Sinchon to host global youth festival for university students
Seoul’s Sinchon World Youth Festival, which will run Sept. 11 to 13, will offer sports, performances, food from around the world and a singing contest.
A poster for the Sinchon World Youth Festival, set to take place from Sept. 11 to 13 along Yonsei-ro in Seodaemun District, western Seoul.SEODAEMUN DISTRICT OFFICE
The streets of Sinchon in western Seoul will transform into a festival for university students next month.
Seodaemun District Office will host the Sinchon World Youth Festival from Sept. 11 to 13, bringing together domestic and international students for sports activities, performances, cultural programs and a singing contest.
Students will take an active role in the festival by planning and performing in programs and running booths. Some 490,000 people visited the area during last year’s festival, according to the district office.
The festival will open on Sept. 11 with performances by university cheerleading squads and flag bearers, as well as school clubs along Yonsei-ro. Rock band Crying Nut will also perform during the opening ceremony.
A poster for the International Student Song Contest, part of the 2026 Sinchon World Youth Festival.SEODAEMUN DISTRICT OFFICE
On the second day, Sept. 12, the area will be transformed into a sports field, stage and lecture hall. Both domestic and international university students can take part in the sports day, while university clubs will perform and street lectures will take place throughout the day.
The sports day will run from 10 a.m. to noon and is open to 200 students on a first-come, first-served basis. Participants will receive souvenirs including T-shirts and keycap keyrings.
The festival’s final day, Sept. 13, will feature a singing contest for international students living in Korea. Contestants can participate individually or in teams of up to 10 people.
Applicants must submit a one- to two-minute video of themselves singing, along with an application, by Aug. 30. Applications can be submitted through a form accessible via the QR code on the festival poster.
Twelve finalists will be selected from the submissions to perform onstage at 4 p.m. on Sept. 13. Five winners will be selected, with the grand prize winner receiving 1 million won ($717).
Booths featuring universities as well as global cultures and food will operate on Sept. 12 and 13.
The Global Cultural and World Food booths will feature embassies, tourism boards and cultural centers from around the world based in Korea. Visitors can learn about traditional clothing, languages, tourism and food from different countries, the district office said.
At the university booths, university clubs, student organizations and groups of international students will showcase their activities and research while offering hands-on experiences of university culture.
More information on registration and individual programs is available on the festival’s official website or through the notices section of the Seodaemun District Office website.
