Gwanghwamun to become dance stage for late summer nights

The Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will transform Gwanghwamun Square into a vast open-air dance floor for the 2025 Sejong Summer Festival, set to run from Aug. 28-31.

This year’s lineup spans shuffle dance, Korean contemporary choreography, street dance, and swing and jazz, with each evening devoted to a distinct genre.

The festivities kick off on Aug. 28 with “Funk & Shuffle Night,” pairing high-energy shuffle moves with acrobatic breakdance to live funk rhythms. Leading the charge will be shuffle dance crew KSDA Shuffle, street dance–dedicated big band Breaking Symphonic and the b-boy crew Fusion MC.

On Aug. 29, “Bbong & Techno Night” will offer a daring mash-up of traditional dance, techno and ppongjjak, another name for the Korean music genre trot. The creative dance troupe Chumsuncap, led by Suncapboi of "Street Dance Fighter," will blend the improvisational playfulness of folk dance movements with the hypnotic pull of ppongjjak and techno.

Aug. 30 belongs to “Hook Dance Night,” a showcase of street dance in its many forms: hip-hop, locking and more. Choreographer and Hook leader Aiki will lead the evening, with impromptu sessions adding to the street dance spirit of spontaneity and freedom.

The festival’s finale on Aug. 31 will see Gwanghwamun take on a Broadway flair with “Swing & Jazz Night.” Jazz and swing dancers perform to the brassy sounds of Sage Min Swingtet, joined by France’s Bordeaux Swing and Korea’s Tuxedo Junction. Swing acts Airdrop, Jazz Witz, Bopster & Giant Steps, along with large-scale choreography by Hip It Up, will layer spectacle onto the night.

On the final day, just before "Swing & Jazz Night," the public can join a free onsite swing dance workshop to learn basic steps and move with the music. The workshop will be held in three short, omnibus-style sessions, open to both pre-registrants and walk-up participants on the day of the event.

All performances are free. Advance reservations are available via the Sejong Center’s website; remaining seats will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at the venue. For those unable to stand for long periods, the center’s grand staircase will be opened as a seating area.