PHOTOS Block Party Music & Art Festival survives 5th year
Jun Bum Sun, frontman of the Yangbans, performs at an outdoor stage in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 13, for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival, which was held in partnership with Haebang Week. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Block Party Music & Art Festival 2026 took over central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon and Gyeongnidan neighborhoods last weekend, presenting over 100 music acts and other performing artists at 10 participating venues.
Now that the magic, glitter and even the hangovers are wearing off, here are photos of a very limited selection of the highlights from the three-day festivities.
Leenalchi performs at Togul in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 11, during an opening party for Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
A masked member of Bongcheon Nori Madang traditional dance troupe performs in the street of central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 12, during Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Sarah Mack, an American resident of the area, collects signatures in support of Hanshin Onggi next to a bare concrete wall in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 12. Clay pottery from the nearby store had lined this wall for decades, making it a local landmark until someone's complaint recently resulted in the pots being removed. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
The oddly named Italian band Little Boys performs at Sub Riot in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 12, for Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
The two members of Italian band Little Boys stand on the sidewalk in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 12, after performing for Block Party Music & Art Festival. The band still has about a dozen more shows planned across Korea, including Daegu, Busan, Jeju Island, Incheon, Anyang in Gyeonggi Province, Jeonju in North Jeolla Province and Geoje Island in South Gyeongsang Province. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Audience members surges forward as screamo band Palesticus performs at Subriot in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 12, during what was probably the most violent set at this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Reggae band Komagens performs at Subriot in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 12, for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Ryu Jin-suck of ska-punk band SKASUCKS shares the mic with audience members during a set at Pet Sounds in central Seoul's multicultural Gyeongnidan neighborhood, Sept. 12, for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Honey Jam Sam performs at Dialogue in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 12, for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Audience members overrun the stage as 18Fevers frontwoman Christmas Kwon takes to the floor at Sub Riot in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 12, for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Ray Ahn of the Australian punk band Hard-Ons shows up at central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 12, for his first show in the country of his birth. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Australian punk band Hard-Ons perform at Sub Riot in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 12, for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
A volunteer works traffic and crowd control next to an outdoor stage in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 13, for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival, which was held in partnership with Haebang Week. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
A member of reggae band Windy City blows into a giant musical instrument at an outdoor stage in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 13, during a performance for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival, which was held in partnership with Haebang Week. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Traffic passes between the crowd and the stage as the Yangbans perform in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 13, for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival, which was held in partnership with Haebang Week. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Jun Bum Sun, frontman of the Yangbans, crosses the street in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 13, during a performance for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival, which was held in partnership with Haebang Week. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
The Lavelies perform at Uplift in central Seoul's multicultural Gyeongnidan neighborhood, Sept. 13, for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Singer Xen Sapphire shows her Block Party artist badge after performing at Uplift in central Seoul's multicultural Gyeongnidan neighborhood, Sept. 13, for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
The band Lucy Valentine performs at Togul in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 13, for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Jamie Finn, the British main organizer of Block Party, looks up from his phone at Togul in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 13. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
Traditional folk singer Lee Hee-moon sings with the band OBSG at Togul in central Seoul's multicultural Haebangchon neighborhood, Sept. 13, during a very sweaty performance for this year's Block Party Music & Art Festival. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar
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