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At a glance
| Dates | Expected Oct 2027October 2027, probably five days as in recent editions: in July 2026 the organizers told the Jeonbuk State Council the festival will return to autumn from 2027, after three August editions (14–18 Aug 2024, 13–17 Aug 2025, 12–16 Aug 2026). No dates announced as of 19 October 2026. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: October 2027, probably five days as in recent editions: in July 2026 the organizers told the Jeonbuk State Council the festival will return to autumn from 2027, after three August editions (14–18 Aug 2024, 13–17 Aug 2025, 12–16 Aug 2026). No dates announced as of 19 October 2026. |
| Weather | August average 31/23 °C (88/73 °F), 290 mm of rain October average 22/10 °C (71/50 °F), 57 mm of rainHot, humid and the wettest time of year: light clothes, a rain jacket or umbrella, and water. Monthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Jeonju station. |
| Admission | Mixed. Most indoor concerts are ticketed (₩20,000–₩30,000 for a 2026 world-music show in Myeongin Hall; ₩50,000–₩70,000 for the pop concerts co-produced with Jeonbuk CBS); some outdoor, fringe and first-come programmes are free.World music: Jyotsna Srikanth (India), R seat: ₩30,000 · World music: Jyotsna Srikanth (India), S seat: ₩20,000 · Shim Soo-bong concert, R seat: ₩70,000 (2026 prices) |
| Venue | Sori Arts Center (Korea Sori Arts Center)전북특별자치도 전주시 덕진구 소리로 31 |
| Nearest station | Jeonju Station (전주역), KTX / Jeolla LineNot practical on foot; take a taxi (meter starts at ₩2,800) or a city bus to the Sori Arts Center |
| From Seoul | about 1 h 40 min · KTX + TaxiLeave from Yongsan Station · One-way fare from ₩31,600Full route · Festivals by travel time from Seoul |
| Organizer | Jeonju International Sori Festival Organizing Committee전주세계소리축제조직위원회 |
| Usual timing | Five days. An autumn festival for more than 20 years after it began in 2001, then moved to mid-August from 2024 (14–18 Aug 2024, 13–17 Aug 2025, 12–16 Aug 2026); the organizers plan to move it back to October from 2027. Browse August / October festivals. |
| First held | 2001 |
| Last checked | 19 October 2026Checked against 21 sources · See sources |
What it is like
"Sori" is Korean for sound, voice or song, and this festival is built around pansori, the sung storytelling tradition, alongside sanjo, sinawi, shamanic gut, nongak drumming and invited world-music acts. It began in 2001 and is run by an organizing committee from the Sori Arts Center (한국소리문화의전당), a concert-hall complex in Deokjin-gu in the north of Jeonju with the large Mogakdang hall, the smaller Yeonji and Myeongin halls and an outdoor stage called Nolimadang. Satellite programmes go out across Jeonbuk State: in 2025 the festival reached 14 cities and counties.
The 25th edition ran for five days, 12–16 August 2026, under the theme "소리의 숨결, 모아 판으로" (roughly, the breath of sound gathered into one stage), with 53 programmes and 122 performances announced. New leadership dropped the commissioned opening production in favour of an outdoor opening ceremony on the Nolimadang stage at 20:00 on 12 August, with singer Song Ga-in and the gugak group Baraji, the Cheongbae Yeonhuidan troupe and fireworks. The flagship Pansori Daseot Bateu, the five classic pansori stories sung by leading Jeonbuk singers, moved from the small halls into Mogakdang, starting with Jang Mun-hee's Chunhyangga at 18:00 that evening. Around it were a young-singers version of the same series, a Sanjo Night with Park Dae-seong and Park Beom-hoon, new-music showcases, gut and nongak troupes from Gangneung and Gochang, world-music concerts such as the Indian musician Jyotsna Srikanth, a children's festival at Palbok Art Factory, Sori Fringe street shows, film screenings and two pop concerts co-produced with Jeonbuk CBS.
The timing has moved. For more than two decades this was an autumn festival; in 2024 it switched to August to book top artists and catch summer-holiday visitors, but heat waves and heavy rain hurt audiences in 2024 and 2025. In July 2026 the executive director told the provincial council that the festival will return to October from 2027, and that 2026 stayed in August only because overseas groups had already been booked.
The honest caveats: almost everything is in Korean, and tickets are sold through a Korean booking site that closes the day before each show. Paid seats sell well (82.5% of 11,467 seats were taken in 2024, and six programmes sold out in 2025), and free first-come shows can fill up: on the third day of the 2025 festival entry to one closed early without notice. The Sori Arts Center is not in Jeonju Hanok Village; allow a taxi ride between the two.
