At a glance
| Dates | Expected Oct 2027Five days in early to mid October 2027, most likely Wednesday to Sunday, if the pattern holds (5–9 Oct 2023, 2–6 Oct 2024, 15–19 Oct 2025, 7–11 Oct 2026); dates not announced as of 19 October 2026. The 2026 dates were fixed at the festival committee's first meeting on 22 January 2026, and the 2025 dates were public by 13 February 2025. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Five days in early to mid October 2027, most likely Wednesday to Sunday, if the pattern holds (5–9 Oct 2023, 2–6 Oct 2024, 15–19 Oct 2025, 7–11 Oct 2026); dates not announced as of 19 October 2026. The 2026 dates were fixed at the festival committee's first meeting on 22 January 2026, and the 2025 dates were public by 13 February 2025. |
| Admission | Free; no tickets. Food trucks and stalls charge (prices were not published).Entry: Free (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Geumnam-ro, Chungjang-ro, 5·18 Democracy Square and the Art Street, downtown Gwangju광주광역시 동구 금남로3가 |
| Nearest station | Culture Complex Station (문화전당역), Gwangju Metro Line 1The nearest stop for Chungjang-ro, the Asia Culture Center and 5·18 Democracy Square (exit numbers not confirmed); Geumnam-ro 4-ga and 5-ga stations are closer to the parade section on Geumnam-ro 4–5 ga |
| From Seoul | about 2 h 20 min · KTX + TaxiLeave from Yongsan StationFull route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Gwangju Dong-gu District Office (host); Chungjang Festival Committee광주광역시 동구 · 충장축제위원회 |
| Usual timing | Five days in early to mid October, Wednesday to Sunday in 2024–2026: 5–9 Oct 2023, 2–6 Oct 2024, 15–19 Oct 2025 and 7–11 Oct 2026. Held since 2004; the 2026 edition was the 23rd. The festival committee usually fixes the dates in late January or early February. Browse October festivals. |
| First held | 2004 |
| Last checked | 19 October 2026Checked against 35 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Chungjang-ro, named after the posthumous title of the Joseon-era general Kim Deok-ryeong, is Gwangju's old downtown shopping and fashion street, and Geumnam-ro beside it runs to 5·18 Democracy Square, the centre of the May 1980 uprising. Dong-gu started the festival there in 2004 to bring people back to the old city centre, and built it around memories: it first drew the "7080" generation who went to school in the 1970s and 1980s and spent their weekends on these streets. The culture ministry rated it a top culture-tourism festival in 2013 and 2014, and since 2024 it has been one of the ministry's honorary culture-tourism festivals, a status KTO lists through 2027.
Each edition has a "Memories of…" theme: Fairy Tales in 2025, Songs in 2026. The programme mixes a retro theme street (in 2026 on Sinseoseok-ro, with an LP music room and coin karaoke; in 2025 a 1970s–80s school, snack bar, arcade and photo studio), a main stage on Geumnam-ro in front of Jeonil Building 245, a night party of retro music with singers and DJs, an Asia culture day with food and games run by migrants and international students, a Gwangju rice-ball (jumeokbap) contest, and a traditional wedding staged on Chungjang-ro's wedding-goods street.
The parades are the core. In 2026 they ran on three days instead of two: a World Parade with 12 teams from 6 countries on 9 October, a Korea Parade contest of 20 teams from around the country for ₩50 million in prizes and a parade by residents of Dong-gu's 13 neighbourhoods on 10 October, and a Golden Parade on the last day. They use Geumnam-ro 4–5 ga, which was split into three zones showing the same acts so the crowd could spread out. KTO lists the festival as free, 14:00–22:00, with no tickets.
The honest caveats: this is a busy city-centre street festival, not a scenic one, and stage programmes are in Korean. The district counted about 450,000 visitors in each of 2023, 2024 and 2025, the main stretch of Geumnam-ro is closed to cars for the whole week, and the parade days at the weekend are the most crowded. The 2027 dates and theme had not been published as of 19 October 2026.
