Seongnam Mayor Shin Sang-jin stated on October 23, "We will create a city where advanced technology and culture are part of everyday life for citizens."
On that afternoon, Mayor Shin opened the '2026 Seongnam Tech Art Festival' at Pangyo Station Square, marking the start of a three-day festival running until October 25. He emphasized his commitment to integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and cultural arts, allowing citizens to experience and enjoy future technologies in their daily lives.
The festival, themed 'AI Innovation City Seongnam, Playing with the Future,' features various programs at four locations: Pangyo Station Square, Tancheon, Seongnam City Hall, and Seongnam Sports Complex, showcasing AI, robotics, media art, musical performances, and a drone show.
During the opening ceremony, Mayor Shin remarked, "The goal of the Seongnam Tech Art Festival is not just to appreciate advanced technology and cultural arts but to enable citizens to experience and enjoy them directly." The ceremony was attended by over 1,000 people, including Mayor Shin, city council officials, local dignitaries, and business representatives. The event kicked off with a performance by five AI robots, followed by a ceremony featuring Mayor Shin and the robots, and a tech concert by Beatpella House.
A tech pop-up zone will operate at Pangyo Station Square until October 24, featuring eight companies and creative organizations. Citizens can experience advanced technology content, including AI, robotics, and media art. On October 24, a 'Creative Talk' will be held, where AI content creators will share their technology and creative experiences.
At Tancheon, activities will include kayaking, as well as experience zones for robotics, drones, virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR), along with a Tancheon market and global food zone. In the evenings, a multimedia show combining media art with light, lasers, and music will take place.
Notably, on October 24 at 8:30 PM, 3,000 drones will light up the night sky over Tancheon, showcasing popular characters such as Pororo, Tayo, and Larva.
On October 25, the Seongnam Sports Complex will host the '2026 Music Festa' featuring singers Lee Jae-hoon and Kim Won-jun, along with drone sports experiences. The festival will conclude with a light show featuring 1,500 drones at 8:50 PM.
Additionally, Seongnam City Hall will host a youth creative science festival, the Seongnam City-KAIST AI competition, and a children's drawing contest, supporting the enhancement of scientific imagination and creativity among future generations.
Now in its fourth year, this festival has evolved from the 'Seongnam Festival' in 2023 into an event that combines technology, art, and gaming.
Mayor Shin noted that this year, the festival's name and content were revamped to reflect the city's characteristics as a hub for AI and advanced industries, while expanding citizen participation programs.
Furthermore, Mayor Shin added, "We will continue to connect Seongnam's urban spaces and cultural resources to develop this festival into a representative event that citizens enjoy and visitors will want to return to."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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