Korea Events: Exhibitions, Pop-ups & Performances | NowHitz · 11

The festival

Thick cabbage stems, green young-radish leaves and cabbage in broth: each kind of kimchi differs in texture, seasoning and ripeness.

The 33rd Gwangju Kimchi Festival runs from 23 to 25 October 2026 around the Gwangju government complex. Admission is free; the Kimchi Experience School charges separately.

Seafood in white kimchi

Red cabbage kimchi and baek-kimchi, or white kimchi, differ first in colour. The National Institute of Crop and Food Science’s seasoning comparison gives a white-kimchi formula without red-chilli powder but with jeotgal, salted fermented seafood. A pale colour does not mean a dish has no animal ingredients.

Yeolmu-kimchi uses both the leaves and stems of young radish. The photographs illustrate kimchi varieties and are not a confirmed festival tasting menu.

Heat and sourness

The World Institute of Kimchi explains that organic acids produced by lactic-acid bacteria contribute to kimchi’s sour taste, so ripeness changes the flavour even when the vegetable is the same.

Kimchi just mixed in a workshop tastes different from a well-fermented batch. Staff give guidance on storing and eating the kimchi participants make.

Gwangju’s seasoning

The organizer’s introduction to Gwangju and Jeonnam food culture highlights ingredients including fermented anchovies, anchovy fish sauce and glutinous-rice paste, so a vegetable dish can carry flavours from the sea. This is a regional tendency, not a uniform recipe.

Visitors avoiding seafood, nuts or other ingredients should name them specifically to vendors. A useful question is “젓갈이 들어가나요?” meaning “Does it contain fermented seafood?” Appearance and names cannot establish allergen safety or suitability for vegetarians.

Lounge and kimchi school

The foreign-visitor lounge runs sessions on the lawn plaza between 10 AM and 6 PM on all three days. The official programme lists venue guidance, kimchi tasting, a look at pickling cultures around the world and pumpkin injeolmi rice cakes.

At the Kimchi Experience School, participants mix 1 kg of kimchi and make rice balls with pickled Mudeungsan watermelon. The 30-minute sessions begin daily at 1:30, 2:30, 3:30, 4:30 and 5:30 PM. Advance booking is through Naver, with walk-ins only if places remain, and a take-home container is provided. An open booking page does not guarantee a place.

Cheon-in-ui Bapsang

The Cheon-in-ui Bapsang food area in the outdoor auditorium plaza opens 10 AM to 8 PM. This year’s official menu lists aged-kimchi oil pasta, kimchi-mayo chả giò and pork boiled with mustard-leaf kimchi and doenjang, showing kimchi as an ingredient rather than a side dish. Menus may change, and meals cost extra.

Transport, booking, enquiries

The venue is at 111 Naebang-ro, Seo-gu. Official directions give a walk of about 25–30 minutes from Sangmu Station exit 4 or Uncheon Station exit 3. The City Hall bus stop is nearby.

Experience School fees and session conditions are on the official linked booking page. Operating languages, interpretation and foreign-card acceptance are not confirmed in published information. The separate master class lists eligibility as “대한민국 성인 누구나,” adults of South Korea, so foreign nationals need to check with the festival office on 062-613-3955, open 10 AM–6 PM.

Busan and Seoul dates

Citing S&Co on 12 October, Newsis reported a run at Busan’s Dream Theatre from 17 December 2026 to 16 January 2027, followed by Seoul’s Sejong Center from 21 January to 20 March 2027. A Segye Ilbo article posted on S&Co’s official website also gives the December-Busan, January-Seoul order.

The show

Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote Hamilton’s book, music and lyrics, drawing on Ron Chernow’s biography Alexander Hamilton. The musical tells the story of the American founding-era figure through hip-hop, jazz, R&B and other styles.

A world tour starting in Asia

Crossroads Live UK, general manager of the new world tour, says the multi-year itinerary will begin in Asia in late 2026. Adventureland LLC is the producer. The Korean engagement is part of that Asian launch.