Highlights
- Pansori Daseot Bateu (판소리 다섯바탕), the five classic pansori stories sung by leading Jeonbuk singers; it sold out in 2024 and in 2026 moved to the main Mogakdang hall, opening with Jang Mun-hee's Chunhyangga at 18:00 on 12 August
- Outdoor opening ceremony on the Nolimadang stage (20:00 on 12 August 2026) with Song Ga-in and the gugak group Baraji, the Cheongbae Yeonhuidan troupe and fireworks
- World music in the smaller halls, e.g. Jyotsna Srikanth from India on 14 August 2026 (R ₩30,000, S ₩20,000); 13 countries took part in 2024
- Gut and nongak: Gangneung Dano gut, the Gochang Nongak Preservation Society's Mandure pungmul gut and Kim So-ra's women's nongak piece (2026)
- Sanjo Night with masters Park Dae-seong and Park Beom-hoon, and "Today's Sinawi" for emerging traditional-music artists
- Children's Sori Festival at Palbok Art Factory with performances and hands-on activities, plus Sori Fringe street shows around the city
- Sori Cinema, new in 2026: Seopyeonje and other films at 11:00 on 13 and 14 August with talks by actor and former culture minister Kim Myung-gon and others
Who it suits. Best for travellers who want to hear pansori and Korean traditional music sung by top performers in proper concert halls, and for world-music fans who will book seats ahead. Less suited to anyone expecting a free street festival or a Hanok Village outing: the hub is a concert-hall complex in north Jeonju, most programmes are ticketed, and introductions are in Korean.
Getting there
From Seoul
KTX from Yongsan Station to Jeonju Station (about 1 h 40 m, fastest 1 h 26 m; ₩31,600 standard class on the fare table in force since 1 September 2026), then a taxi to the Sori Arts Center in Deokjin-gu, north Jeonju (meter starts at ₩2,800). Express buses from Seoul take about 2 h 30 m to the Jeonju bus terminals, also a taxi ride from the center.
From Busan
Express bus from Busan to Jeonju, about 3 h 20 m, roughly hourly, then a taxi to the Sori Arts Center.
From Incheon Airport
Airport limousine bus to Jeonju, about 3 h 30 m, roughly every 30 minutes, stopping near Jeonju City Hall; then a taxi to the Sori Arts Center.
Last leg from Jeonju Station
KTX / Jeolla Line. Not practical on foot; take a taxi (meter starts at ₩2,800) or a city bus to the Sori Arts Center
Getting home
Trains from Jeonju to Yongsan take about 1 h 40 m by KTX and about 3 h 30 m by ITX-Maeum. Last-train times are not given here because Korail's timetable changes (a new one took effect on 1 November 2026). Evening shows can end late, so check the last train in the Korail app (코레일+ / Korail+) or at Jeonju Station before the festival day.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| World music: Jyotsna Srikanth (India), R seat | ₩30,000 | 14 Aug 17:00, Myeongin Hall, 60 minutes, age 8 and over |
| World music: Jyotsna Srikanth (India), S seat | ₩20,000 | |
| Shim Soo-bong concert, R seat | ₩70,000 | 16 Aug 16:00, Yeonji Hall, 80 minutes, age 8 and over; co-produced with Jeonbuk CBS |
| Shim Soo-bong concert, S seat | ₩50,000 | Seats in rows 1–3 of the second floor may have railing-obstructed views |
| Discounts (world-music show listing) | — | Jeonbuk State residents 20% (1 ticket), guests at Jeonbuk accommodation 20% (2 tickets), Jeonbuk Tour Pass 30% (1 ticket), over-65s 50%, school students 30%, people with disabilities 50% (2 tickets); proof checked when collecting tickets |
| Opening ceremony, fringe and some outdoor programmes | — | Presented as open events; free entry for each programme was not confirmed in the sources reviewed |
- Booking
- Paid shows are sold online through NOL Ticket (Interpark's ticketing service; the 2024 edition sold under the Interpark name), in rounds from late June (2024: 25 June 13:00 and 15 July). Booking closes at 17:00 the day before for Monday–Saturday shows and 11:00 the day before for Sunday shows. Cancellation costs ₩4,000 per ticket up to 10 days before, then 10–30% of the price; same-day changes are not allowed. Customer centre 1544-1555, 09:00–18:00.
- English on site
- The organizer's site could not be opened for this record; ticket pages and announcements reviewed were in Korean only. English-language previews appear in the Korea Herald and Nocut News English.
