Seoul Light Festival 2026 at Nodeul Island (Oct 2–11)
Checked Sept 24, 2026
This year's Seoul Light Hangang festival runs from Oct 2 to Oct 11, 2026, every night from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., on Nodeul Island (노들섬) in the middle of the Han River. Entry is free and you don't need a ticket for the island. The only thing you book is the 7:30 p.m. concert. Take the subway: Line 9 Nodeul Station, then a 700 m walk across Hangang Bridge.
The festival moves to a different spot on the river every year, so last year's directions will send you to the wrong place. Here is the 2026 version, with the details the Korean announcements don't spell out in English.
Jump to: What it is · Dates and hours · Booking · Which night · Getting there · FAQ
What is the Seoul Light Hangang festival?
It is a free night festival of laser art and media art along the Han River, run by the Seoul city government. In Korean it is called 서울라이트 한강 빛섬축제, roughly "Seoul Light Han River light-island festival". This is its fourth year, and it has moved every time:
- 2023: Seoraeseom, near Banpo
- 2024: Yeouido
- 2025: Ttukseom
- 2026: Nodeul Island
This year has 12 laser and media artworks, the most so far. Earlier editions had 6, 6 and 7. The featured pieces include work by Taiwanese artist Aka Chang and the Italian group Quiet Ensemble, alongside Korean artists.
The timing is good for Nodeul. A new riverside park around the edge of the island opened on Sept 18, with gardens and a 1.5 km loop path, and the festival is set up along it.
Dates and hours
- Friday, Oct 2 to Sunday, Oct 11, 2026
- 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. every night
- Free, with no ticket needed to walk the island
Sunset in Seoul in early October is around 6:10 p.m., so the lights come on just after dark. All 12 artworks run for the whole festival. The official site doesn't list show times for each piece, so any time after 6:30 works.
Do you need to book?
Only for one thing: the main concert at Nodeul Live House, from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.
- 300 people per night, all standing, free, first come first served
- People with a booking go in between 7:00 and 7:30. After 7:30, staff may let people in without one.
- Acts: Ppakki (DJ and media art) on Oct 2, 5, 7 and 10; CIFIKA (electronic pop) on Oct 3 and 4; MUTO (geomungo zither with electronics) on Oct 8 and 9
Which night should you go?
The artworks are the same every night. The difference is the extra stage events, and most of them land on the last three nights:
- Fri Oct 9 (Hangul Day, a public holiday): a science talk at 6:30, a light-up student fashion show at 7:00, and a charity stage at 7:20
- Sat Oct 10: another talk at 6:30 and a charity stage at 7:00
- Sun Oct 11: closing charity stage at 7:30
If you want the lights with fewer people, go on a weekday early in the run. Tuesday, Oct 6 has no concert at all.
On Sunday, Oct 4, the Jamsugyo bridge near Banpo closes to cars from noon to midnight for a food-truck street with about 85 trucks. You can eat there in the afternoon and head to Nodeul after dark.
How to get to Nodeul Island
Subway (easiest): Line 9 to Nodeul Station (노들역), exit 2. Walk about 700 m north onto Hangang Bridge. The island is halfway across.
From the north side: take Line 1 to Yongsan or Line 4 to Sinyongsan (신용산역). Then take a bus from the Sinyongsan stop to the Nodeulseom (노들섬) stop. Buses 150, 151, 152, 500, 501, 504, 506, 507, 605, 750A, 750B, 751, 752 and 6211 all stop there.
Free shuttle: Korean news reports a free shuttle loop from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., every 15 minutes: Sinyongsan exit 4, then Nodeul Island, Nodeul exit 2 and Noryangjin exit 3.
Cruise from Yeouido: a special boat runs between Yeouido pier and Nodeul Island from 3:30 to 10:00 p.m., 4 times on weekdays and 8 times on weekends. If you take it, parking at Yeouido Hangang Park is free all day. The fare hadn't been announced when I checked.
Don't drive to the island. Nodeul's small car parks may be closed during events, and part of the old parking area became a garden this month.
Place names to know
| English | Korean | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Nodeul Island | 노들섬 | The festival, bus stop name |
| Nodeul Station | 노들역 | Line 9, exit 2 |
| Hangang Bridge | 한강대교 | The bridge the island sits under |
| Sinyongsan Station | 신용산역 | Line 4, buses and shuttle |
| Noryangjin Station | 노량진역 | Lines 1 and 9, shuttle |
| Yeouido pier | 여의도 선착장 | Festival cruise |
| Seoul Light Hangang festival | 서울라이트 한강 빛섬축제 | Searching Korean maps and news |
FAQ
Is the Seoul Light festival free?
Yes. Walking the island and seeing the artworks is free. The concert is free too, but it needs a booking.
What time should I arrive?
Any time after 6:30 p.m. Everything runs until 10:30. For the concert, booked guests go in from 7:00.
Is it the same as the drone show?
No. The Oct 9 drone light show is at Ttukseom, far from Nodeul Island.
Where was it last year?
Ttukseom Hangang Park in 2025. It moves every year, so check the location before you go.
Things I could not confirm yet:
- When concert booking opens. It wasn't announced as of Sept 23.
- The cruise fare.
- Whether there is any parking on the island during the festival.
- The free shuttle comes from a news report, not the festival site.
Sources
- 2026 Seoul Light Hangang festival official site: program and booking notice
- Seoul Metropolitan Government media hub and Newspim, festival announcement (Sept 21, 2026)
- Nodeul Island official site: directions and parking
- Kyeonggi News1, new Nodeul riverside park (Sept 17, 2026)
- Seoul Future Hangang Headquarters: 2023, 2024 and 2025 festival notices
- Seoul city: Hangang drone light show, second half of 2026
— Aslan
Comments
Post a Comment