Korea Events: Exhibitions, Pop-ups & Performances | NowHitz

A tuna takes the stage

The headline act is a live tuna-dismantling show by Chef Yang Seung-ho, billed as the country's No. 1 tuna master. You watch the big body come apart cut by cut.

There is also 'Today I'm the Auction King': learn the hand signals used at the market's auctions, then join a real one.

Saturday night is a concert

After the 6 p.m. opening ceremony on Oct. 24, the BLUE SEA concert brings Kim Yeon-ja, Kim Hyun-jung, Im Da-un and Ryu Won-jeong. Before that come the Chung-Ang University cheer squad Hurassi, Soonsu Dance Company and the 'Hidden Singer 3 Leaders'.

Oct. 25 has Nodeul Song Festival winners, 'Sea Trot LIVE' with Kim So-yu, Hong Dan-bi and Shin Seung-tae, and the closing event 'SEE YOU, SEA!'.

Eat, shop, make something

A Suhyup direct-sale sea market sells specialty products from across the country. Food booths and food trucks fill the market area, and the restaurants inside the market take 50% off the table-setting fee during the festival.

Craft workshops make mood lamps, beach bags, bracelets and keyrings. Kids get a wave playground, urban surfing and a sea-fishing pond, plus 'Bada Olympics' games such as rubber-boot archery.

Before you go

The venue is Noryangjin Fish Market and the Noryangjin soccer field beside it, 688 Noldae-ro, Dongjak-gu. The opening ceremony is at 6 p.m. on Oct. 24.

Admission, per-programme times and parking have not been published. Check the Dongjak-gu notice again before you head out.

123 works across five parks

The outdoor show of the 3rd Seoul Sculpture Festival places 123 works in five spots: Open Songhyeon Green Plaza, Ttukseom Hangang Park, Seoul Forest, Seoul Children's Grand Park and the Pungnap Fortress east wall. Seoul's news site lists the festival and outdoor exhibition as free.

The festival programs ended on Sept. 4, but the works stay until Nov. 30.

Jongno: 36 pieces on the lawn

Open Songhyeon Green Plaza in Jongno-gu holds 15 Seoul Sculpture Award winners and 21 invited works. It is about 300 m from Exit 1 of Anguk Station on Line 3.

There are benches, so it works as a walk with a rest stop.

On the Han: sculpture you sit on

Ttukseom Hangang Park in Gwangjin-gu has 31 pieces made to be sat on, lit up or played with. Jayang (Ttukseom Hangang Park) Station on Line 7, Exits 2 and 3, is closest.

After sunset the same works look different; one uses LED lighting.

Before you go

Scan the QR codes on the signboards for an audio guide. Evening programs such as the sculpture playground and busking ended in September.

The full map and artwork details are on the Sculpture City Seoul site (artinseoul.kr). For Songhyeon use Anguk Exit 1; for Ttukseom use Jayang Station.

Why this Sunday is the last one

The Ttubuk Ttubuk festival has run every Sunday for eight weeks, Sept. 6 to Oct. 25. This is the final one.

The Kyunghyang Shinmun reports that vehicle traffic on Jamsugyo will be fully banned from 00:00 on Oct. 26. It will be the first pedestrian-only bridge across the Han River.

From a 1976 road to a walking bridge

Jamsugyo opened as a road bridge in 1976. In 2008 two of its four lanes went to pedestrians and cyclists; now the rest follows.

You can still walk or cycle across during construction. Road paving in May-August next year will close the bridge to everyone. Plans also include 22 viewpoint areas and two glass-floor decks over the shipping channel.

What to eat and do on the 25th

Around 30 food trucks line up at the Moonlight Food Court every Sunday. The play zone, street-artist shows and the rainbow fountain (five 20-minute shows a day in October) are all there too.

A citizen reporter on Seoul's news site calls the 25th 'Jamsugyo Chicken Day', with several chicken brands in one place.

Before you go

The festival runs 2-10 p.m.; cars are kept off the bridge from noon to midnight. Parking at Banpo Hangang Park is tight and the city recommends public transit.

Buses 405 and 740 detour via Banpo Bridge. Some activities such as the Moonlight Workshop are paid, and the picnic-shelter tents need advance booking. Questions: Dasan Call Center, 120.

When and where

Local Trip Autumn Picnic runs Oct. 21 (Wed) to 25 (Sun), 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., on the rooftop of the Regional Tourism Antenna Shop, 119 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu. It is run by Seoul city and the Seoul Tourism Organization.

