Namsan Night Festival, Seoul — last dates to 14 Nov, deposit and booking

The 2026 Namsan Night Festival, Seoul Metropolitan Government's festival for spending autumn evenings on Namsan, is into its second half. It has three strands: Namsan Campnic, where you set up in a tent or on a mat in Baekbeom Square to watch performances and a film; the Autumn Foliage Walk, a dusk trek along the mountain's northern forest trail; and Palgak Club, a silent DJ party with headphones in front of Palgakjeong Pavilion on the last night. All are free, but to stop no-shows each takes a deposit that is returned when you turn up — so the booking step cannot be skipped.

Which dates are left?

What happens at Namsan Campnic?

Campnic — camping plus picnic — turns the lawn of Baekbeom Square on Namsan into a field of string lights, with a tent zone and a mat zone. You choose one when booking and are shown your spot on the day. Through the evening come 'Namsan Sunset FM', a live radio show of listeners' stories and requests, 'Moonlight Live' street music, and 'Starlight Cinema', a film screening. A Campnic package of a table, four chairs, a lantern and two blankets can be borrowed; you may bring your own things other than tents, tarps and mats.

• Food: outside food and delivery are both allowed. Delivery riders cannot enter the site, so collect your order from the designated pick-up zone.
• Not allowed: personal stoves or cooking equipment; heavy drinking or rowdiness may be stopped.
• Offers: KRW 3,000 off orders of KRW 25,000 or more through the Ddangyeoyo delivery app, and payback when paying with Seoul Pay+ (Seoul Love Gift Card) — KRW 3,000 on KRW 15,000 or more, KRW 5,000 on KRW 25,000 or more.

What is course 2 of the Autumn Foliage Walk like?

The Autumn Foliage Walk is a night trek from Namsan Yejang Park along the mountain's northern forest trails. Course 1 (3.8 km) finished on 23–24 October; course 2 is left on 6–7 November. It runs 4.2 km from Namsan Yejang Park past the northern ring road and the Jangchung area, down the Namsan north forest trail, to finish at Namsangol Hanok Village. The start and finish are in different places, so plan your way home from the hanok village (Chungmuro Station).

The official site rates course 2 five stars for difficulty and warns that the north forest trail has long runs of downward steps, so anyone with weak knees should think carefully. Walkers get glow-in-the-dark accessories, hear buskers along the route and receive a souvenir at the finish; members of Seoul's 'Sonmok Doctor 9988' health app earn 1,000 points for completing it. Wear trainers or hiking shoes with grip, and bring gloves and a scarf — it gets cold.

What is Palgak Club?

On the festival's last day, Saturday 14 November, a silent DJ party takes place in front of Palgakjeong Pavilion beside N Seoul Tower. Everyone listens on wireless headphones, so evening walkers are not disturbed and you can dance with Seoul's lights spread out below. There are two sessions, 17:30–19:00 and 19:30–21:00, each for 300 people. Booking opens on Monday 2 November at 10am; the detailed programme is still listed as 'to be announced'.

How do booking and the deposit refund work?

1. On the official site (namsannightfestival.com), choose a programme and press 'Book in advance'.
2. On Naver Booking, pick the date and session and pay the deposit. Sold-out items are hidden and reappear when a cancellation frees a place.
3. Show your booking at the reception desk on the day; once your attendance is confirmed, the deposit is refunded in full.

If you cancel a booking yourself, the refund rules announced by the festival office on 12 October apply: cancel at least seven days ahead for a full refund, with a growing deduction closer to the date and no refund after it. Deposits paid by bank transfer are refunded in a batch each week. Check the exact deductions and refund dates on the site's notices.

Is the 21 November 'Sparkling Namsan Night Walk' part of the festival?

No. It is a separate night walk run by Seoul Metropolitan Government and is not among the festival's programmes. According to the city, on Saturday 21 November from 19:00 to 21:00 walkers set off from Cheonugak in Namsangol Hanok Village and walk about 3 km to Palgakjeong Pavilion; there is no advance sign-up, and 700 people per session are registered on the spot, free. It suits anyone who wants one more walk on Namsan after the festival ends.

Before you go

• Getting there: no parking tickets or fees are covered. For Baekbeom Square walk up from Hoehyeon Station (Line 4); for Namsan Yejang Park, from Myeongdong Station (Line 4) or Chungmuro Station (Lines 3 and 4).
• Weather: rain or snow can cancel a programme, and strong wind or cold can shorten it. Check the site's notices just before your date.
• Warmth: the temperature drops sharply after dark. Bring a heavy coat and gloves.
• Enquiries: festival office, +82 70-5226-0759 (weekdays 10:00–18:00, Korean), namsannightfestival@gmail.com

Joining as a visitor: booking, language and transport

The festival is unusually visitor-friendly on paper: its website has an English version with every date, venue and deposit. The obstacle is the booking system. Naver Booking normally needs a Naver account verified with a Korean mobile number, and the deposit is paid through Naver's payment system, so a short-stay traveller usually cannot complete it alone; ask a friend or your accommodation in Korea to book for you. Campnic is full apart from cancellations, so the realistic options are the Autumn Foliage Walk on 6–7 November and Palgak Club on 14 November (booking from 2 November). On the night, the silent DJ party needs no Korean at all, and the walk follows marked groups with staff; the Campnic radio show and stage talk are in Korean. If booking is out of reach, the city's separate night walk on 21 November is walk-up and free. Namsan is easiest from Myeongdong, Hoehyeon or Chungmuro stations on Line 4; there is no festival parking.