The Seoul Street Arts Festival is an annual festival held across

Seoul, South Korea Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...

, and organized by the Seoul Foundation for Arts & Culture. It is the country’s largest street art festival, with performances from local and international artists. While the festival is free, some performances now require advanced reservation as they have limited seating. There is an official program of select artists, but there are also many off program performances to enjoy as well. The festival began in 2003 as the ''Hi! Seoul Festival'' showcasing a wide array of cultural and art performances. By 2013, the focus was narrowed to street art performances. The name was changed to the ''Seoul Street Arts Festival'' in 2016 to reflect this focus. As it has grown, the festival has become the center for contemporary street arts in Asia, giving acts chances for global recognition. The event includes interactive activities to encourage public involvement, rounding out the captivating cultural experience. The festival takes place across central Seoul at iconic locations such as: *

Seoul Plaza Seoul Plaza () is a central plaza located in front of Seoul City Hall at Taepyeongno, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea. It was reopened on 1 May 2004, by Seoul Metropolitan Government, with the purpose of providing the public an open space. It ...

* Nodeul Island * Cheonggye Plaza *

Gwanghwamun Square Gwanghwamun Square (), a.k.a. Gwanghwamun Plaza, is a public square located in Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul, in front of Gyeongbokgung. Serving as a public space and, at times, a road for centuries of Korean history, it is also historically signif ...

* Deoksugung Doldam-gil * Seoul Museum of Art * Seoul City Hall In 2024, the festival took place over the

Chuseok Chuseok (; , ), also known as Hangawi (; ; from Old Korean, "the great middle f autumn), is a major mid-autumn harvest festival and a three-day holiday in South Korea celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunisolar calendar on the ...

holiday, with many displays showing tribute to the Year of the Rabbit. There were 77 Official Program performances and with over 300 artists representing eight countries. The Seoul Street Arts Festival has gained widespread recognition for its contribution to the arts and cultural landscape of South Korea. By fostering artistic exchange and promoting street performances, it has become a significant platform for both local and international artists. Through its continued efforts, the festival supports the growth and appreciation of street arts while enhancing Seoul’s cultural vibrancy.

Gallery of Hi! Seoul Festival events

Image:Korea-Hi Seoul Festival-2006-11.jpg, Parade Image:Korea-Hi Seoul Festival-2006-10.jpg, ''Girisi juldarigi'' (기리시 줄다리기), ''juldarigi'' (

tug of war Tug of war (also known as tug o' war, tug war, rope war, rope pulling, or tugging war) is a sport in which two teams compete by pulling on opposite ends of a rope, with the goal of bringing the rope a certain distance in one direction against ...

) originated in Girisi region of

Dangjin Dangjin (; ) is a city in South Chungcheong Province, South Korea. It stands on the south shore of the Bay of Asan. Dangjin borders Incheon, Pyeongtaek, and Hwaseong by sea, and Seosan, Yesan, and Asan by land. Its name means " Tang ferry," a ...

country,

South Chungcheong Province South Chungcheong Province (), informally called Chungnam, is a Administrative divisions of South Korea, province of South Korea in the Hoseo region in the southwest of the Korean Peninsula. South Chungcheong borders the provinces of Gyeonggi to ...

Image:Korean dance-Bukcheong Saja Noreum-03.jpg, ''Bukcheong Sajanori'' (lion mask dance of Bukcheong region) Image:Korea-Seoul-Janggu-01.jpg, '' Nongak'' performer with ''

janggu The ''janggu'' (, also transliterated as ''janggo'' or ''changgo'') or ''seyogo'' () is a drum often used in traditional Korean music. It consists of an hourglass-shaped body with two heads made from various types of leather. The two heads pr ...

'' Image:Korea-Hi Seoul Festival-2006-13.jpg, Calligraphy Image:Korea-Hi Seoul Festival-2006-02.jpg, '' Namsadangpae'' (남사당패), Korean itinerant troupes consisting of male performers Image:Korea-Hi Seoul Festival-2006-06.jpg, ''Salpurichum'' (살풀이춤), Korean traditional dance aimed to exorcise evil spirits Image:Korea-Hi Seoul Festival-2006-14.jpg, Fireworks

References

External links

SSAF Official siteSSAF Instagram

SSAF youtube

Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture

Official visitKorea
Festivals in Seoul {{SouthKorea-culture-stub