Jongno District to Host Insadong Antique & Art Fair from October 1 to 4

Antiques, Tea, and Craft All in One Place

Jongno District Office in Seoul (Chief Yoo Chan-jong) announced on September 28 that from October 1 to 4, the 39th Insadong Traditional Culture Festival, the "2026 Insadong Antique & Art Fair," will be held across the Insadong area, including the Insa Art Plaza and Annyeong Insadong.

Visitors at the Insadong Antique & Art Fair last September. Provided by Jongno District.

This festival, organized by the Insadong Traditional Culture Preservation Association, will feature an opening ceremony, an antique fair, tea and craft exhibition, and art fair, accompanied by various side events such as traditional Korean music (gugak) busking, traditional framing demonstrations, and K-food experiences. On the first day, October 1, the festival will officially begin with a large calligraphy performance at 1:30 p.m., followed by a celebratory performance and the opening ceremony at 2:00 p.m.

The Antique Fair, now in its fifth year, will be held on the first basement and ground floors of Insa Art Plaza. It will showcase traditional Korean antiques such as musical instruments, ceramics, furniture, and ornaments, as well as rare collectibles sourced from overseas. On the second floor, the Art Fair will present both traditional artworks like Minhwa (Korean folk painting) and works from emerging artists, while docent-led gallery tours will take place across Insadong.

The Tea and Craft Exhibition will be held on the third and fourth floors of Insa Art Plaza, as well as at Annyeong Insadong Square, introducing traditional teas, teaware, and handicrafts. Visitors will have the opportunity to sample traditional teas from various regions of Korea. Special guest exhibitions, including the Geumdang Tea Association Exhibition, will also be featured. Throughout the streets, there will be gugak busking, traditional framing demonstrations, K-food experiences, and a pottery exhibition by young artists.

Chief Yoo Chan-jong of Jongno District stated, "I hope this festival serves as an opportunity to reaffirm the value of our traditional culture and art," adding, "I also look forward to this event strengthening the competitiveness of traditional cultural businesses in the area, while highlighting Insadong’s unique cultural significance, going beyond merely preserving tradition."

Visitors at Insadong Antiques & Art Fair. Provided by Jongno-gu.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.