Admission is free and open to everyone. It is a one-minute walk from City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2) Exit 3.

Seven regions on one rooftop

Seven local governments from around Korea bring regional food and drink pop-ups plus autumn travel and festival information. It is an easy way to pick your next trip outside Seoul.

Every day

Around lunchtime there is 'Guseok Guseok Live' busking (noon to 1 p.m. on the schedule). From 1 to 4 p.m. you can make a keyring of a regional landmark, 100 a day.

An 'autumn picnic lunchbox' stamp tour runs across the rooftop: collect five or more stamps for a fallen-leaf bookmark (200 a day).

Coupons and a treasure hunt

At 'Sopung ganeun gil' on the first-floor plaza, 3,000-won coupons for the food pop-ups are handed out daily from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. (100 a day).

In the basement travel hall there is a treasure hunt (30 clues a day) with regional tourism goods as prizes.

Local liquor on Friday and Saturday

On Oct. 23 (Fri) and 24 (Sat), 4 to 5 p.m., there is a tasting of regional traditional liquors; book ahead through the Antenna Shop's Google form.

Inquiries: 02-3788-0883.

When and where

The 2026 Starlight Festival, run by Seoul Science Center with the Nowon Astronomy & Space Science Center, takes place Oct. 24 (Sat) and 25 (Sun) at Seoul Science Center in Nowon-gu.

Saturday runs 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. with a night opening and stargazing; Sunday runs 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Look, listen, make

The center of it is public stargazing with experts. Around it: a relay of astronomy talks, science craft booths where you make your own starlight piece, a special exhibition and workshops by artists in residence, a mystery-planet exploration event and guided exhibition tours.

Booking only for some

Stargazing and the exhibitions need no booking. The talks, workshops and planet event take separate reservations; craft booths are booked on site. Advance bookings come with a souvenir.

If it rains, only the stargazing is cancelled; everything else goes ahead.

Getting there

It is near Hagye Station (Line 7) Exit 3; local buses 1141, 1132 and 1221 also stop nearby. Inquiries: 02-970-4581.

When and how

Jamsugyo Chicken Day runs Sunday, Oct. 25, from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Jamsu Bridge and in Banpo Hangang Park. It is the finale of this autumn's car-free Jamsu Bridge festival.

The chicken table has two sittings, at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., 90 minutes each, about 1,000 people at a time and 2,000 in total.

Book online, pay on the bridge

Seats at the table are booked online in advance. You choose a menu from the participating brands when booking and pay when you pick it up on the day.

At the entrance you get a wristband in a color for fried or yangnyeom (sweet-spicy) chicken. Booking details are on the festival site (festa-ddooddoo.com) and its social media.

Whose chicken

Ten brands take part: Gamachi Tongdak, Giyeongi Sutbul Dumari Chicken, Mom's Touch, Mexicana, BBQ, Jadam Chicken, Puradak, Oneul Tongdak, Banpo Chicken and Sokcho Manseok Dakgangjeong.

A 'K-Chicken Belt' map of chicken spots across Korea is on display too.

The 'chimmelier': 25 districts, 25 pieces

From 2 p.m. for 90 minutes, the 'Jamsugyo Chimmelier' panel of 100 Korean and foreign tasters samples 25 pieces of chicken from hidden spots in Seoul's 25 districts and rates them.

Foreigners can apply. You must be able to eat up to 25 pieces and have no soy or wheat allergy. Apply through the festival site or its social media.

Before you go

Festival entry is free (some food and activities cost extra). The whole bridge is closed to cars on Sundays from noon to midnight, so take public transport.

This is the last festival in the 'car-free Jamsu Bridge' format: from midnight on Oct. 26 the bridge closes to all vehicles for construction as a pedestrian bridge.

When and where

Curtain Call Garden runs Oct. 15 to Nov. 8 in the Garden of Arts behind Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. It is open 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and closed on Mondays.

Admission is free and no reservation is needed. The name says it all: the night starts again outside the theater after the curtain falls.

Live jazz, Wednesday to Saturday

The music is programmed by the jazz club Janus. Shows run every Wednesday to Saturday, 15 in total over the season.

Expect straight-ahead jazz, bossa nova, blues and tango from the band Prelude, the four-piece Karina Nebula led by vocalist Malo, the jazz tango group Salon de Oh Soo-kyung and the street jazz orchestra Hontoni.

Show times and who plays when

The jazz sets run 6:30 to 7:20 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and 5 to 5:50 p.m. on Saturday. Club Janus, which programs them, opened in 1978 as one of Korea's first jazz clubs.