Highlights
- Free five-day street festival on Geumnam-ro, Chungjang-ro, the Art Street and 5·18 Democracy Square in downtown Gwangju, held since 2004 (23rd edition in 2026)
- Three parade days in 2026: a World Parade of 12 teams from 6 countries, a Korea Parade contest of 20 teams for ₩50 million in prizes, a parade by residents of Dong-gu's 13 neighbourhoods and a closing Golden Parade
- Retro theme streets: an LP music room and coin karaoke in 2026; a 1970s–80s school, snack bar, arcade, photo studio and stationery shop in 2025
- Night stage on Geumnam-ro with singers and DJs playing retro music; the 2026 opening show featured the rock band YB
- Gwangju rice-ball (jumeokbap) contest with 11 ingredients from the region, such as Gwangju aged kimchi and Muan octopus (2026)
- An honorary culture-tourism festival of the culture ministry, 2024–2027
Who it suits. Best for travellers already in Gwangju or touring the southwest who enjoy parades, street performance and retro Korean pop culture, and for families on the weekend parade days; less suited to anyone wanting quiet or scenery, since it fills the busiest streets of the old city centre.
Getting there
From Seoul
KTX from Yongsan (or Suseo) to Gwangju Songjeong, about 2 hours (₩42,000 standard class from Yongsan after the September 2026 fare cut). From Gwangju Songjeong, take Gwangju Metro Line 1 towards Nokdong to Culture Complex Station (문화전당역), the nearest stop for Chungjang-ro and the Asia Culture Center end of the festival; Geumnam-ro 4-ga and Geumnam-ro 5-ga stations on the same line are also close. A taxi between the Asia Culture Center area and Gwangju Songjeong takes about 15–20 minutes. Express buses also run from Seoul Central City Terminal to Gwangju U-Square; continue by taxi or city bus.
From Busan
Intercity bus from Busan Seobu Intercity Bus Terminal (Sasang, Line 2 Sasang Station) to Gwangju U-Square: about 23 a day, 2 h 57 m, ₩28,300 deluxe or ₩36,800 premium. Buses also run from Busan Central Bus Terminal (Nopo, Line 1 Nopo Station), about 16 a day, 3 h 03 m, ₩31,200 deluxe. Then a taxi or city bus from U-Square to Geumnam-ro. Check the last bus back at the terminal before the festival day.
Last leg from Culture Complex Station
Gwangju Metro Line 1. The nearest stop for Chungjang-ro, the Asia Culture Center and 5·18 Democracy Square (exit numbers not confirmed); Geumnam-ro 4-ga and 5-ga stations are closer to the parade section on Geumnam-ro 4–5 ga
Festival shuttle
No festival shuttle bus was mentioned in the sources opened.
Getting home
Programmes run until 22:00 (KTO). The KTX from Gwangju Songjeong to Yongsan or Suseo takes about 2 hours, express buses run from Gwangju U-Square to Seoul Central City, and a taxi from the Asia Culture Center area to Gwangju Songjeong takes about 15–20 minutes. Last-train and last-bus times for the 2027 dates are not given here because timetables change (Korail's changed on 1 November 2026): check the last train in the Korail app (코레일+ / Korail+) or at the station, and the last bus at U-Square, before the festival day.
Parking
In 2026 the main-stage section of Geumnam-ro (Jeonil Building 245 to Geumnam-ro Park) was closed to all traffic from 15:00 on 4 October to 06:00 on 12 October, lanes on Geumnam-ro 4–5 ga were closed for the parades from 23:00 on 8 October to 22:00 on 11 October, and the Art Street, Asia Culture Center and Chungjang-ro 4–5 ga areas had closures by programme. KTO lists paid parking at 5·18 Democracy Square at ₩400 per 15 minutes, up to ₩15,000 a day; public transport is easier during the festival.
How to switch Naver Map and Kakao Map to English
Google Maps shows train, subway and bus routes in Korea but not walking or driving directions yet, so for the walk from the station Naver Map or Kakao Map is more reliable.
Before you go
1330 · Travel hotline
The Korea Tourism Organization’s helpline answers in English, Japanese and Chinese around the clock, and in several other languages from 08:00 to 19:00. Dial 1330 from a Korean phone, or +82-2-1330 from a phone registered abroad.
