Dongdaemun District to host the '2026 Dongdaemun Festival' on car-free Janghan-ro on October 3

[Financial News] Seoul's Dongdaemun District is hosting a festival in the Janghan-ro area where citizens and local artists come together. Famous artists from the popular culture scene, such as Choi Jung-won and Jaurim, will also perform.
Dongdaemun District announced on the 30th that it will hold the ‘2026 Dongdaemun Festival’ on Janghan-ro on October 3. Under the theme of ‘A New Sprint of Culture,’ this year’s event will showcase various programs that reinterpret the historical significance of Janghan-ro through modern culture.
Janghan-ro is a road that starts from Cheonho-daero near Janghanpyeong Station in the south, passes through the interior of Jangan-dong, and continues northward. In the past, it was a vast plain surrounding Hongjecheon, and during the Joseon Dynasty, it was a place for raising and training horses. In modern times, it has transformed into a center of the automobile industry. Dongdaemun District plans to express this flow of change through street art that combines performances, exhibitions, and hands-on experiences.
Introduced for the first time this year, ‘The Day My Car Becomes a Shop (My Car Shop)’ is a program that reconstructs the history of the Jangandong automotive industry into citizen-participatory cultural content. As automotive businesses from the Cheonggyecheon Stream area relocated to Jangandong in the late 1970s, the area grew into the nation’s largest automotive parts and distribution hub.
On the day of the festival, citizens decorate their car trunks as shops or exhibition spaces to sell or display their collections, and share memories and stories related to the items with their neighbors. Beyond simple transactions, a venue for communication is created where the lives of residents are added to the history of Jangandong.
Top-tier artists who can be enjoyed by various generations will take the stage for the performances that will mark the grand finale of the festival. Diva Choi Jung-won, who debuted in the musical *Guys and Dolls* and has been active for 37 years, will kick off the festival with a musical gala concert. Following her, the rock band Jaurim is set to heat up the night on Janghan-ro with its signature energy.
Programs involving residents and local artists have also been expanded. Local artists and community groups operate civic experience spaces, while the District Women's Choir, District Boys and Girls Choir, Senior Yegrina Choir, and Dongdaemun District Fathers' Choir perform on the official stage.
Experience spaces combining play and relaxation are being created throughout Janghan-ro. These include the ‘DDM Roller Rink’ for roller skating on the asphalt, the ‘Lazy Floor’ where visitors can rest on large benches, and ‘Urban Camping’ for families to stay.
An electronic darts experience space jointly organized by the Korea Softdarts Association and PHOENIXDARTS will also open. Players affiliated with the association will provide free personalized instruction to citizens, and a tournament for darts enthusiasts from across the country will be held.
Dongdaemun District Mayor Choi Dong-min said, “We sought to capture the unique character of Dongdaemun District by developing the history and spatial characteristics of Janghan-ro into festival content,” adding, “I hope you will personally experience the ‘new surge of culture’ at Janghan-ro, where citizens and local artists come together.”
Meanwhile, on the day of the festival, vehicle traffic will be completely restricted from the intersection in front of the Woori Bank Jangan Branch to the Jangan-dong Intersection from midnight on October 3 to 4:00 AM on October 4. Visitors are advised to use Janghanpyeong Station on Subway Line 5 for convenience. Information on detour routes can be checked through navigation services such as TMAP, NAVER Map, and Kakao Map. All programs are free of charge.

[email protected] Lee Seol-young Reporter