- Crowds
- Paid shows sell well: 82.5% of seats in 2024 and 80.4% in 2025, with six programmes sold out in 2025. Free first-come events can reach capacity early.
- Best time to go
- Book the Pansori Daseot Bateu and the opening and closing shows as soon as tickets open; for free events, arrive well before the start.
- What to bring
- Your ticket QR or booking number and ID for any discount, a warm layer for evening outdoor events, and a taxi app or cash for rides between the arts center, the station and Hanok Village.
- Rain
- No rain policy was published. In 2024 heat and rain kept the daytime outdoor stages unused; most programmes are in indoor halls.
- Step-free access
- People with disabilities get 50% off up to 2 tickets (proof checked at pickup). The main programmes are in the Sori Arts Center's indoor halls; no festival accessibility plan was published.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | October 2027, probably five days as in recent editions: in July 2026 the organizers told the Jeonbuk State Council the festival will return to autumn from 2027, after three August editions (14–18 Aug 2024, 13–17 Aug 2025, 12–16 Aug 2026). No dates announced as of 19 October 2026. | expected | The executive director said planning for an autumn festival would start as soon as the 2026 edition ended. |
| 2026 | 12–16 Aug 2026 | ended | Sori Arts Center (Mogakdang, Yeonji Hall, Myeongin Hall, a meeting room and the outdoor Nolimadang) plus Palbok Art Factory, the old gate of Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju Daesaseupcheong, Yeonhwajeong Library and venues across Jeonbuk State |
| 2025 | 13–17 Aug 2025 | ended | Sori Arts Center plus 14 cities and counties across Jeonbuk State |
| 2024 | 14–18 Aug 2024 | ended | Indoor halls for daytime programmes and outdoor stages for night programmes; heat and rain kept the daytime outdoor stages unused |
Nearby
- Jeonju Bibimbap Festival (전주비빔밥축제). Jeonju's bibimbap food festival, held every October; in 2026 it was at Deokjin Park, the lotus-pond park in north Jeonju.
- Jeonju Hanok Village Traditional Performing Arts Parade (전주한옥마을 전통연희 퍼레이드). A free folk parade with pungmul drummers and dragon banners on Saturday afternoons from spring to autumn, along Taejo-ro in Jeonju Hanok Village.
- Jeonju Makgeolli Festival (전주막걸리축제). A free makgeolli (rice wine) festival with local breweries in late October; held at Jeonju Vision University in 2026.
- Jeonju International Picture Book Fair (전주국제그림책도서전) — Same venue. Held in the Sori Arts Center exhibition hall; in 2026 the free original-art exhibition runs to 25 October, 10:00–18:00.
- Palbok Art Factory (팔복예술공장). An arts space that hosted the Children's Sori Festival in 2026, with performances and hands-on activities.
Questions travelers ask
When is the Jeonju International Sori Festival 2027?
Dates have not been announced. In July 2026 the organizers told the Jeonbuk State Council the festival will move back to October from 2027, after three August editions: 14–18 August 2024, 13–17 August 2025 and 12–16 August 2026.
Is the Sori Festival free?
Partly. Most indoor concerts are ticketed: in 2026 a world-music show in Myeongin Hall cost ₩30,000 (R) or ₩20,000 (S), and the Shim Soo-bong concert ₩70,000 or ₩50,000. Some outdoor, fringe and first-come programmes are free, but they can fill up: in 2025 one closed its doors early without notice.
How do I book tickets?
Through NOL Ticket (Interpark's ticketing service), which sells each show separately; booking closes at 17:00 the day before (11:00 for Sunday shows). Discounts on the 2026 listings included 20% for Jeonbuk residents and guests at Jeonbuk accommodation, 30% for school students and 50% for over-65s and people with disabilities.
Where is the festival held?
The hub is the Sori Arts Center (한국소리문화의전당), 31 Sori-ro, Deokjin-gu, in the north of Jeonju, with Mogakdang, Yeonji Hall, Myeongin Hall and the outdoor Nolimadang stage. Other 2026 venues included Palbok Art Factory, Jeonju Daesaseupcheong and Yeonhwajeong Library; in 2025 programmes reached 14 cities and counties across Jeonbuk.
How do I get to the Sori Arts Center from Seoul?
Take the KTX from Yongsan to Jeonju Station (about 1 h 40 m, ₩31,600), then a taxi. Express buses take about 2 h 30 m to the Jeonju terminals. Check the last train back in the Korail app (코레일+ / Korail+) or at the station before the festival day.
Where can I hear pansori at the festival?
