Youth from 40-plus countries converge on Sinchon in Seodaemun-gu

Young people from around the world are gathering in Sinchon.

Seodaemun-gu will host the 2026 Sinchon Global University Culture Festival (SWYFT) across the Sinchon area for three days, from Sept. 11 to 13.

Held under the theme "Global Wave, Sinchon Vibe," the festival is hosted by Seodaemun-gu and co-organized by a student planning committee.

With college students and young people from more than 40 countries taking part, the festival will serve as a global platform for cultural exchange and youthful university culture. Last year, about 490,000 visitors attended.

On the first day, the festival opens with a rousing performance by university cheerleading squads and flag teams, symbols of Sinchon's youthful university culture. At the official opening ceremony that follows, members of the student planning committee and key guests will wear the festival's signature "SWYFT" jackets together and take part in a touch-button ceremony. Congratulatory performances by invited singers Waker, Wina and Crying Nut will then heighten the festivities.

On the second day, the "Sinchon SWYFT Sports Day" will bring young people together across borders to run and play. Key events include the "Global Big Ball Relay," the "Dance Stop Challenge" and the "Sinchon Big Hit Water Gun Performance."

That day will also feature "Sinchon UNI.ON," a student performance program organized by the student planning committee itself. Clubs from four universities — Sejong University, Kwangwoon University, Ewha Womans University and Sungkonghoe University — along with students from Kyungbok University's applied music department, will present a variety of performances.

On the final day, "Global Village Cultural Journey" will showcase traditional performances from six countries — Mexico, Hungary, India, Thailand, Cambodia and Burkina Faso. In the "International Students Song Contest," 12 teams selected through online preliminaries will compete fiercely for the grand prize. The closing concert will feature Yurisangja, Sim Island, Readycore, DJ Junkoko and Psyburger, bringing the festival to a close.

The Global Zone, stretching from Sinchon Station to Star Square, will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. It offers programs that let visitors experience the cultures of various countries, including national promotion booths run by foreign embassies in Korea and traditional costume experiences. At the World Food Zone in Changcheon Cultural Park, visitors can sample distinctive dishes from countries around the world.

The "University Student Zone" stretches from Star Square to the front of Yonsei University, where student club promotion and experience booths will operate. The "Sinchon University Open Campus" will also run there, organized under the theme "Sinchon Is One Campus." The program turns various spots around Sinchon into classrooms. These include a humanities lecture by Hongik Munko and a K-pop class titled "Department for Escaping Two Left Feet." Also featured is a lecture by history storyteller Bae Gi-seong titled "From the June 1987 Uprising to the Political Culture of 2026." The lineup also includes a talk by MBN reporter Yoon Beom-gi and cultural planner Han Gil-woo titled "Sinchon Is a Classroom: A New Alternative Education!"

More details about the festival are available on the festival's official website or the Seodaemun-gu website. For further inquiries, contact the Seodaemun-gu Culture and Sports Division.

Seodaemun-gu District Mayor Park Woon-ki said, "I hope citizens will show great interest and take part in this global cultural exchange, where young people from around the world gather in one place to share their cultures and communicate with one another."