112 / 119 · Emergencies
112 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance. Both are free from any phone. Police on 112 can add an English or Chinese interpreter to the call.
T-money card
Buy one at a convenience store such as GS25, CU or 7-Eleven and top it up there with cash. It pays for subways and buses in most cities, and for most taxis.
Maps
Use Naver Map or Kakao Map for walking and bus directions; Google Maps does not yet give walking directions in Korea. Both apps can be switched to English. Naver Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → Language (Japanese and Chinese also available). Kakao Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → App settings → Language. If the option is missing, change your phone’s language and reopen the app. Small shop names and some reviews stay in Korean.
Trains and buses
Book trains on Korail’s English site and express buses on Kobus. Holiday weekends sell out first.
Checked 18 October 2026.
Tickets, prices and practical details
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | Free |
- Booking
- No booking for entry; just turn up. Festival office (KTO listing): 062-608-4672.
- English on site
- No English festival information was found, and stage programmes are in Korean. KTO publishes Japanese and Chinese listings of the festival; the parades and street performances need no language.
- Crowds
- Busy: Newsis, citing the district, gives 467,191 visitors in 2023, 458,053 in 2024 and 454,215 in 2025 over five days. The weekend parade days are the busiest; in 2026 the parade route was split into three zones showing the same acts to spread the crowd, with temporary seats in front of the Light Fountain.
- Best time to go
- The last three days, when the parades run (9–11 October in 2026), arriving in the afternoon and staying for the evening stage on Geumnam-ro.
- What to bring
- Comfortable shoes for walking between Geumnam-ro, Chungjang-ro and the Art Street, and a light layer for October evenings.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Five days in early to mid October 2027, most likely Wednesday to Sunday, if the pattern holds (5–9 Oct 2023, 2–6 Oct 2024, 15–19 Oct 2025, 7–11 Oct 2026); dates not announced as of 19 October 2026. The 2026 dates were fixed at the festival committee's first meeting on 22 January 2026, and the 2025 dates were public by 13 February 2025. | expected | Would be the 24th edition. Its theme, chosen from a public survey that ran to 31 August 2026, was to be announced at the 2026 closing on 11 October; the reports opened did not name it. |
| 2026 | 7–11 Oct 2026 | ended | Main stage section of Geumnam-ro, from Jeonil Building 245 to Geumnam-ro Park, car-free from 15:00 on 4 October to 06:00 on 12 October; parades on Geumnam-ro 4–5 ga, split into three performance zones with temporary seating in front of the Light Fountain. |
| 2025 | 15–19 Oct 2025 | ended | Geumnam-ro, Chungjang-ro, the Art Street and the area around 5·18 Democracy Square. |
| 2024 | 2–6 Oct 2024 | ended | Geumnam-ro 1–3 ga, Chungjang-ro, 5·18 Democracy Square and the Asia Culture Center area. |
| 2023 | 5–9 Oct 2023 | ended | 20th edition. Visitor figures differ: about 800,000 by the organizer's estimate at the time, about 1.06 million from KT mobile data (Feb 2024), and 467,191 in the district figures reported by Newsis in 2026. |
Nearby
- Asia Culture Center (국립아시아문화전당). National arts complex next to 5·18 Democracy Square, at the end of the festival area; KTO describes the festival as aiming to grow alongside it into an international event.
- 5·18 Democracy Square (5·18민주광장). Fountain square in front of the Asia Culture Center that commemorates the May 1980 uprising; open at all times and part of the festival grounds.
- Daein Market (대인시장). Traditional market near Chungjang-ro, open since May 1959.
- Gwangju Biennale (광주비엔날레). Korea's oldest biennale of contemporary art; the 16th edition runs to 15 November 2026 at the exhibition hall in Buk-gu, with pavilions around the city. Held every two years.
- Gwangju World Kimchi Festival (광주김치축제). Free kimchi festival on the Gwangju City Hall plaza in Seo-gu, a couple of weeks after the Chungjang Festival in 2026 (23–25 October).
