| Dates | 12–16 Aug 2026 |
|---|---|
| Hours | Times differ by programme: e.g. Pansori Daseot Bateu 18:00 and the opening ceremony 20:00 on 12 Aug; Sori Cinema 11:00 on 13–14 Aug; pop concerts 16:00 on 15–16 Aug. |
| Weather | August average 31/23 °C (88/73 °F), 290 mm of rainMonthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Jeonju station. |
| Venue | Sori Arts Center (Korea Sori Arts Center)전북특별자치도 전주시 덕진구 소리로 31 |
| Admission | World music: Jyotsna Srikanth (India), R seat: ₩30,000 · World music: Jyotsna Srikanth (India), S seat: ₩20,000 |
| Previous edition | 2025: 13–17 Aug 2025 |
| 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. |
Program
- 12 Aug 18:00, MogakdangPansori Daseot Bateu opens with Jang Mun-hee's Chunhyangga, staged with rope-walking and other folk acts
- 12 Aug 20:00, Nolimadangopening ceremony with Song Ga-in and Baraji, Cheongbae Yeonhuidan and fireworks (replacing the usual opening production)
- 12–13 AugSori Frontier finals, the festival's contest for new traditional-music groups
- Young Pansori Five, Sanjo Night (Park Dae-seong, Park Beom-hoon), Today's Sinawi, Chopin & Arirang and world-music concerts
- Gangneung Dano gut, Gochang nongak's Mandure pungmul gut, Kim So-ra's women's nongak piece
- 13–14 Aug 11:00Sori Cinema screenings (Seopyeonje and others) with talks; an AI-pansori work shown on Nolimadang for three days
- Children's Sori Festival at Palbok Art Factory (with Jeonju Culture Foundation); Sori Fringe street shows
- 15 Aug 16:00 Urban Zakapa and 16 Aug 16:00 Shim Soo-bong, Yeonji Hall (co-produced with Jeonbuk CBS)
Prices
| 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 |
Notes on the 2026 edition
25th edition; theme "소리의 숨결, 모아 판으로". 53 programmes and 122 performances announced. Kept in August because overseas groups were already booked. About 100 volunteer "Sori Angels" staffed the venues. Attendance figures for 2026 were not found.
About the festival
The Jeonju International Sori Festival is a five-day festival of pansori, Korean traditional music and world music, founded in 2001 and based at the Sori Arts Center (한국소리문화의전당) in Jeonju, with further stages across Jeonbuk State. After three August editions (the 25th ran 12–16 August 2026), the organizers plan to return it to October from 2027; no dates had been announced as of 19 October 2026. Most indoor concerts are ticketed through NOL Ticket (₩20,000–₩30,000 for a 2026 world-music show, up to ₩70,000 for pop headliners), while some outdoor and fringe programmes are free. Jeonju is about 1 h 40 m from Seoul's Yongsan Station by KTX (₩31,600), then a taxi to the arts center.
Transport, booking, crowd and accessibility details are on the main Jeonju International Sori Festival page, which covers every edition.
Source
Facts checked
19 October 2026, against the sources listed below.