Summer Performing Arts Festival Relay: "ARKO SUM FESTA" Announces Third Lineup

Summer Performing Arts Festivals in Chuncheon, Sejong, Seoul, and Hwaseong
Dance and Traditional Music Lineup

The Korea Arts Management Service has announced the third lineup for the dance and traditional music segments of the integrated performing arts festival brand, "2025 ARKO SUM FESTA."

"ARKO SUM FESTA" is designed to bring together a variety of performing arts festivals across genres such as theater, dance, music, and traditional arts, with the aim of expanding opportunities for enjoying the arts nationwide during the summer season.

The third lineup includes a total of four festivals, with two each in the fields of dance and traditional arts: the Chuncheon Performing Arts Festival, which centers on contemporary dance and music; the Changmu International Performing Arts Festival, which modernizes tradition and expands onto the international stage; the Korea University Gugak Festival, a gateway for young talents in Korean traditional music; and the Saengsaeng Woori Music Festival, a community-based traditional music festival.

A Summer Remembered Through Dance: Chuncheon Performing Arts Festival & Changmu International Performing Arts Festival

The Chuncheon Performing Arts Festival will be held from August 12 to 16 in various locations around Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, under the theme of "Inclusion." A total of 20 works, including dance, music, and children's performances, will be staged at venues such as the Festival Theater Momjit, Seongam Church, and Damjakeun Library. The festival will feature "Signature" official invitation pieces that capture contemporary sensibilities, as well as works from the "Gangwon Finder" section, which introduces emerging artists from the Gangwon region.

The lineup includes Yang Seungkwan's "Milmul," which utilizes sound art; "In_Harmony and Imbalance" by B'reshit Dance Company, which fuses pansori with contemporary dance; and "Surviving in Antarctica" by Ballet 29, a children's piece addressing the climate crisis. These works collectively embrace diversity.

The Changmu International Performing Arts Festival will take place from August 22 to 30 in Sejong and Seoul under the theme "Voices of the Earth." The festival will be held at venues such as Sejong Arts Center, ARKO Arts Theater, and Post Theater, presenting stages that combine the identity of Korean dance with contemporary imagination. Both domestic and international dance companies, as well as emerging choreographers, will participate.

In particular, to mark the 60th anniversary of Korea-Japan diplomatic relations, world-renowned Japanese dance company Sankai Juku, the Netherlands' Collectief Mamm, and Australia's Lewis Major will participate, showcasing the dance aesthetics of each country in one place. Additionally, the newly established international exchange program "Solo Duo Dance Festival Seoul & NY," connecting New York and Seoul, is drawing special attention this year.

A Summer Filled with Gugak: Korea University Gugak Festival & Saengsaeng Woori Music Festival

The Korea University Gugak Festival will be held on August 14 at the Gangbuk Culture and Arts Center in Seoul. As the only creative gugak competition in Korea for university and graduate students nationwide, it has served as a gateway for talented teams, including "Seodo Band" from JTBC's "Pungnyudaejang," to emerge in the creative gugak scene.

Five teams will compete in the finals, and last year's winning team will also give a celebratory performance. The grand prize and gold prize winners will receive consulting support from the organizers when applying to participate in the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe Korean Season.

The Saengsaeng Woori Music Festival will kick off from August 22 to 24 in Bongdam-eup, Hwaseong-si, Gyeonggi Province. The festival will take place in local cultural spaces such as bookstores, ateliers, and parks, featuring performances in "Live" and "Unplugged" formats that preserve the sentiment of gugak while allowing close interaction with the audience.

Beginning with a pre-festival event featuring groups such as Art Kudo and Luna Flow, 13 teams selected through a public contest will present passionate performances over three days under the theme "Vivid Breaths, Dense Sweat." All performances are free of charge.