- Naju Yeongsan River Festival (나주영산강축제). Riverside festival with flower gardens and a historical procession in neighbouring Naju; in 2026 it ran on the same dates, 7–11 October, and drew 540,000 visitors.
Questions travelers ask
When is the Chungjang Festival 2027?
Not announced yet. It ran 5–9 October 2023, 2–6 October 2024, 15–19 October 2025 and 7–11 October 2026, so five days in early to mid October 2027 is likely. The 2026 dates were fixed at the festival committee's first meeting on 22 January 2026.
When was the 2026 Chungjang Festival?
7–11 October 2026 (Wednesday to Sunday), 14:00–22:00 according to KTO, on Geumnam-ro, Chungjang-ro, the Art Street and 5·18 Democracy Square. It was the 23rd edition, themed Songs of Memories (추억의 노래).
Is the Chungjang Festival free?
Yes. Entry is free and there are no tickets; only food and drinks from the food trucks and stalls cost money.
When are the parades?
In 2026 the World Parade (12 teams from 6 countries) was on 9 October, the Korea Parade contest (20 teams) and the neighbourhood parade on 10 October, and the Golden Parade on 11 October, on Geumnam-ro 4–5 ga. Start times were not published in the sources we opened; in 2025 the Lotte World parade began at 19:00 on 18 October, followed by fireworks.
How do I get there from Seoul?
Take the KTX from Yongsan to Gwangju Songjeong, about 2 hours (₩42,000 standard class), then Gwangju Metro Line 1 towards Nokdong to Culture Complex Station, or a taxi (about 15–20 minutes). Check the last KTX back in the Korail app (코레일+ / Korail+) or at the station before the festival day.
Why is it called a festival of memories?
Chungjang-ro was Gwangju's main downtown street, and the festival, started in 2004, recreates the streets of past decades for the generations who grew up there. Each year has a "Memories of…" theme, such as Fairy Tales in 2025 and Songs in 2026, with retro theme streets, old songs and games.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
19 October 2026, against the sources listed below.
This page is desk research from the sources below, not a firsthand report of the 2027 edition. Confidence in the current facts: medium.
- KTO tourist data — 광주 추억의 충장축제 (ktriptips mirror, contentId 692682)kto — 2026 dates 7–11 Oct; 14:00–22:00; free; venue 금남로, 충장로, 5.18민주광장, 예술의거리 일원; address 금남로3가 (postcode 61475); coordinates 35.150241, 126.91587; hosts 동구, 광주특별시문화관광재단, 충장축제위원회; phone 062-608-4672; homepage recollection.kr; programme by day; honorary culture-tourism festival 2024–2027; food trucks, boxing, 판판판, theme street, 5th Gwangju Busking World Cup
- KTO tourist data (Japanese) — 光州思い出の忠壮祭り (ktriptips mirror, contentId 746454)kto — Japanese name 光州思い出の忠壮祭り; 7–11 Oct 2026; 14:00–22:00; free entry; venue and phone 062-608-4672
- KTO tourist data (Traditional Chinese) — 光州追憶7080忠壯節 (ktriptips mirror, contentId 746141)kto — Traditional Chinese name 光州追憶7080忠壯節; 7–11 Oct 2026; 14:00–22:00; free; parade of 13 neighbourhoods; retro street; festival linked with the Asia Culture Center
- KTO tourist data (Simplified Chinese) — 追忆光州忠壮世界庆典 (ktriptips mirror, contentId 699204)kto — Simplified Chinese name 追忆光州忠壮世界庆典 (from the older Korean title 추억의 광주충장 월드페스티벌); 7–11 Oct 2026; 14:00–22:00; free
