Seocho District to host Korea-France youth festival marking 140 years of ties
Summary
Seocho District will hold its third annual youth festival this Saturday at Banpo Han River Park and Yebitseom in southern Seoul, combining Korea’s National Youth Day with celebrations marking 140 years of Korea-France diplomatic ties. The 2026 Seocho Youth FESTA x Bonjour, Fete! runs from noon to 8 p.m. and is designed and run largely by young residents. The event includes 18 themed booths, evening performances, and awards for 10 winners of the district’s Real Youth Policy Top 10 competition. A district official said it was made together through the ideas and passion of young people.
Key Facts
- The festival takes place from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday at the picnic grounds of Banpo Han River Park and the outdoor stage at Yebitseom.
- It is the third annual youth festival organized by Seocho District.
- The event includes 18 themed booths divided into French and Korean culture zones.
- The district will award 10 winners of its Real Youth Policy Top 10 competition during the performance program.
- The festival is produced with the cultural organization Aim Arts & Culture.
A promotional poster for the 2026 Seocho Youth FESTA x Bonjour, Fete! / courtesy Seocho District
Seocho District will hold its third annual youth festival this Saturday, combining Korea's National Youth Day with celebrations marking 140 years of diplomatic relations between Korea and France.
"2026 Seocho Youth FESTA x Bonjour, Fete!" runs from noon to 8 p.m. Saturday at the picnic grounds of Banpo Han River Park and the outdoor stage at Yebitseom, a cluster of artificial islands on the Han River in southern Seoul.
Now in its third year, the festival is designed and run largely by young residents of the district. This year's event, produced with the cultural organization Aim Arts & Culture, blends Korean and French programming from midday into the evening.
Starting at noon, visitors can explore 18 themed booths split into French and Korean culture zones. The French side offers perfume-making, madeleine decorating, Parisian-style photos, caricature drawing and tarot readings.
The Korean zone includes K-pop-style beauty makeovers and workshops to make keyrings inlaid with mother-of-pearl, plus a traditional fried rice-cracker snack called "oranda."
A youth volunteer group known as the Seoripul Youth Crew helped design several booths, including a mock immigration checkpoint called the "World Tour Passport" and a station pairing French novels with drinks.
Performances begin at dusk on the Yebitseom stage, opening with the youth band Shall We Punk. The district will then present awards to 10 winners of its "Real Youth Policy Top 10" competition. A singer-songwriter from the Dream Engine talent agency, known for hits including "Shiny Star" and "Dear My X," will headline, followed by a performance marking the France-Korea anniversary.
A district official said the festival was "made together through the ideas and passion of young people" and invited residents to enjoy Korean and French culture on the Han River this weekend.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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