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Hi, I’m SeoulAslanNamsan Night Festival 2026: Dates, Booking for Foreigners
Checked Oct 11, 2026
The 2026 Namsan Night Festival runs on Namsan in Seoul from Oct 23 to Nov 14, and every program needs a booking: the Campnic picnic or tent night at Baekbeom Square and the Autumn Foliage Walk from Yejang Park (booking from Oct 12, 10:00 KST), and the Palgak Club silent DJ night on Nov 14 (booking from Nov 2, 10:00 KST). Each one takes a refundable deposit: 10,000 won per Campnic team, 5,000 won per person for the Walk and the Palgak Club. The festival has an English site, but booking runs through Naver Booking, and the organizers do not say whether foreign visitors can book there, so ask them before booking day.
I'm from Korea and I hike about twice a month, so a night walk on Namsan's forest paths is what caught my eye. The festival has not started yet, so this guide comes from the festival's own pages and Seoul city's notice, not from a visit. If you want the tower's history and ticket prices first, read the N Seoul Tower guide.
Jump to: What it is · Can foreigners book? · Campnic · Autumn Foliage Walk · Palgak Club · Getting there · If you miss out · FAQ
What is the Namsan Night Festival?
It is an autumn night festival on Namsan run by Seoul city, with three programs. The festival's English site describes it as new nighttime experiences amid Namsan's nature and night views. Seoul Metropolitan Government's October notice lists the Parks and Leisure Projects Division of the Garden City Bureau as the organizer. Dates, places and deposits below match on the festival site and in the Seoul Parks notice of Oct 7.
| Program | Dates | Time | Where | Deposit | Booking opens | Capacity (Seoul notice) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Namsan Campnic (남산 캠프닉) | Oct 23, 24, 30, 31, Nov 6, 7 | 17:00–22:00 | Baekbeom Square | 10,000 won per team | Oct 12, 10:00 KST | 100 teams a day, up to 4 people per team |
| Autumn Foliage Walk (단풍 산책) | Oct 23, 24, Nov 6, 7 | 16:00–21:00 | Starts at Yejang Park | 5,000 won per person | Oct 12, 10:00 KST | 700 people a day |
| Palgak Club (팔각 클럽) | Nov 14 | 17:30–19:00 and 19:30–21:00 | Palgakjeong Pavilion near N Seoul Tower | 5,000 won per person | Nov 2, 10:00 KST | 300 people per session |
The deposit is paid when you book and, per the festival site, refunded after your attendance is confirmed on the day. The Seoul notice adds a footnote that the booking opening time differs by week, so open the booking page on Oct 12 and check which dates are available. Seoul's monthly event plan shows a shorter version of the festival (Oct 23–24 and Oct 30–31, 16:00–23:00). Use the program dates and hours in the table, which come from the festival site and the Seoul Parks notice.
Can foreigners book the Namsan Night Festival?
The organizers do not say either way. Nothing on the festival's pages mentions foreign visitors, identity verification or a Korean phone number. Here is what is confirmed, and what to ask.
- The festival site has an English version. The English pages (namsannightfestival.com/2026/en) repeat the dates, places, deposits, directions and the participation guidelines for Campnic and the Walk. The Palgak Club page says detailed program information is coming soon.
- Booking runs on Naver Booking. The "Apply in Advance" button on both the Korean and the English pages opens a Naver Booking page. Use that button on the festival site, not a third-party listing.
- Naver has a passport route for foreign visitors. Naver announced on June 9, 2026 that foreign users with a passport issued outside Korea can verify themselves with their passport on a smartphone, without a Korean mobile number, and use travel services such as Naver Booking and ordering through Naver Map (Naver press release). How Koreans find local restaurants covers Naver Map.
- Not stated anywhere I could find: whether this event's booking page accepts a passport-verified account, which language the page shows, and which cards can pay the deposit.
So before booking day, email or phone the organizers and ask those three things. Their English page lists namsannightfestival@gmail.com and 070-5226-0759, open 10:00 to 18:00 KST with a lunch break from 12:30 to 13:30. If you need passport verification in Naver, set it up before the booking opens rather than at 10:00.
How does Namsan Campnic work?
Campnic is a picnic night with music and films at Baekbeom Square, 17:00 to 22:00 on six days. The program lists Namsan Sunset FM, Moonlight Live (street performances) and Starlight Cinema. When you book, you pick a type: camping in the Tent Zone or a picnic in the Mat Zone.