The flagship Pansori Daseot Bateu presents the five classic pansori stories sung by leading Jeonbuk singers; it sold out in 2024, and in 2026 it moved to the main Mogakdang hall, opening with Jang Mun-hee's Chunhyangga at 18:00 on 12 August. A young-singers series runs alongside it.
Why was the festival held in August?
It moved from autumn to summer in 2024 to book top artists and draw summer-holiday visitors. Heat waves and heavy rain then hurt audiences in 2024 and 2025, so the organizers decided to return to October from 2027.
What is the weather like during Jeonju International Sori Festival?
August in Jeonju: average high 31 °C (88 °F), low 23 °C (73 °F), 290 mm of rain (Jeonju station, KMA 1991–2020 normals). October in Jeonju: average high 22 °C (71 °F), low 10 °C (50 °F), 57 mm of rain (Jeonju station, KMA 1991–2020 normals). Hot, humid and the wettest time of year: light clothes, a rain jacket or umbrella, and water.
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.
- Nocut News English — Sori Festival to return to autumn (23 Jul 2026)news — English name; 2026 dates 12–16 Aug at the Sori Arts Center and around Jeonbuk; 25th anniversary; autumn festival for over 20 years, moved to summer in 2024; heat waves and heavy rain hurt audiences; return to October from 2027; 2026 kept in August because overseas groups were booked; council briefing 22–23 Jul
- iNews24 — 2026 전주세계소리축제 programme (15 Jul 2026)news — 25th edition, five days 12–16 Aug 2026, theme 소리의 숨결, 모아 판으로; Pansori Daseot Bateu, Young Pansori Five, Sanjo Night with Park Dae-seong and Park Beom-hoon, Today's Sinawi, Gangneung Dano gut, Kim So-ra, Gochang nongak; committee chairs
- Jeonbuk Ilbo — 2026 opening ceremony and Pansori Daseot Bateu (30 Jul 2026)news — Opening ceremony 20:00 on 12 Aug at Nolimadang with Song Ga-in and Baraji, Cheongbae Yeonhuidan and fireworks; opening production dropped; Pansori Daseot Bateu moved from Yeonji and Myeongin halls to Mogakdang, Jang Mun-hee's Chunhyangga at 18:00 with rope-walking
- iNews24 — Sori Angels volunteers (30 Jul 2026)news — Organizing committee name; 12–16 Aug 2026, five days; theme; about 100 Sori Angels volunteers
- iNews24 — 세대·공간 넘는 열린 축제 (6 Aug 2026)news — 2026 venues (Yeonji Hall, meeting room, Nolimadang, Palbok Art Factory, old gate of Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju Daesaseupcheong, Yeonhwajeong Library); Urban Zakapa 15 Aug and Shim Soo-bong 16 Aug at 16:00; Children's Sori Festival with Jeonju Culture Foundation; Sori Fringe; Sori Cinema 13–14 Aug 11:00 with Kim Myung-gon; AI pansori shown three days
- Tourvis — 2026 전주세계소리축제 festival pageother — 12–16 Aug 2026; address 전주시 덕진구 소리로 31; began in 2001, 25th edition in 2026; 53 programmes and 122 performances; Chopin & Arirang, world music, Sori Fringe; paid shows sold on NOL Ticket / Interpark; some outdoor and fringe programmes free
- NOL Ticket — ［월드뮤직 - 인도］ 요츠나 스리칸쓰 (2026)official — 14 Aug 2026 17:00, Myeongin Hall, 60 minutes, age 8+; R ₩30,000, S ₩20,000; discounts 20% Jeonbuk residents (1), 20% Jeonbuk accommodation (2), 30% Tour Pass (1), 50% over-65s, 30% students, 50% disabilities (2); booking deadline 17:00 / 11:00 the day before; cancellation ₩4,000 up to 10 days before, then 10%, 20%, 30%
- NOL Ticket — ［전주세계소리축제×전북CBS 공동기획］ 심수봉 (2026)official — 16 Aug 2026 16:00, Yeonji Hall, 80 minutes, age 8+; R ₩70,000, S ₩50,000; second-floor rows 1–3 railing views; no same-day exchanges; customer centre 1544-1555, 09:00–18:00
- NOL Ticket — ［전주세계소리축제×전북CBS 공동기획］ 어반자카파 (2026)official — 15 Aug 2026 16:00, Yeonji Hall, 80 minutes, age 8+; co-produced with Jeonbuk CBS
- Jeonbuk Ilbo — new leadership weighs autumn return (26 Mar 2026)news — New executive confirmed mid-March 2026; return to autumn under review after the August festival; opening performance replaced by a ceremony; 25th year in 2026
- Nocut News English — 2026 Sori Frontier finalists (29 Jun 2026)news — Sori Frontier finals 12–13 Aug 2026 as part of Sori NEXT
