Events

Public Design Festival 2026 (Oct. 23 – Nov. 1): About 200 Sites Across Korea, With Uijeongbu Examples

AI-generated outdoor reading corner with a wooden bookshelf and a bench in an autumn park, with thin white lines and the handwritten note 'the town is a gallery'.

AT A GLANCE

Dates
Friday, October 23 – Sunday, November 1 (10 days)
Where
About 200 public design sites across Korea
Organizer
Korea Craft & Design Foundation
Programs
Exhibitions, classes, hands-on activities and events (vary by site)
Cost
Not confirmed (check each program's notice)
Sign-up
Differs by program; check the official site

The Public Design Festival 2026 runs for ten days, from Friday, October 23 to Sunday, November 1, at about 200 sites across Korea. Parks, libraries and alleys you pass every day turn into exhibition and activity spaces. The Korea Craft & Design Foundation runs it, and programs and sign-up methods differ by site.

The hero image is AI-generated. It is not a photo of a real festival site.

What is public design?

It means the design of spaces and objects everyone shares, such as bus stop benches, park signs and alley lights. Good public design is easy to miss. Yet it is why you get lost less and rest more comfortably.

This year’s theme is “Public design that connects the region and daily life.” The programs are exhibitions, classes, hands-on activities and events built around public design. Foundation’s project page (in Korean). The site map and schedule are on the official site.

Example: programs in Uijeongbu

Uijeongbu, in Gyeonggi Province, has 19 sites selected, and nine of them run programs for citizens. Each place does something quite different. Newspim, Sept. 30 (in Korean).

PlaceProgram
Sapaksan Log CabinForest yoga, drawing, making nature bookmarks
Songsansaji Neighborhood ParkOutdoor yoga, drawing
Initio Plaza, Jikdong Neighborhood ParkOutdoor library, music performance, flower bookmark making
Happy Sharing WoodshopMaking a wooden cutting board
Uijeongbu Information LibraryEco-friendly book stand, sea glass keyring making
Uijeongbu Art LibraryStencil work, crafts with hanji paper
Uijeongbu Youth AtticDrawing city landmarks
Uijeongbu Music LibraryJazz, pop and film music performances
Uijeongbu ObservatoryAstronomy talk, night sky observation

Marker-drawn bench, street lamp, bookshelf, small telescope and wooden cutting board icons joined to a single map pin, with the handwritten note 'find your local spot'

Find your local site first. Uijeongbu is only one example. Reports say Gimhae Miracle Library in South Gyeongsang was also selected. Look for a site near you on the official site.

Before you go

  • Sign-up: Limited-seat programs such as cutting board making or stargazing often need advance registration. Schedules, eligibility and sign-up periods all differ by program.
  • Cost: Whether something is free or has a materials fee probably varies by program.
  • Weather: Many programs are in parks and outdoors, so bring a jacket for evenings in late October.

Who it suits, and who it does not

A good fit

  • You want to spend an autumn weekend in your own neighborhood
  • You are a family looking for hands-on or stargazing activities
  • You are interested in design or urban spaces

Not a great fit

  • You want one big exhibition in one place (the sites are spread out)
  • You only look in Seoul

More events at the same time are in the autumn festival calendar.

FAQ

Is there a site in Seoul? With about 200 sites nationwide, it is likely.

Is everything free? Check each program’s notice.

Do I have to sign up? It depends on the program. As in the Uijeongbu examples, schedules and sign-up methods are announced separately.

Checked on October 6, 2026. Schedules and programs can change. Also used: Foreign Affairs Journal, Financial News TV (both in Korean).