- Check-in. You confirm your reservation at the registration desk before entering. Staff assign your exact space on the day.
- On-site sign-up. If spaces remain after advance booking closes, on-site registration is available.
- What to bring. You can rent a Campnic package: 1 camping table, 4 camping chairs, 1 lantern and 2 blankets. You may bring your own items, except tents, tarps and picnic mats. Open-flame heaters and cooking equipment are not allowed.
- Food. Outside food and food delivery are allowed. Delivery riders cannot enter, so you pick the order up at the designated pickup zone.
- Filming. Personal photos and video are fine. Commercial filming, live streaming and professional equipment are restricted.
- Weather. The festival says it may be cancelled in rain or snow and that hours or programs can change in strong wind or cold. Cancellations are posted on the festival site. Showtimes can also change, so check the notices before you go.
- Cold. The festival asks you to bring thick jackets, gloves and scarves.
What is the Autumn Foliage Walk like?
It is a guided night walk that starts at Yejang Park and ends somewhere else, on one of two courses. The festival site gives the course details in English.
| Course | Dates | Distance and time | Route | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course 1 | Oct 23, 24 | 3.8 km · about 1 hr 30 min | Yejang Park → North Circular Road (북측순환로) → Jangchung Gymnasium → Namsan Park Visitor Information Center → Namsan Sky Forest Trail → Namsan Library entrance | 3 of 5 · includes the barrier-free Sky Forest Trail |
| Course 2 | Nov 6, 7 | 4.2 km · about 2 hr | Yejang Park → North Circular Road → Jangchung Gymnasium → Visitor Information Center → Northern Forest Trail → Namsangol Hanok Village | 5 of 5 · a long run of downhill stairs that can strain knees |
- Be on time. Check in at the registration desk at Yejang Park before your group's departure time. Anyone arriving after 6:00 PM counts as a no-show: no walk and no refund of the deposit.
- Wear the ID item. Staff hand out a participant ID item at check-in, and you must wear it throughout.
- Shoes. The festival recommends non-slip sneakers or trekking shoes, since stairs can be slippery with fallen leaves.
- No luggage storage. There is none along the route, and the start and finish are in different places, so plan your trip home first. Course 1 ends at the Namsan Library entrance and Course 2 at Namsangol Hanok Village.
- Not a race. The festival says the walk is for the leaves and the night views. Running and unsafe overtaking are not allowed, because other people use the trails too.
- Minors. Minors need a parent or guardian's consent to register.
What is the Palgak Club?
It is a silent DJ night at the Palgakjeong Pavilion near N Seoul Tower on Saturday, Nov 14, in two sessions: 17:30 to 19:00 and 19:30 to 21:00. Booking opens Nov 2 at 10:00 KST with a 5,000 won per person deposit. The Seoul notice puts capacity at 300 people per session. The English page says detailed program information is coming soon.
How do you get to the festival sites?
The festival recommends public transport. It does not provide parking passes or cover parking fees. Private cars are also restricted on Namsan: the N Seoul Tower site says general vehicle access has been restricted since May 1, 2005.
The Namsan shuttle bus 01A stops at Baekbeom Square and at N Seoul Tower, according to the route list on the N Seoul Tower site. It runs every 9 minutes from 06:30 to 23:00 and costs 1,500 won, by transportation card per the tower's English page. You board at Chungmuro Station (Lines 3 and 4) or Dongguk Univ. Station (Line 3). Bus 01B stops at N Seoul Tower too, every 14 minutes. More on both buses and the cable car is in the N Seoul Tower guide.
| # | Place | Festival listing | Naver Map |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baekbeom Square (백범광장) | Campnic · 100-115 Hoehyeon-dong 1-ga, Jung-gu | Open |
| 2 | Namsan Yejang Park (남산예장공원) | Walk start · 5-22 Juja-dong, Jung-gu | Open |
| 3 | Palgakjeong Pavilion (남산 팔각정) | Palgak Club · 8-1 Yejang-dong, Jung-gu | Open |
| 4 | Namsan Library (남산도서관) | Walk Course 1 finish | Open |
| 5 | Namsangol Hanok Village (남산골한옥마을) | Walk Course 2 finish | Open |
What if you miss out on a slot?
