The 2026 Cheonggyerowa Festival opens Saturday near Cheonggyesan Ipgu Station, pairing autumn hikes on Cheonggyesan with food, art and performances to energize the district's alley commerce zone
Seoul's Seocho-gu will hold the 2026 Cheonggyerowa Festival on Saturday near Cheonggyesan Ipgu Station on the Sinbundang Line and across the surrounding Cheonggyesan area, bringing new energy to the district's alley commerce zone.
Now in its third year, the festival is designed to let autumn hikers enjoy the mountain's fall foliage while exploring the nearby "Cheonggyerowa" alley shopping district — sampling local food, browsing stalls and taking in entertainment. Cheonggyerowa is Seocho-gu's official alley-commerce brand, built around the keywords "yeoyurowa" (come at your leisure) and "yeogiрowa" (come right here), with the spirit of "come to Cheonggyesan and enjoy all the relaxation you want."
Organized jointly by Seocho-gu and the Cheonggyerowa Alley Merchants' Association, the festival will unfold at Cheonggyerowa Plaza in front of Exit 1 of Cheonggyesan Ipgu Station and along the mountain's hiking trails, featuring trekking, an art market, cultural performances and more.
The festival's signature program, the Cheonggyerowa Trekking event, is a participatory hike through Cheonggyesan's autumn colors. Open to 300 pre-registered participants, the main course runs approximately 6.8 kilometers from Wonteogol Entrance through Jindalrae Ridge and Oknyeobong Peak to the summit of Maebong. A shortened route descending from Oknyeobong will also be available for beginner hikers.
This year, Nam Ji-hyun — a former member of the girl group 4Minute who now works as a wellness instructor — will join participants on the trek. Character photo zones using the Cheonggyerowa brand identity will be set up at key points along the trail, and a "Best Cut Challenge" will invite hikers to submit their best photos taken on the mountain. A busking performance will follow the hike, rounding out the day's activities.
Participants who complete the full trek will receive commemorative gifts including a Maebong summit keyring and Cheonggyerowa-branded socks. Those who collect stamps at all four checkpoints along the route will receive discount coupons redeemable at about 50 nearby restaurants and cafes, encouraging visitors to continue spending in the alley commerce zone after the hike.
At Cheonggyerowa Plaza, the Cheonggyerowa Merchants' Association and the Naegok-dong Residents' Autonomy Committee will co-host the Cheonggyerowa Art Salon and the Naegok Open Culture Yard. The lineup includes the Cheonggyerowa Art Salon — where popular sellers from the district's flagship Yangjae Art Salon will be on hand — performances by Naegok-dong elementary school students featuring a traditional wind-and-percussion ensemble, drumming and taekwondo dance, and a trot music concert.
A sales promotion will also be held for merchants struggling amid the economic slowdown. Visitors who present a receipt showing a purchase of 20,000 won ($15) or more at any Cheonggyerowa shop on the day of the festival can enter a draw for discount coupons. The district plans to add a nostalgic twist by using a retro prize-dispensing machine of the kind once found in old stationery shops, encouraging additional spending among visitors.
The festival is also notable for the direct involvement of local merchants from planning through execution. A merchant planning committee was formed to take a leading role in designing the program, and on the day of the festival, merchants, residents and popular Yangjae Art Salon sellers will participate as vendors at the art salon, showcasing the district's food and character to hikers and local residents alike.
Seocho-gu has been consistently investing in the Cheonggyerowa district to sharpen its competitiveness. After installing branded design signage around Cheonggyesan Ipgu Station in October last year, the district this year committed 200 million won to add landscape lighting to green spaces and decking, and to install streetlight banner lighting along Cheonggyesan-ro between Cheonggyesan Ipgu Station and the entrance to Cheongnyong Village. In addition, the Cheonggyerowa district was designated this month as Seocho-gu's 12th official alley commerce zone, laying the groundwork for coordinated promotional and marketing support.
"The Cheonggyerowa Festival has been a celebration that showcases the appeal of Cheonggyesan while bringing vitality to the local community and its businesses," Seocho-gu District Mayor Jeon Seong-su said. "We have prepared an even richer program this year, and we hope many people will visit Cheonggyerowa, enjoy the beautiful autumn scenery of Cheonggyesan and help breathe new life into the local alley commerce zone."
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