From the 5th to the 8th, festivities at the Arts Theater, 5·18 Democracy Square, DJ Center, and more
Street dance, performances, and exhibitions enliven the city
1,290 dancers from Korea and abroad compete, heightening the cultural city fever
Gwangju Mayor Kang Kijeong is delivering a greeting at the 2024 Gwangju Street Culture Festa 'Battle Lineup 9 Gwangju' held on the afternoon of June 9 last year at the National Asia Culture Center Arts Theater. Provided by Gwangju City
The city of Gwangju announced on the 3rd that it will host the city's representative summer festival, the '2025 Gwangju Street Culture Festa,' filled with youth and passion, from the 5th to the 8th at the National Asia Culture Center, 5·18 Democracy Square, and the Kimdaejung Convention Center area.
This year’s festival will feature: ▲ the dance competition 'Battle Lineup 10' with world-renowned street dancers; ▲ the global convention event 'Let's Floppy 3.0'; and ▲ citizen-participation plaza cultural events such as DJ performances, street basketball, and flea markets.
The main program, 'Battle Lineup 10,' will be held from the 5th to the 8th at the National Asia Culture Center Arts Theater. A total of 1,290 street dancers from Korea and abroad will compete in intense one-on-one battles across five categories: hip-hop, waacking, popping, locking, and open style.
On the 6th, the 'Kids & Youth Battle' will take place at the National Asia Culture Center Arts Theater, where more than 400 children and teenagers will compete in a two-on-two team dance battle. This program is being introduced for the first time this year and is drawing significant attention. On the 7th, at 5·18 Democracy Square, 39 dance teams will perform in a team performance competition, divided into youth and general divisions.
Serving as one-on-one battle judges are Joseph Go, a leading figure in French hip-hop; Junior Boogaloo, winner of the US B-Boy Summit; and P-Lock, winner of France's Juste Debout locking category. The event will be hosted by MC Durak. For the team performance competition, renowned street dancers such as Kirin, Wing, Hojin, and Akanen will serve as judges and also deliver celebratory performances.
'Let's Floppy 3.0,' where visitors can experience a variety of cultural content in one place, will be held on the 6th and 7th at the Kimdaejung Convention Center. The event will feature live performances by the band Glen Check, singer-songwriter Yoonmachi, and George, along with brand exhibitions, fashion and food content, and themed talk sessions.
Additionally, at 5·18 Democracy Square and the Kimdaejung Convention Center area, there will be cultural events for citizens to enjoy together, including street basketball, flea markets, and food trucks, transforming the entire downtown into a vibrant festival venue.
The city plans to promote extended-stay tourism and revitalize the local economy by offering accommodation discounts in conjunction with the 'June Travel Month' and running the '2025 Visit Gwangju Year' campaign alongside the festival.
Lee Seungkyu, head of the New Vitality Promotion Headquarters, said, "The Gwangju Street Culture Festa is a representative summer festival where citizens and tourists come together," adding, "We expect that the sensibility and passion of the younger generation will color the city center of Gwangju and inject new vitality into the local economy."
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