase Competition — along with an awards ceremony and celebratory performances. Participants will take the stage in hanbok that reflects their individual style, displaying the full charm of traditional Korean dress and raising the festival's energy to its peak.
Throughout both days, the plaza's central area and Yukjo Madang will host the special exhibition "Hanbok NEXT, Hanbok Fluttering, Forest of Jongno." A hanbok playground, hanbok rental shop, traditional-culture experience booths and a market will give visitors plenty more to enjoy.
A photo zone called "Under the Moonlight of Gwanghwamun" will be set up at Yukjo Madang so visitors can take home lasting memories. Visitors who complete festival missions — including traditional-game challenges and a vote for the best hanbok-wearing pet — and collect stamps can stop by the main information center to receive a Jongdori merchandise gift.
The district worked with relevant agencies and specialist organizations to sharpen the program, hoping the festival will serve as an opportunity to reexamine and carry forward the value of Korea's traditional culture. Further details are available on the Jongno Hanbok Festival website and official social media channels.
"It is deeply meaningful to hold a hanbok festival that weaves together the beauty of our traditional dress and music right here at Gwanghwamun Square — the heart of Seoul and a symbol of Korea," District Mayor Yoo Chan-jong said. "We have prepared this event with great care as a place to see, hear and enjoy our traditional culture, and we warmly invite everyone to come and take part."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
