Evening concerts light up Seoul riverside
A performer plays at the floating stage at Yeouido Hangang Park. / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
By Lee Suh-yoon
Visitors to the Han River this month will be able to lie back along the river banks to enjoy outdoor evening concerts free of charge, as part of the city government's ongoing projects to benefit Seoul residents.
Every Friday and Saturday evening at the Mulbit (water light) Stage, a floating platform at Yeouido Hangang Park, the city will host music concerts of varying genres, including pop, R&B, jazz, rock and modern renditions of Korean traditional music, known as gukak.
The Han River, which runs through the middle of the capital, is the center of leisure and outdoor activities for Seoul residents.
The performances will start at 7 p.m. Fridays and 6 p.m. Saturdays, except for the last Saturday of September when the shows are scheduled from 4 p.m.
Some of the most anticipated events are gukak performances scheduled for Sept. 22 and 28, which will feature traditional instruments such as the gayageum and haegeum. The stage will also host a standup comedy show Sept. 21.
Residents can enjoy the outdoor performance lying down, as bean bags will be provided. Visitors can also bring along their own bean bags or picnic mats.
The music concerts will be followed by a screening of short K-drama clips entered in this year's Seoul International Drama Awards.
Visitors using public transportation can use exit two of Yeouinaru Station of subway Line 5 to reach the stage area.
On the same days, a set of smaller indoor concerts will take place further west along the river in a hall tucked beneath Gwangjin Bridge.
Inside the concert hall under Gwangjin Bridge, western Seoul. /Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
Here, visitors will be able to enjoy folk, pop, jazz and musical numbers with a panoramic view of the Han River sunset. The performances will be followed by a movie screening.
Due to limited space, online registration is needed at
. The website, while straightforward and easy to navigate, is only provided in Korean and requires a local phone number to apply for a spot.
“With the fresh autumn breeze, we hope families, couples and friends can enjoy cultural events together at different venues, each with their unique appeal,” said Park Ki-yong, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Han Riverside Program Division.
With the change of every season, the city provides different cultural events at the riverside for Seoul residents, including overnight DJ parties and swimming pool movie screenings this summer.