Two other ways to see Namsan at night, neither needing this festival's booking.
- Seoul's free guided night walk. Seoul Guided Walking Tour has a [Night Course] Namsan Fortress of about 1 hour. It starts at the Namsan Sky Forest Trail entrance next to the statue of Toegye Yi Hwang and passes the Zelkova Tree Observatory, the Sunset Observatory, the Sky Forest Trail Health Garden, N Seoul Tower and the Love Lock Fence, and ends at Palgakjeong. The program is free. General night courses leave at 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM, and this course is not on the list of four with different times. The minimum is 2 people, so a single booking waits for confirmation, and a group can be up to 10. Booking is on an English reservation site, and for individual bookings the next month opens on the 15th. Korea Times reported on Sept 7 that the night season now runs from mid-March to mid-November. Depending on the season, sunset can come too late for night views on the early departure (Korean course page). The pages do not say which languages the guides use, so ask: 02-6925-0777 or walkingtours@sto.or.kr.
- N Seoul Tower. The observatory is open until 22:30 on weekdays and 23:00 on weekends and holidays, and needs no reservation. Prices and hours are in the N Seoul Tower guide.
For other October events in Seoul and Busan, see Seoul and Busan festivals, Oct 12–31. The Namsan bus 01A also passes Namdaemun Market, covered in the Namdaemun Market guide.
FAQ
When does Namsan Night Festival booking open?
Campnic and the Autumn Foliage Walk open on Mon, Oct 12, 2026 at 10:00 KST, and the Palgak Club opens on Mon, Nov 2 at 10:00 KST, according to the festival site and the Seoul Parks notice. The notice says the opening can differ by week, so check which dates are available.
Is the Namsan Night Festival free?
You pay a deposit when you book: 10,000 won per Campnic team and 5,000 won per person for the Walk and the Palgak Club. The festival says it is refunded after attendance is confirmed on the day. The Walk's deposit is not refunded if you arrive after 6:00 PM.
Can foreigners join the Namsan Night Festival?
The festival's pages do not say. The site has an English version, and booking is on Naver Booking. Ask the organizers: namsannightfestival@gmail.com or 070-5226-0759.
What happens to the Namsan Night Festival if it rains?
The festival says the event may be cancelled in rain or snow and that cancellations and changes are posted on its website. Check the notices on the day.
Can I walk in without a booking?
For Campnic, on-site registration is available if spaces remain after advance booking closes. The festival's pages do not describe walk-in places for the Autumn Foliage Walk or the Palgak Club.
What should I wear?
Thick layers, gloves and a scarf, which the festival asks for, and non-slip shoes for the Walk.
Booking day and the Palgak Club
Booking opens on Oct 12, so I'll look at the booking page then and update this guide if it states who can book, in which language, and how the deposit is paid. I'll also check for the Palgak Club's program details, which the English page says are coming soon, and for any weather notices.
More Namsan & nearby
- N Seoul Tower: History, Hours, Tickets, How to Get There (2026)
- Namsan Cable Car (2026): Fares, Hours, How to Get There
- N Seoul Tower at night: last entry, cable car, locks
- Namsan fall foliage and walking trail (2026)
- Namsan, Myeongdong and Namdaemun in one day
- Namdaemun Market Guide: Eat, Buy, Closed Days (2026)
More autumn festivals and events
Sources
- 2026 Namsan Night Festival, official site, checked Oct 11, 2026: home · Campnic and guidelines · Autumn Foliage Walk, courses and guidelines · Palgak Club · notices (English); Korean pages read alongside
- Seoul Parks, 2026 Namsan Night Festival notice, Oct 7, 2026 (Korean): dates, deposits, capacity, booking times
- Seoul Metropolitan Government, October 2026 notices and event plan (Korean)
- Naver press release, passport verification for foreign users, Jun 9, 2026; Asiae, report on the same service
- N Seoul Tower, official site, getting here: buses 01A and 01B, vehicle restriction
- Seoul Guided Walking Tour (Visit Seoul): program home (free tour program) · Namsan Fortress night course · operations notice · Korean course page · reservation page
- Korea Times, Seoul expands guided night walks, Sept 7, 2026
- Photos: Korea Tourism Organization photo gallery, Korea Open Government License Type 1 (credited; cropped to size)
— SeoulAslan
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