- MTN — '추억의 노래' 울려 퍼진다…'충장축제' 10월 7일 개막 (1 Sep 2026)news — 23rd edition 7–11 Oct 2026; theme 추억의 노래; venues; opening show at the main stage in front of Jeonil Building; programme for each day (8 Oct children's festival, 젊음의 행진, 발광 나이트; 9 Oct Asia Culture Day and World Parade; 10–11 Oct parades; 11 Oct Golden Parade and closing); first held 2004; honorary culture-tourism festival
- Twig24 — 올해 '광주 추억의 충장축제', 10월 7~11일 열린다 (25 Jan 2026)news — 2026 (23rd) dates 7–11 Oct fixed at the festival committee's first plenary meeting on 22 Jan 2026; venue Geumnam-ro, Chungjang-ro and the Art Street; theme 추억의 노래
- Twig24 — 광주 대표 '추억의 충장축제' 개막 100일 앞 (26 Jun 2026)news — Parade extended to three days from the Friday; new World Parade and closing Golden Parade; rice-ball contest, quiz show, dance programme and 발광 나이트
- Newsis — 한 달 남은 제23회 충장축제…세대·국경 넘는 축제의 장으로 (1 Sep 2026)news — Visitors 467,191 (2023), 458,053 (2024) and 454,215 (2025); started in 2004 to revive the old downtown; theme street on Sinseoseok-ro near the Light Eupseong; 인생 최고의 대로 wedding on Chungjang-ro's 혼수 street on 11 Oct; programme by day
- MTN — 광주 충장축제 4~12일 금남로 단계별 '차량 통제' (1 Oct 2026)news — Jeonil Building 245 to Geumnam-ro Park closed to all vehicles from 15:00 on 4 Oct to 06:00 on 12 Oct; Geumnam-ro 4–5 ga parade route partly closed 23:00 on 8 Oct to 22:00 on 11 Oct; time-based closures at the Art Street, Asia Culture Center and Chungjang-ro 4–5 ga
- MTN — '추억의 노래·퍼레이드' 광주 충장축제 도심 달궜다 (12 Oct 2026)news — Held 7–11 Oct 2026; opening: brass band, Sky Band and YB; 발광 나이트 with Park Nam-jung, Woo Yeon-i and DJs; World Parade 9 Oct, 12 teams from 6 countries; Korea Parade 10 Oct, 20 teams, ₩50 million in prizes; Original Parade of 13 neighbourhoods; Golden Parade; three zones; seats at the Light Fountain; parades up from two days; rice balls with 11 ingredients; LP room, coin karaoke; no 2027 dates
- Wikitree — 광주 도심 뒤흔든 추억의 향연…충장축제, 세계를 홀리다 (Oct 2026)news — 2026 festival ran 7–11 Oct; closing on 11 Oct with a citizen flash mob and the announcement of next year's theme; Asia Culture Street with migrants and international students; K-beauty hair show and hanbok show; no visitor figures
- MTN — '2027 충장축제' 밑그림 시민들이 그린다 (5 Aug 2026)news — 24th festival (2027) theme survey open to 31 Aug 2026; theme to be revealed at the 23rd festival's closing on 11 Oct 2026; '추억의 ○○' theme series to continue
- Wikitree — 광주시 동구, 제22회 충장축제 10월 15~19일 열린다 (13 Feb 2025)news — 2025 (22nd) dates 15–19 Oct, five days, at 5·18 Democracy Square and Geumnam-ro; chosen around the September 2025 World Archery Championships, the October Chuseok holiday and the weather
- Seoul Shinmun — 광주 추억의 충장축제 D-30…'추억의 동화' 선보인다 (16 Sep 2025)news — 2025 dates 15–19 Oct; theme 추억의 동화; launched in 2004; day programme (15 opening, 16 Asian Culture Day, 17 Family Day, 18–19 parades); rice-ball contest 손으로 맛나는 추억 on 18 Oct; 19 Oct parade in place of a closing ceremony with the next theme announced; 7080 street on Sinseoseok-ro with school, snack bar, arcade, photo studio, café and stationery shop
- Hankyung — 2025 Chungjang Festival opens 15 Oct (13 Oct 2025)news — 22nd edition 15–19 Oct 2025 on Geumnam-ro, Chungjang-ro and around 5·18 Democracy Square; parades on Geumnam-ro 17–19 Oct; Lotte World parade from 19:00 on 18 Oct followed by fireworks
- Newsis — 동심 가득 인형극, 퍼레이드 분위기 사로잡은 관현악까지 (19 Oct 2025)news — Puppet shows on the Art Street during the 2025 festival; final-day parade on 19 Oct over a 1 km section of Geumnam-ro 4–5 ga
