Yeongdong Nangye Korean Traditional Music Festival
Oct 15 – Oct 18, 2026 · Chungcheongbuk-do
Overview
The Yeongdong Nangye Korean Traditional Music Festival is an annual performing arts festival dedicated to gugak, Korea’s traditional music and one of Yeongdong-gun’s most treasured cultural assets. The festival also honors the musical legacy of Nangye Park Yeon, one of Korea’s most renowned traditional musicians, while contributing to the preservation and promotion of traditional performing arts. Building on the achievements of the 2025 Yeongdong World Traditional Music & Arts Expo, the 57th festival seeks to introduce gugak, a treasured element of Korea's cultural heritage, to a wider global audience and contribute to a new wave of global interest in Korean culture. As Korea’s only festival dedicated to traditional Korean music, it offers a wide range of performances and hands-on programs that reinterpret traditional performing arts for contemporary audiences. Through programs that reflect the unique character of Yeongdong, the festival also helps transform local cultural resources into a tourism assets. At the same time, it encourages community participation, enhances cultural engagement among residents, and serves as a vibrant celebration of local unity.
Why go
This is Korea's only festival dedicated entirely to gugak (traditional Korean music), held to honor the legacy of musician Nangye Park Yeon. Now in its 57th year and building on the 2025 Yeongdong World Traditional Music & Arts Expo, it features traditional and fusion gugak, world folk dance, and children's performances over four days. It's a rare chance to see Korean traditional performing arts reinterpreted for modern audiences in a small-town, community-driven setting.
Getting there from Seoul
Yeongdong-gun lies on the Gyeongbu rail corridor in Chungcheongbuk-do, so trains from Seoul Station or Yongsan to Yeongdong station are the most direct option, with a short taxi or local bus onward to the Yeongdong Rainbow Healing Plaza venue. Intercity or express buses from Seoul's bus terminals to the Yeongdong terminal are an alternative if train times don't suit. Either route takes a couple of hours, so budget a half-day each way.
Tips
- Performances run 10:00–20:00 across the four festival days (Oct 15–18, 2026), so check the daily lineup before you go.
- General entry is free, but some programs charge separately, so confirm costs for anything beyond the main outdoor shows.
- The venue is an outdoor plaza, so dress for mid-October weather and bring a seat cushion for longer performance blocks.
Best for: traditional music fans, families, cultural travelers, photographers.
Program
Opening & Closing Ceremonies, Traditional Gugak Performances, Fusion Gugak Performances, World Folk Dance Performances, Children’s Performances
Photos
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization 
Photo: Korea Tourism Organization
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Dates and programs can change. Check the official site before you go. Official site