- Korea Herald (via Daum) — Jeonju Sori Festival mixes tradition, experimentation and summer nights (30 Jul 2025)news — 2025 dates 13–17 Aug, five days, 57 programmes and 69 performances, theme Echoes from the Homeland, 14 cities and counties; opening Shim Cheong with the National Changgeuk Company; Son Yeol-eum 16 Aug; closing Dancing Grandmothers
- Jeonbuk Ilbo — 2025 festival closes (17 Aug 2025)news — 2025 closing on 17 Aug, theme 본향의 메아리, 77 programmes and 91 performances; 80.4% paid occupancy as of 16 Aug, 24 paid programmes (33 performances), 6 sold out; free-entry queues in the heat; entry closed early on day three; Sori Next, Going Home Project, Sori Summer Night
- Jeonbuk Ilbo — 2024 festival closes (18 Aug 2024)news — 23rd edition, five days 14–18 Aug 2024, first summer edition, theme 로컬프리즘: 시선의 확장, 13 countries, 106 performances, 80 programmes, 82.5% occupancy (9,466 of 11,467 seats, 14–17 Aug), heat and rain, daytime outdoor stages unused, Pansori Five sold out
- Jeonbuk Ilbo — 2024 first ticket opening (24 Jun 2024)news — 2024 tickets on Interpark from 25 June 13:00, second round 15 July; Sori Summer Night 14–17 Aug with single-day tickets; Pansori Five singers
- Jeonbuk Ilbo — 2024 second ticket round (15 Jul 2024)news — 2024 opening Japsaek X (Imsil Pilbong nongak, 10th anniversary of UNESCO listing), closing Jo Sang-hyun & Shin Young-hee Big Show with the KBS Gugak Orchestra and about 10 singers; Sanjo Night; Chung Kyung-wha and Lim Dong-hyek; children's programmes
- KTO TourAPI listing 전주국제그림책도서전 (contentId 2969832)kto — Sori Arts Center address 덕진구 소리로 31 and coordinates 35.8548, 127.1392; picture book fair exhibition to 25 Oct 2026, free, 10:00–18:00
- train.asamaru.net — 용산역→전주역 timetableother — KTX times (about 1 h 40 m, fastest 1 h 26 m), ₩31,600 fare, first/last departures 05:08 and 21:48
- train.asamaru.net — 전주역→용산역 timetableother — Last departures 21:04 (ITX-Maeum, 3 h 27 m), 21:43 (KTX-Sancheon, arr 23:26), 23:11 (arr 00:44)
- 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; fares cut; booking unified in Korail+
- Wikivoyage — Jeonjuother — Express bus about 2 h 30 m from Seoul and about 3 h 20 m from Busan (roughly hourly); airport limousine about 3 h 30 m, roughly every 30 minutes, stopping near Jeonju City Hall; taxi meter starts at ₩2,800 (figures dated)
What we could not confirm
- 2027 dates: the organizers plan October 2027 but had announced no dates as of 19 October 2026.
- Full 2026 price list for the festival's own productions (Pansori Daseot Bateu, Sanjo Night, opening and closing): sorifestival.com blocks automated access and the 2026 programme book PDF could not be opened.
- Which 2026 programmes were free (opening ceremony, Sori Fringe, Children's Sori Festival, Sori Cinema) was not confirmed programme by programme.
- City bus routes from Jeonju Station and the bus terminals to the Sori Arts Center, festival shuttles and parking (the arts center's directions page could not be opened).
- Whether any 2026 programmes were held in Jeonju Hanok Village (sources reviewed name Jeonju Daesaseupcheong but no other Hanok Village venues).
- 2026 attendance and seat-occupancy figures (no closing report found).
- KTO listing: the festival is not in the TourAPI snapshot after it ended; a KTO-data mirror URL suggests contentId 1358031, not opened.
- Official Japanese and Chinese names (KTO forms not confirmed).
- Whether NOL Ticket's global site sells these shows to foreign visitors without a Korean phone number, and whether international cards are accepted on site.
- The 2025 programme count differs between the July preview (57 programmes, 69 performances) and the closing report (77 programmes, 91 performances).
- Last train back on the festival date under the timetable in force that day (Jeonju to Yongsan), against the end of the evening shows.
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 a handpan performance at the 2014 festival (Terrynoah, 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.