- Newsseoul — '오감(五感) 입힌' 21회 광주 추억의 충장축제 기대감 고조 (16 Jul 2024)news — 2024 plan for 2–6 Oct; five senses exhibition zones on Geumnam-ro 2-ga with typewriters, abacuses, arcade games, LPs and cassettes; baduk tournament with Lee Sedol; nostalgia concert; DJ dance night; main space Geumnam-ro 1–3 ga
- The Fact — 시민이 주도한 '광주 추억의 충장축제', 글로벌 축제로 도약 발판 마련 (7 Oct 2024)news — 21st edition held 2–6 Oct 2024 on Geumnam-ro, Chungjang-ro, 5·18 Democracy Square and the Asia Culture Center; Fire Art Parade with 15 teams and more than 340 performers plus a parade of 13 neighbourhoods; boxing, baduk, 인생 최고의 대로 wedding; parade silver award at the 2024 Pinnacle Awards
- Newsseoul — 광주광역시동구 추억의 충장축제, 문체부 '명예 문화관광축제' 선정 (14 Feb 2024)news — Named an honorary culture-tourism festival by the culture ministry; about 1.06 million visitors in 2023 from KT big data; 21st festival planned for 2–6 Oct at 5·18 Democracy Square and Geumnam-ro, theme 충장발光
- Newsseoul — 성년 맞은 광주 동구 충장축제, 세대·국경 초월 역대급 흥행몰이 (9 Oct 2023)news — 20th edition 5–9 Oct 2023; about 800,000 visitors by the organizer's estimate; fire parade on 8 Oct over about 1 km from Geumnam Park to Jeonil Building 245 with symbols from 13 neighbourhoods; 2nd Gwangju Busking World Cup; art sale with about 150 artists, more than 500 works, up to ₩400,000
- Seoul Shinmun — [자치단체장 25시] 충장 걸으며 추억 속으로 (3 Sep 2015)news — Named a top culture-tourism festival in 2013 and 2014; popular with the 7080 generation who went to school in the 1970s and 1980s; 12th edition 7–11 Oct 2015
- Gwangju News (Gwangju International Center) — Chungjang Street, Dong-gu Districtnews — Chungjang-ro named after General Kim Deok-ryeong's posthumous title; Gwangju's main downtown and fashion street; site of the 1980 democratization movement; nearest subway Culture Complex Station on Line 1, with Geumnam-ro 4-ga and 5-ga nearby; Daein Market dating from May 1959
- KTO tourist data — 5.18 민주광장 (ktriptips mirror, contentId 1621360)kto — Fountain square in front of the Asia Culture Center commemorating May 1980; 문화전당로 38; open at all times; paid parking ₩400 per 15 minutes, up to ₩15,000 a day
- Shuttle Delivery travel blog — 24 hours in Gwangjublog — Taxi between the Asia Culture Center and Gwangju Songjeong about 15–20 minutes; KTX from Seoul just under 2 hours
- Pressian — 2026 Naju Yeongsan River Festival closes (12 Oct 2026)news — Naju Yeongsan River Festival 7–11 Oct 2026, 540,000 visitors, magistrate procession and flower garden
- KTO TourAPI listing 제16회 광주비엔날레 (contentId 617992)kto — 16th Gwangju Biennale 5 Sep–15 Nov 2026 at the exhibition hall, 비엔날레로 111, Buk-gu
- Hangyo (Korean Teachers News) — 가을의 예술 산책, 광주 비엔날레 (16 Sep 2024)news — Gwangju Biennale first held in 1995, the oldest biennale in Korea
- KTO TourAPI listing 광주김치축제 (contentId 604097)kto — Gwangju Kimchi Festival 23–25 Oct 2026 at the Gwangju City Hall plaza (내방로 111, Seo-gu), free entry
- Hankyung: 9월 1일부터 서울~부산 KTX 5만4400원…운임 평균 10% 인하 (31 Aug 2026)news — KTX and SRT run as KTX from 1 Sep; former SRT trainsets renamed KTX-Sancheon; Seoul–Busan ₩59,800→₩54,400, Yongsan–Gwangju Songjeong ₩46,800→₩42,000; Suseo seats +30%; booking unified in Korail+
- Korail press release: 코레일-에스알 9월 1일 하나로…안전 최우선, 더 편리한 고속철도의 시작 (31 Aug 2026)official — Integration and integrated running from 1 Sep 2026; KTX and SRT merged into KTX; average KTX fare cut about 10%; Suseo-axis seats up about 30%; 5% mileage; Korail+ app (Korail Talk + SRT app) launched 3 Aug
