900 drones painting the Seoul night sky — for free? ✨ The 26th Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival runs October 23–25 at Olympic Park’s 88 Lawn in Songpa-gu — Loco, Davichi, Kep1er, and Dynamic Duo all perform outdoors at no charge, plus a full drone light show. Here’s everything: performance times, subway directions, and what to expect. 🎶
※ Check the official website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
The Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival celebrates the era when the ancient kingdom of Baekje — one of Korea’s Three Kingdoms — had its capital in present-day Seoul, in the area now known as Songpa-gu. The Mongchontoseong Earthen Fortress, which stands within Olympic Park, is one of the surviving remnants of that Baekje capital. Now in its 26th year, the festival pairs historical programming with modern K-pop concerts, traditional Korean performing arts, and a 900-drone light show.
All headline events are free. Based on official announcements as of October 13, 2026.
Official Festival Site (English)
📊 Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival at a Glance
Free concerts, drone show & cultural experiences — 3 days in Seoul’s Olympic Park
The 88 Lawn at Olympic Park hosts free outdoor concerts and a 900-drone light show. Opening and closing performances each run approximately 1 hour 50 minutes, starting at 7:00 PM.
Dates: Friday, October 23 – Sunday, October 25, 2026 / Experience Zone: 10:00 AM–7:00 PM; Hanseong Baekje Market: 11:00 AM–9:00 PM
Venue: Olympic Park 88 Lawn, 424 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul
Admission: Free (select experience activities may have a small materials fee)
Getting There: Subway Line 5 – Olympic Park Station (Exit 3) or Subway Line 8 – Mongchontoseong Station (Exit 1) / Public transit strongly recommended
Opening concert (Oct 23): Loco & Davichi + drone light show. Closing concert (Oct 25): Kep1er & Dynamic Duo. Both free to attend.
Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival Key Info
Friday, October 23 – Sunday, October 25, 2026
Free admission / Opening concert Oct 23, 7:00–8:50 PM (Loco · Davichi · drone light show) / Closing concert Oct 25, 7:00–8:40 PM (Kep1er · Dynamic Duo) / Experience zone and Hanseong Baekje Market open daily.
During concert hours, public transit is the only practical option — parking near Olympic Park is extremely limited on event nights.
Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival: How to Attend
Admission and General Access
The Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival is entirely free to enter. The 88 Lawn and surrounding Olympic Park areas are open access — no tickets, no queues at the gate. Some hands-on experience activities, such as Baekje costume dress-up or pottery making (세발토기 빚기, the three-legged jar associated with Baekje culture), may charge a small materials fee payable on-site. The Experience Zone runs 10:00 AM–7:00 PM daily; the Hanseong Baekje Market operates 11:00 AM–9:00 PM, staying open after the concerts end.
Getting There — Subway Is the Only Sensible Option
Olympic Park is well-served by two subway lines. Subway Line 5 – Olympic Park Station, Exit 3, places you within a 5–10 minute walk of the 88 Lawn. Subway Line 8 – Mongchontoseong Station (몽촌토성역), Exit 1, is equally convenient. From central Seoul (Euljiro or City Hall area), the journey takes approximately 20–30 minutes. From Incheon International Airport, take the Airport Railroad to Gimpo Airport Station, transfer to Subway Line 9, and change at Sports Complex Station to Line 5 — total travel time approximately 1 hour 20 minutes. The organizers actively recommend against driving; parking near the park fills entirely during event nights.
💡 Trip.com lists hotels near Olympic Park and Jamsil Station with real-time availability — book early for concert weekend nights.
If the concerts end between 8:40 PM and 9:00 PM and you are based outside Seoul, timing your return train carefully matters. Visitors traveling by KTX or SRT should allow at least one hour after the scheduled concert end before their departure from Suseo or Seoul Station. Agoda and Booking.com list accommodation options in the Jamsil and Seokchon areas, within 10–15 minutes by subway of the festival grounds.
2. Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival Lineup: Opening & Closing Concerts
Opening Concert — Friday, October 23: Loco & Davichi
The opening concert begins at 7:00 PM and runs approximately 1 hour 50 minutes. The evening opens with a creative performance that reinterprets the history of Hanseong Baekje through live band music, followed by sets from Loco (로꼬), a Seoul-based rapper known for melodic hip-hop, and Davichi (다비치), a female vocal duo with a catalog spanning ballads and pop. The concert closes with the 900-drone light show — 900 drones forming patterns and animations above the 88 Lawn. No advance tickets required; this is a free, open-air event.
Closing Concert — Sunday, October 25: Hanseong Culture Concert (Kep1er & Dynamic Duo)
The Hanseong Culture Concert (한성문화콘서트) runs 7:00–8:40 PM on the final day. Kep1er (케플러), a nine-member K-pop girl group formed through the Mnet survival program Girls Planet 999, headlines alongside Dynamic Duo (다이나믹 듀오), a veteran hip-hop duo whose catalog spans over two decades. As with the opening concert, entry is free and no reservation is needed. Arriving early is advisable — lawn space fills up quickly for K-pop performances of this scale.
2. Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival: 3 Experience Highlights
Hands-On Experience Zone
Open 10:00 AM–7:00 PM daily, the Experience Zone offers Baekje costume dress-up, warrior experience (무사 체험), free photo booths, and a wellness rest area. The juxtaposition of ancient Baekje warrior attire with the backdrop of Olympic Park’s modern architecture makes for genuinely distinctive photos. Some activities accept walk-ins on the day; others may require brief on-site registration. A small materials fee may apply for craft-based programs.
Hanseong Baekje Market
Running 11:00 AM–9:00 PM throughout the festival, the market stays open after both concerts end, making it a useful wind-down spot. Regional Korean food stalls, artisan goods, and small-batch local products are the main draws. The market also hosts a pet-friendly gathering zone, quirky competitions, and pop-up consultation and craft sessions. English menus may be limited — the phrase “이거 주세요” (i-geo ju-se-yo / “one of this, please”) with a pointed finger works well at most stalls.
Traditional Korean Performing Arts Stage
Separate from the headline K-pop concerts, the festival schedules traditional Korean performing arts (국악) and original theatrical productions based on Baekje history throughout the three days. This is the element that distinguishes the Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival from a standard K-pop outdoor concert: the historical content is genuinely woven in. According to the organizers, these productions have been a cornerstone of the festival since its founding 26 years ago.
3. Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival vs. Seoul Drone Light Show (Han River) at a Glance
| Category | Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival | Seoul Drone Light Show (Han River) |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | 3 days (Oct 23–25) | 3 times per year (Sep, Oct, Oct) |
| Venue | Olympic Park 88 Lawn | Ttukseom Han River Park |
| Admission | Free | Free |
| Drone Scale | 900 drones | Varies by event |
| Concert Lineup | Loco · Davichi · Kep1er · Dynamic Duo | Concert and drone show held separately |
| Historical Content | Baekje costumes, original productions, market | None |
Where to Stay Near Olympic Park
Jamsil and Seokchon Area
The Jamsil and Seokchon neighborhoods, accessible via Subway Lines 2 and 8 from Jamsil Station, offer the widest range of accommodation near Olympic Park. Everything from budget guesthouses to full-service hotels is available within a short commute of the festival. Agoda and Booking.com both list properties by distance from Olympic Park, which is the most efficient way to filter options. Expedia also lists Jamsil-area hotels with flexible cancellation policies — useful if your travel plans are not yet fixed.
Apartment-Style Stays
For groups of three or more, apartment-type accommodation in the Songpa or Gangdong area often works out cheaper per person than a standard hotel room and provides kitchen access for late-night meals after the concerts. Airbnb has a strong listing density in this corridor; searching “near Olympic Park” filters results effectively.
If You Are Doing a Day Trip
Concerts end between 8:40 PM and 9:00 PM, at which point a large crowd heads for the subway simultaneously. Visitors departing Seoul by KTX or SRT should book a train departing no earlier than 10:00 PM from Seoul Station or Suseo Station to avoid a very uncomfortable rush. Booking train tickets in advance through Korail or Trip.com is recommended — last-minute weekend availability on popular routes is limited.
💡 Klook and Viator offer Seoul day-tour options that pair well with the festival — check for packages that combine Olympic Park with nearby attractions.
Trip.com allows joint KTX + hotel booking in a single transaction, which is useful for visitors planning around both the opening and closing concert nights. Expedia’s hotel map view makes it easy to gauge walking distance from the festival entrance.
Frequently Asked Questions
A. Yes, admission is free. The concerts, drone light show, and market are all free to attend. Some hands-on experience activities may charge a small materials fee.
A. The 900-drone light show is the closing segment of the opening concert on October 23 (7:00–8:50 PM) at Olympic Park 88 Lawn. No advance tickets are required — it is a free, outdoor public event.
A. Kep1er performs at the Hanseong Culture Concert (closing concert) on Sunday, October 25, 7:00–8:40 PM, together with Dynamic Duo. No tickets needed — free outdoor performance at Olympic Park 88 Lawn.
A. The festival runs Friday, October 23 through Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Olympic Park 88 Lawn, 424 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul. Nearest stations: Subway Line 5 Olympic Park Station (Exit 3) or Line 8 Mongchontoseong Station (Exit 1).
More to Explore
Spending the week in Seoul and looking for more autumn events? The Iksan Ten Million Chrysanthemum Festival kicks off the same weekend and pairs well with a Jeolla-region trip later in the week.
Traveling to Seoul from outside the capital by KTX or SRT? Check the timetable in advance — note that this page is in Korean, so your browser’s translate feature will help.
The detail that stood out most when putting this together: the closing concert ends around 8:40–9:00 PM, and the post-concert subway crowd at Olympic Park Station is significant. If you’re catching an intercity train home that night, build in at least an hour of buffer from the scheduled concert end. For the drone show, positioning yourself by 7:00 PM gives you a clear sightline — the 88 Lawn is large, but the best views go early.
Sources: Songpa-gu Office official announcements, 2026 Hanseong Baekje Cultural Festival official website, Visit Korea English page (October 2026).
en-event editor — covering Korean cultural events and festivals with information sourced from official announcements.
https://en-event.jhs29.com