Still to come: Oct. 21 Na Hee-kyung Quartet, Oct. 22 Park Ra-on Quartet, Oct. 23 Yejin Angela Park Quartet, Oct. 24 Park Ji-eun Quartet, Oct. 28 Hontoni, Oct. 29 Maeil Nonet, Oct. 30 Kim Ga-on Trio, Oct. 31 Park Jae-hong Band, Nov. 4 Jungran Young&Beautiful, Nov. 5 Carina Nebula, Nov. 6 Trust and Nov. 7 Richman & Groove Nice.

The garden

The landscaping is by Orangerie, with seats and lights placed around the garden. It is part of Seoul's night-economy project, taking culture out of the concert halls so people linger in Gwanghwamun later.

A beer and a discount

Craft beer brand Euljimaegok and Korean food brand Yoon's Food Lab run booths. Hold a same-day Sejong Center ticket and food and drinks are 30% off; participating artists get 50% off.

A map of restaurants around Gwanghwamun is handed out too.

Before you go

It is close to exits 1 and 8 of Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5). Check the event page on Sejong Center's website before you go. Inquiries: Sejong Ticket, 02-399-1000.

It is an outdoor garden and the nights are getting cold. Bring a jacket.

From the hanok village to Palgakjeong

The start is the Cheonugak pavilion at Namsangol Hanok Village. The route follows the Namsan Park path through the Jamdubong Photo Island to the Namsan Palgakjeong pavilion, about 3 km.

The walk runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Nobody is timed or ranked, so this is a stroll, not a race.

Seven hundred wristbands in a line

Walkers wear an LED band on the wrist, what the city calls a "Light Walk". Groups are small and leave one after another, with safety staff at key points.

Each session is capped at 700 people, 1,400 across both nights. A dark mountain path dotted with wrist lights is the whole pitch.

No advance booking

There is no pre-registration. Sign-up opens on the day at 6 p.m. at the Namsangol Hanok Village venue, first come, first served until the cap is reached.

The city hopes walkers will drift into the shops around Namsan afterwards. In the Jung-gu "Sangsaeng Yajang" visit-certification event, 20 participants are drawn to receive a mobile drink coupon.

Before you go

The first session is Wednesday, Oct. 21, the second Saturday, Nov. 21. Registration opens at 6 p.m. both days.

The press release does not state a fee. The nearest subway station is Chungmuro on Lines 3 and 4.

When and where

'K-CRAFT, Ilsangi Doeda' (crafts become everyday) runs Oct. 24 (Sat) to Oct. 29 (Thu) at the Glass Pavilion of Yeonhui Jeongeum, 17-3 Yeonhuimat-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul. It is run by the Korea Heritage Service and its agency.

Hours are 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday to Thursday. Admission is free.

About 70 kinds, and you can buy them

Tableware, storage boxes, accessories, tea ware, stools, blankets and lighting: about 70 kinds of heritage crafts. It is not only a display; you can look closely and buy.

Some pieces come from the Korea Heritage Service's design collaboration program, which pairs holders of intangible heritage skills with designers working today.

Fill, adorn, rest

The space is split into three scenes of daily life. 'Chaeum' (fill) has bowls and cups for food and tea, plus boxes for keeping things. 'Kkumim' (adorn) has accessories, textiles and objects.

'Swim' (rest) is about downtime: tea, fans, warm textiles and soft lamps.

A photo freebie

Take a photo with your favorite piece and post a visit review to get a K-CRAFT eco bag and a dancheong-pattern phone grip, first come first served while they last.

Before you go

Opening day, Saturday Oct. 24, starts at 2 p.m. The notice does not list prices or payment methods for the items on sale.

Inquiries: the operations office, 02-736-3618 (weekdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m.).

Geumseong-ro, open since Oct. 18

The Korean character brand MUZIK TIGER opened its first permanent store on Geumseong-ro in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, on Oct. 18. It is run by Studio Muzik, a Daewon Media subsidiary, and is the brand's first offline store.

It opens every day of the year. The exact street address and opening hours were not yet in any official notice we could find.

What you can only buy here

The draw is the Gyeongju-only line: plush keyrings and magnets that pair Ddungrang-i with Gyeongju's heritage sites and landmarks.

Bestsellers such as laptop pouches, towels and stationery are on the shelves too.

Opening perks for two weeks

For two weeks after opening, every buyer gets a square sticker, and purchases of 100,000 won or more come with a large non-woven bag.

