2026 Gyeongju Golden Carnival

About the festival

The 2026 Gyeongju Golden Carnival boldly eliminates the main stage centered around Bonghwangdae and is planned as a festival utilizing various vacant spaces such as closed movie theaters and the old downtown area under the concept of 'OFF THE STAGE'. Instead of having one large stage, multiple small LIVE spaces are created. It is a festival designed for the audience to 'discover' performances rather than 'arrive' at a venue. The 5-minute journey between performance venues, the cafes and restaurants stumbled upon by chance, and other audience members encountered in alleys become part of the festival, where "the moment you stay turns the old downtown into a performance venue." Local food and beverage offerings are not just simple side events but devices that harmonize the rhythm between performances. In the cycle of listening to music, eating, walking, and returning, the audience experiences a new way of using Gyeongju's old downtown. The moment when old theaters, vacant stores, and alleys that were passed by out of familiarity meet music and shine again, and when the vitality of Hwanglidangil connects with the time of Geumlidangil, another path connecting the past and present is created in Gyeongju.

Source: Korea Tourism Organization · TourAPI · TourAPI 3062300