Gyeryong Military Culture Festival
🗓️ 2026.10.01 ~ 2026.10.05
The Gyeryong Military Culture Festival is a defense-themed cultural event held in Gyeryong City, where the headquarters of the Army, Navy, and Air Force are located. First held in 2007, it marks its 16th anniversary this year. From Thursday, October 1, 2026, to Monday, October 5, 2026, the festival will take over the permanent stage, auxiliary stages, and the entire runway of Gyeryongdae, opening with performances by top-tier artists such as Sohyang and Forestella and continuing with military band and honor guard performances, special performances by Army performance teams, and the largest-ever road parade—a large-scale downtown parade involving approximately 700 participants.
Throughout the five days, visitors can also take part in a range of military culture experiences, including military equipment and shooting experiences, extreme ranger challenges, comprehensive barrack experiences, and VR/AR experiences. With programs designed for all ages, the festival also includes a history special lecture by Professor Shin Byung-joo, a 20m-large LED special video hall, and a children’s theme park, all contributing to Gyeryong’s unique defense culture festival.
Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony features a citizen-participatory theme performance by Sohyang, an opening performance, a celebratory performance by Forestella, and a fireworks show.
Main Stage
The main stage hosts military band and honor guard performances, Army performance teams, and invited acts including Son Tae-jin, Gil Ryeo-won, and Dynamic Duo.
Auxiliary Stage
The auxiliary stage offers citizen participation and special performances, including Hidden Singer impersonator performances and military band and honor guard performances.
Experience Programs
- Special Experience Hall — Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps promotion zones with equipment and shooting experiences, plus an Extreme Experience Zone featuring a children’s ranger challenge.
- Special Video Hall — a 20m-large LED video hall screening Yi Seong-gye’s Dream, Legend of Sindoan alongside a history special lecture by Shin Byung-joo, known as the historical background commentator for You Quiz and The Man Who Lives with the King.
- Barracks Experience Ground — a comprehensive barracks experience course including a shooting range, rappelling, a high-altitude mock tower, and survival games.
- Barracks Experience Hall — the latest treadmill games, VR/AR experiences, and a children’s theme park with air bounce, snack collage experiences, and balloon and magic shows.
Side Events
Side events include the downtown parade, Imagination Festival, Gyeryong Haneul Sori-gil exploration, and a health walking event.
Runway
The runway hosts guerrilla events such as Nanjangpan Gut, a bubble show, and a retro youth stage.
📍 Address: Gyeryongdae Runway, Seokgye-ri, Sindoan-myeon, Gyeryong-si, Chungcheongnam-do
🛏️ Accommodations near the event
💰 Fee: Free (Limited to some programs, experience fees are paid)
📞 Inquiry: 042-840-2621~4
⭐️ Instagram
Gyeryong City, in South Chungcheong Province, is the headquarters site of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. The Gyeryongdae compound houses the headquarters of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Having the three services in one location allows their command staffs to work together on joint operations without the coordination problems that come with widely separated bases. While the Ministry of National Defense in Seoul handles policy and administration, operational command and control of the military is exercised from Gyeryong.
The city contains a number of other military installations, training facilities, and defense agencies. Gyeryongdae and its surrounding area are protected by restricted airspace and strict security measures.
The public dimension of this military role is visible most clearly in the annual Gyeryong Military Culture Festival. The event opens parts of the military world to civilians, with displays of equipment, demonstrations, and programs designed to explain the armed forces. For most visitors, it is the main point of contact with the institutions based in the city.
Gyeryong is not a commercial or administrative capital. It is a working military headquarters, and that function determines what the city is and how it operates.