Followers of the official Instagram get a photo frame featuring Cheomseongdae and Ddungrang-i; how to claim it is posted there.

If you can't get to Gyeongju

The brand's official links include an International Shipping Store (en.muziktiger.com) for buying from abroad. Whether the Gyeongju-only items appear there has not been confirmed.

Lotte World 50% off, Seoul Sky 35% off

From Oct. 19 to 31, Lotte World gives visitors wearing hanbok 50% off admission. Seoul Sky takes 35% off its admission over the same dates.

On Saturday, Oct. 24, the National Gugak Center's Saturday Masterpiece Performance is half price. More than 410 venues in Korea and abroad take part this year.

Seven days around Hanbok Day

The 2026 Hanbok Culture Week runs Oct. 19-25, now in its ninth year, with Hanbok Day on Oct. 21 in the middle.

The main venue is the Open Plaza at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Admission is free.

It starts at Gyeongbokgung

On Oct. 19 at 11 a.m., the 'Wear Hanbok Properly' campaign launches near Gyeonghoeru pavilion in Gyeongbokgung, with 24 rental shops around the palace and 17 hanbok influencers.

From the same day you can take a hanbok quiz and see court hanbok and hanbok from K-dramas on display beside the pavilion. A multilingual booklet, 'Hanbok Story', and QR guides are handed out.

The norigae is a coupon

Tourists who wear traditional hanbok correctly at a participating rental shop receive a 'Hanbok Pass' norigae. Show it and you get 10-20% off at 27 businesses.

Named partners include the National Museum's 'Mu:ds' merchandise (through Oct. 25), tenants at Annyeong Insadong and Maetyu Jang Anguk (both through Dec. 31).

Kim Yoon-ah and a fashion show on the 21st

On Hanbok Day, Oct. 21, the opening ceremony runs from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the National Museum of Korea's Open Plaza. Jaurim's vocalist Kim Yoon-ah opens the show and the traditional performance group Yeonhui Connect Ieul closes it, with five hanbok brands staging a fashion show themed 'Hanbok Holding Light'.

In Daejeon, Hannam University Central Museum runs a danui (court robe) exhibition and a traditional knot keyring workshop on Oct. 19-25.

Before you go

The main venue is a walk from Ichon Station. The norigae is only handed out at participating rental shops, so ask before you rent.

The Lotte World deal is for visitors wearing hanbok. Reports do not say whether modern or everyday hanbok counts, so check Lotte World's notice first. Full schedules are on the official site (kcdf.or.kr/hanbokcultureweek).

Ten days, 18 affiliates

This is the seventh edition, themed 'the signature sale of Korea,' with 18 affiliates including Emart and Shinsegae Department Store.

Emart used to push specials only in the opening days. This year Emart, Traders, Emart Everyday and No Brand keep them going to the end.

Half-price Hanwoo and a whisky in royal robes

Emart's 'half-price Hanwoo,' planned with Hanwoo farms six months ahead, takes 50% off regular Hanwoo and up to 50% off branded Hanwoo.

On the liquor side, the headliner is the Emart-exclusive Glenallachie 16 Year Korea Exclusive Limited Edition, dressed in a royal-robe design at 199,800 won. Shinsegae L&B launches Shafer Founder's Pass, the first exclusive line from the US winery, at 99,000 won.

Fashion, beauty and home: up to 70% off

Shinsegae Live Shopping and Shinsegae International cut popular fashion and beauty items by up to 70%. Shinsegae Duty Free takes up to 70% off beauty, fashion and liquor such as Lancôme, and up to 60% off luxury brands such as Tory Burch.

Shinsegae Casamia marks fabric sofas and leather beds down by up to 50%, and Josun Hotel takes 30% off a three-piece diffuser collection. At Shinsegae Department Store the Adidas entry-level running shoe Galaxy Run hits its lowest price.

Aimed at travelers too

Shinsegae has teamed up with Agoda, WeChat Pay and Xiaohongshu. Travelers get SSG Day notices and vouchers while searching for travel info, booking a stay and paying.

It is a way to slot SSG Day into a visitor's shopping plan.

Before it opens

The 'Master Signature 369 vote' runs on the SSG.COM app and website until before Oct. 30; the more days you vote, the bigger the benefit. The Shinsegae Point app gives points just for checking the SSG Day schedule.

The ads go public on Oct. 19 on the group's official YouTube and Instagram, starring Ha Jung-woo and others. A Shinsegae spokesperson said: "We have prepared so that this year's SSG Day, too, lives up to its reputation as the nation's shopping festival."