- Gwangju Songjeong → Yongsan train timetable, 16–19 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Last departure 21:22 KTX-Sancheon 442, arriving 23:26 (about 2 hours)
- Gwangju Songjeong → Suseo train timetable, 16–19 Oct 2026 (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — Last departures 21:53 (arr 23:51) and 23:03 KTX-Sancheon 636 (arr 00:54), every day shown
- Gwangju U-Square → Seoul Central City express bus timetable (third-party mirror of the MOLIT/data.go.kr national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-07)other — 92 buses a day; late departures 21:15, 22:00, 22:30, 23:20 and 00:00
- Busan Seobu (Sasang) → Gwangju U-Square intercity bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-16)other — 23 buses a day, 06:00 to 22:00; 2 h 57 m on every run; weekday adult fares ₩28,300 deluxe (우등) and ₩36,800 premium, ₩33,900 for the 22:00 regular (일반) bus
- Busan Central (Nopo) → Gwangju U-Square intercity bus timetable (third-party mirror of the national timetable feed, page last modified 2026-10-17)other — 16 buses a day, 06:20 to 21:00; 3 h 03 m; weekday adult fares ₩31,200 deluxe (우등), ₩40,500 premium
What we could not confirm
- The official site (recollection.kr) could not be opened under the fetch rules, so 2026 stage and parade start times, the site map and festival notices were not read; hours (14:00–22:00) come from KTO only.
- 2027 dates and the 2027 theme (announced at the 11 October 2026 closing) were not found in the reports opened; no 2026 visitor total had been published as of 19 October 2026.
- Visitor figures conflict: 467,191 for 2023 in district figures reported in 2026, against about 800,000 (organizer estimate, October 2023) and about 1.06 million (KT mobile data, February 2024).
- Culture Complex Station exit numbers, walking times and the Line 1 journey time from Gwangju Songjeong were not checked against an official page; the taxi time comes from a travel blog.
- 2025 parade days: the organizer's plan (Seoul Shinmun) lists 18–19 October, while Hankyung reported parades on 17–19 October.
- KTO's Chinese names keep older titles: 追忆光州忠壮世界庆典 comes from 추억의 광주충장 월드페스티벌 and 光州追憶7080忠壯節 from the 7080 branding. The record uses them as KTO's official forms; an editor may prefer a literal 光州追忆忠壮庆典 / 光州追憶忠壯慶典.
- The festival is not in the site's TourAPI snapshot (listed.json); KTO data was read through the ktriptips mirror (Korean contentId 692682).
- English support, restrooms, accessibility, rain policy, pet rules and food prices were not published in the sources opened.
- KTO lists the address under 전남광주통합특별시 (Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special City); the record keeps Gwangju (광주광역시) as its own region, as the site does.
- Last train back on the festival date under the timetable in force that day (Gwangju Songjeong to Yongsan or Suseo), and the last express bus from Gwangju U-Square to Seoul.
Changes: 2026-10-19 — Added to the site: fact-first record (dates, hours, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-19 — Added a Wikimedia Commons photograph of Geumnam-ro, one of the festival streets (Minseong Kim, CC BY-SA 4.0). · 2026-10-21 — Transport: removed last-train and last-bus clock times taken from the October 2026 timetables (Korail's timetable changed on 1 November 2026); journey times and frequencies kept, with a note to check the last train in the Korail app or at the terminal before the festival day.
