16th Gwangju Biennale

Name: 16th Gwangju Biennale
Start: 2026-09-05
End: 2026-11-15
Location: 111 Biennale-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju

제16회 광주비엔날레

Opening on September 5, 2026, the 16th Gwangju Biennale is titled "You Must Change Your Life," drawing from the closing lines of Rainer Maria Rilke's 1908 poem. The exhibition explores how a shift in perspective transforms our understanding of the world and our way of living. The opening program features artist performances including Angela Jogo and collaborators Byung-Jun Kwon and Chan-Kyung Park, thematic talk sessions, curator-led tours through five exhibition halls, and an itinerant academy visiting key Gwangju sites such as the Asian Culture Center, Eunam Gallery, and the May 18 Democracy Uprising Archive.

Book on the official site

Dates: Sep 5, 2026 → Nov 15, 2026
Venue: 111 Biennale-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju · 🎨 Jeonnam-Gwangju
Price: ₩14,000 – ₩20,000
Ticketing: Official event site

Practical information

Opening hours: 10:00~18:00
Age: All ages
Exact location: Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall
Organiser: Gwangju Biennale Foundation
Phone: 062-608-4500

Open in Naver Map

🎟️ How to book — Official event site

1
Most regional festivals are free entry
Korean municipalities fund a huge number of free festivals (flowers, food, light shows) — free entry is the norm, not the exception, sometimes with paid stalls or activities on site.
2
Check the event's official site
The link sits on the event's VisitKorea page — it's the most reliable source for the program, hours, and any last-minute changes.
3
Book via a Korean platform if a reservation is required
When a festival has paid premium activities or an attached concert, booking usually goes through NOL or YES24 — see the matching guide on this page.
4
Call 1330 when in doubt
Korea's tourism hotline answers in English, Chinese and Japanese, 24/7 — handy for confirming a time or address when the official site is Korean-only.

💡 Good to know

When a price shows as "see details", the organiser simply hasn't published one in advance: in almost all of those cases entry is free and only some on-site activities are paid. Bring a little cash — many stalls don't take cards.