Hongdae Red Road Countdown Festival Shows Big 'Signs' of Success

Festival Venue Changed to R5 Near Red Road Center Due to Expected Tourist Participation
2024 New Year Wish Book, Celebration Performances, Flea Market, Food Trucks, and More
Temporary Car-Free Street and Crowd Safety Management to Prevent Accidents
Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, “We Will Make Thorough Preparations to Meet High Expectations”

Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) announced on the 27th that the '2024 Red Road Countdown Festival' event, held around Hongdae Red Road from 11 PM on the 31st to 12:20 AM the next day, is showing strong signs of a major success.

Welcoming the upcoming 2024 Year of the Blue Dragon (Gapjin Year), Mapo-gu has ambitiously prepared this event for the first time this year to start a hopeful new year together with its residents, and numerous participation inquiries continue to pour in.

Anticipating a large crowd for the countdown festival on the last day of 2023, the 31st, Mapo-gu decided to move the stage and large clock tower originally planned for Red Road R6 closer to the center of Red Road at R5.

Before the countdown festival begins, starting at 10 PM, the stage will be graced by the winners of the 2023 Red Road Dance Festival held last October, including CSM, PEP, and Baekche Breakers, who will brilliantly light up the last night of 2023.

At 11 PM, the main event will officially start with announcer Lee Jae-yong as the host. Until 11:55 PM, singers Choi Su-ho and Jin-wook, both from Mr. Trot 2 in 2023, will perform to elevate the festival's excitement.

The countdown to welcome the New Year begins at 11:55 PM. As the clock approaches midnight, Mayor Park Gang-su of Mapo-gu and other guests and tourists will count down together to greet the new Year of the Blue Dragon. At 12 AM on January 1, 2024, a New Year’s performance will take place, followed by a congratulatory performance by singer Ahn Sung-hoon.

Additionally, Mapo-gu will install a large drum called the ‘2024 New Year Wish Drum’ at the festival site, accessible to people of all ages. The Wish Drum will be available from before the countdown festival starts, allowing residents and tourists to begin the first day of the Blue Dragon year with their wishes and resolutions by playing the drum.

Moreover, the festival will feature a flea market exhibiting and selling various handmade crafts, food trucks to satisfy tourists’ tastes, and various experiential events such as checking New Year fortunes and writing New Year wish messages, all designed to attract tourists’ interest.

According to Seoul’s real-time urban data, about 90,000 tourists gathered around Hongdae Red Road at around 7 PM on the 24th, the day before Christmas. Similarly, a large crowd is expected to visit Hongdae Red Road on the night of the 31st, so safety management has been thoroughly planned.

Mapo-gu will temporarily designate Red Road R5 and R6 as ‘car-free zones’ and continue crowd safety management from the 20th through the 31st to do its utmost to prevent safety accidents.

Mayor Park Gang-su of Mapo-gu said, “Thank you for your great interest in the countdown festival, which Mapo-gu is hosting for the first time this year. We will do our best to make thorough preparations to provide unforgettable memories to residents and tourists visiting the world-famous Hongdae Red Road.”

2024 Red Road Countdown Festival Poster