Gangbuk Baekmaek Festival

🗓️ 2026.09.04 ~ 2026.09.05

Since its first edition in 2023, the Baekmaek Festival has become one of Gangbuk-gu’s representative annual events. The festival is held in connection with the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s plan to turn waterfront areas into emotional city attractions, a plan that includes the completion of the waterfront terrace observatory. Using the beautiful waterfront resources of Ui-cheon as its core space, the festival is a place of harmony for people of all ages and genders, while also integrating local commercial districts and young entrepreneurs.

Rather than centering on stages for famous singers, the program offers diverse busking and performances where local artists and residents perform together. It also expands sales space for craft beer and food from traditional markets within the district, helping small business owners develop new sales channels. The festival creates a foundation for Ui-cheon to leap forward as a waterfront emotional cultural space—one where culture flows and permanent night markets exist.

1. Main Programs

• Wonder Gate (Baeknyeon Market Entrance): A large gate and photo zone symbolizing the festival, a general information center, and an interactive ‘DJ ZONE’.
• Maze of Taste (Local Food Zone inside Baeknyeon Market): Food and brewery stalls arranged around a wonderland concept.
• Upside-Down Garden (Eunmoru Children’s Park): A family lounge and Bubble Wonderland.
• Strange Alley (Alley moving from Baeknyeon Market to Ui-cheon): Caricatures and wonder performers who interact with visitors.
• Jumbled Square (Badminton Court): Baekmaek Chef’s Table and camping-style relaxation areas.
• Wonder Maru (Ui-cheon Waterfront Stage): Official events and ongoing singer performances on the waterfront stage.

2. Side Programs

Food Booths including Traditional Markets (Alley Commercial Districts) – 85 locations

• Food (snacks/side dishes) sales booths from traditional markets
• Food (snacks/side dishes) sales booths from alley commercial districts
• Menu sales booths linked to smart farms, etc.

Craft Beer Breweries – 15 locations

• Beer tasting and sales booths
• Non-alcoholic beer by some breweries

📍 Address: 45 Dobong-ro 97-gil, Gangbuk-gu, Seoul (Suyu-dong)

🛏️ Accommodation near the event

💰 Fee: Free

📞 Inquiry: 02-901-7253

🖥️ Homepage: 100beer.kr

Baekmaek (백맥) is the Korean term for white beer. In practice, it refers to a family of wheat beers: hazy, pale gold, light-bodied, smooth, and refreshing. The word combines baek, meaning “white,” and maek, short for maekju, the Korean word for beer. The “white” does not describe the liquid’s color but its cloudy, unfiltered appearance, which comes from suspended yeast and wheat proteins.

The style is brewed with a substantial share of wheat malt alongside barley. That grain bill produces a softer mouthfeel and a mild, bready sweetness. A typical baekmaek has moderate citrus notes, sometimes a trace of coriander or clove, and ends with a dry, clean finish. Bitterness is low, and alcohol content is usually modest, which suits the beer to outdoor drinking. Recipes vary: some versions are spiced in the Belgian witbier manner, while others stay plain and rely on the wheat itself. Because it is unfiltered, the beer may look hazy in the glass.

At the Gangbuk Baekmaek Festival, the style is the organizing theme. The festival takes its name from baekmaek and gives it a central place on the waterfront tap list, alongside other craft beers chosen for a similar light, food-friendly profile. The program includes classic white ales, fruited wheat beers, and local experimental batches. What the selections share is the beer itself: cold, crisp, and well matched to food and live music by the Han River.