Casting and tickets to come

According to the 12 October Newsis report, casting and the first ticket-sale opening will be announced later; S&Co’s official website will post updates. The accompanying image shows creator Miranda at San Diego Comic-Con in 2019 and does not indicate that he will appear on the Korea tour.

Four chapters, about 140 works

The show moves through four chapters—language, logic and action; objects and language; mapping and measurement; and coordinators of signs—to reread conceptual practice in Korean contemporary art. About 140 works and archival materials are on view.

Visitor information

The exhibition runs through October 11 in B1 Galleries 6 and 7 and the Museum Yard at MMCA Seoul. The official exhibition page lists admission at KRW 2,000. Same-day operating notices are posted on the official page.

Five days at five sites

Performances, exhibitions, hands-on activities and historical reenactments are spread across the four palaces and Jongmyo. Walk-in programs such as Royal Palace Playroom run alongside programs that require advance reservations.

Royal Palace Playroom, 10 a.m.–5 p.m.

Royal Palace Playroom runs as a walk-in program at Nakseonjae Hall in Changdeokgung from October 7 to 11, with a lunch break from 12:30 to 1 p.m. It is open to all ages and free, though palace admission is charged separately.

Each person may take part once. The program may close early if supplies run out and may be scaled back or canceled if rain is forecast during operating hours.

Brands and coupons

MUSINSA lists more than 60 participating brands, along with pop-ups and archive sales. A first-come 10% cart coupon applies to purchases of KRW 70,000 or more, capped at KRW 10,000, through October 19.

Beauty Week coupon

The 15% Beauty Week coupon applies to purchases of KRW 70,000 or more and is capped at KRW 15,000. It is valid only on eligible beauty items at the Seongsu and Yongsan megastores.

More than 200 brands

More than 200 fashion, living and sports brands are taking part. Selected autumn new arrivals are discounted by up to 60% from their original prices.

Eligible items and stock vary by store.

Pangyo Beauty Festa

The Beauty Festa on the B1 floor of the Pangyo Store runs October 2–8 with 48 brands. Hyundai says selected cosmetics are discounted by up to 70%.

Coupons and payback

The daily random gift includes coupons worth up to 50% off, capped at KRW 110,000. Coupon packs of 5% and 11% are also offered.

Purchase-based payback reaches 10%, with an extra 11% on 20 selected brands.

End dates

The special-price program, covering about 1,300 items from around 220 brands, ends at 9:59 a.m. on October 9. The overall campaign runs to October 13, with BEAKER live shopping scheduled for October 12.

All Day Air launched Sept. 15

All Day Air uses down-proof ultralight nylon and real duck down and comes with a storage bag. The series includes hooded down jackets, technical padding and down vests.

Beanpole labels and KUHO Plus also expanded their lightweight outerwear.

Demand at SSF SHOP

From August 20 through September 27, lightweight-padding buyers on SSF SHOP rose 101% year over year, and customers adding the items to carts rose 384%. Sales of colored lightweight padding increased 82%.

Title and theme

The title comes from the final line of Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem Archaic Torso of Apollo. The Biennale treats change as an ongoing practice shaped by repetition, perception and relationships rather than a single decision.

Hours and closures

The main exhibition is at the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall through November 15, open 10:00 to 18:00. It is closed Mondays, though the official guide lists September 7 and October 5 as special open Mondays.

Light and laser art

The festival sets light- and laser-based works against Nodeul Island’s riverside nightscape. The video shown is an official on-site video released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Hours

The festival runs through October 11, open 18:30–22:30. Because it is outdoors, weather and on-site conditions can change individual programs. Changes are posted in the city’s official notices.

A fan-participation pop-up

The event brings the concept of IVE’s new album into an offline space through hands-on fan programs. A premiere and talk tied to the title-track release is planned for October 19.

Official album teaser

The ‘IVE THEATER ｜ NOW SHOWING’ video shown is an official IVE album teaser, not footage from the pop-up.