This guide summarizes official announcements and is not a firsthand visit review. Character illustrations are GPT-generated.
- Dates
- Fri, Oct 9, 2026 ~ Sun, Oct 18
- Hours
- Festival programs 13:00~23:00 · KDF Concert starts at 20:30 (until the 17th)
- Venue
- Jangdae-dong Namgang Riverside · Gyeongnam Culture & Arts Center (장대동 남강둔치 일원·경남문화예술회관)356-17 Namgang Riverside, Jangdae-dong, Jinju, Gyeongnam (Gyeongnam Culture & Arts Center: 215 Gangnam-ro)
- Organizer
- Korea Drama Festival Organizing Committee ((사)코리아드라마페스티벌 조직위원회)
- Official
- Official notice (Korean) ↗
- Updated
- when we last re-checked the official notice
📅 Schedule at a glance
October 2026
Event daysHighlightsTodayKorean public holidays
Korea Meteorological Administration · 10/15, 5 AM issued · forecasts can change
📌 What's on each day
- 10/9FriHangeul DayKDF ConcertToday
- 10/10Sat★ Awards · KDF ConcertToday
- 10/11–17Sun–SatKDF ConcertToday
🔁 Daily · Drama Sets·Exhibits·Promo 13:00~23:00
2026 Korea Drama Festival Schedule · KDF Concert · Shuttle, Before Visiting Namgang in Jinju with Kids
In Jinju, where lanterns float on the Namgang River,
another drama festival is coming 🎬
Now in its 19th year!
The 2026 Korea Drama Festival (KDF)
will be held for ten days from October 9 (Fri) to 18 (Sun)
at Jangdae-dong Namgang Riverside and
the Gyeongnam Culture & Arts Center in Jinju.
I’ve organized the October festival info from Jinju City
and the KDF Organizing Committee website for you.
🎪 What Kind of Event Is It?
This is a drama festival that looks back
on the year’s Korean dramas.
The main event is an awards ceremony
that judges dramas from terrestrial, general, cable, and OTT channels together.
At the festival site, you’ll find drama sets,
drama-themed exhibition halls, and photo zones.
Every evening, the KDF Concert
takes place at Namgang Riverside.
✨ What’s Happening When?
Here is a table of times
from the Jinju City guide.
| Date & Time | Program |
|---|---|
| Daily 13:00~23:00 | Festival Programs — Drama sets, exhibition halls, KDF promo zone, Music Festa |
| 10/9 (Fri) to 17 (Sat), 20:30~21:30 | KDF Concert — Jangdae-dong Namgang Riverside (in front of Hotel Dongbang) |
| 10/10 (Sat) 17:30 | Korea Drama Awards — Main Hall, Gyeongnam Culture & Arts Center |
The awards ceremony time is listed as 17:30 by Jinju City and the Gyeongnam Culture & Arts Center,
but as 17:00~20:00 on the Organizing Committee website.
🎬 What Can You See at the Festival?
There will be 3 drama sets.
Jinju City announced outdoor sets for ‘The Tyrant’s Chef’, ‘Scarecrow’,
and ‘True Education’, as well as exhibition halls for 12 major works.
The KDF Promo Zone features structures and goods displays
made with drama images, plus photo zones.
Music Festa includes local singer performances,
busking, and EDM stages.
This year, a short-form drama featuring
AI and international actors, set in Jinju,
will also be produced on site.
🎤 Who’s Performing at the KDF Concert?
Here is the daily lineup
from the Organizing Committee website (every night at 20:30).
| Date | Stage |
|---|---|
| 10/9 (Fri) | ‘Show’·‘After Everyone Sleeps’ Kim Won-jun |
| 10/10 (Sat) | First-generation hip-hop stage |
| 10/11 (Sun) | ‘Sorrow’·‘Fate’ Cool’s Kim Sung-soo |
| 10/12 (Mon) | Drama OST classical ensemble |
| 10/13 (Tue) | Comedy by ‘True Education’ actors |
| 10/14 (Wed) | Jang Tae-hee·Noh Hyun-tae Trot×Hip-hop |
| 10/15 (Thu) | ‘Angel Without Wings’ Kim Ji-hyun |
| 10/16 (Fri) | ‘Thinking of You’ Park Nam-jung |
| 10/17 (Sat) | ‘Have a Drink’ Park Gun |
The website header says the festival runs through the 18th,
but the daily stage info is only up to the 17th.
There is no info yet on ticket prices or seating.
🏆 How Can You Watch the Awards Ceremony?
The 17th Korea Drama Awards
will be held on the 10th (Sat) at the Main Hall of the Gyeongnam Culture & Arts Center.
It’s open to all ages, and singer Kim Hyung-joong
will perform a congratulatory stage.
Seats are available through the Organizing Committee website’s
’Sponsorship and Ticket Application’ page.
The sponsorship amount is at least 30,000 won per seat.
🚌 Getting There & Parking
Transportation is operated together with
the Jinju Namgang Lantern Festival, held at the same time.
Park at a temporary lot near the IC or national road entrance
and take the free shuttle bus.
Shuttles run on October 9, 10, 11 and 16, 17, 18
from 16:00 to 23:00.
| Shuttle Drop-off | Shuttle Pick-up |
|---|---|
| Gyeongnam Culture & Arts Center | 2 locations in Innovation City · Agricultural Wholesale Market · Jinju Station |
| Nabulcheon Covered Road | Jinju Public Stadium · Jeongchon-myeon (Namjinju Hyundai Service) |
| Opposite The House Gap-eul | Sinan·Pyeonggeo Riverside Road |
On the same days from 19:00~23:00,
the Hamo Call Bus also runs every 20 minutes.
It stops at 5 places including the Gyeongnam Culture & Arts Center and Jinju Intercity Bus Terminal,
and the fare is 1,650 won.
The Organizing Committee lists the concert venue as
’Jangdae-dong Namgang Riverside (in front of Hotel Dongbang)’.
👨👩👧 If You’re Going with Kids
The sets, exhibition halls, and photo zones
open from 13:00,
so they’re great for daytime visits.
The concert starts at 20:30 and ends at 21:30.
On the 9th and 17th, there will also be fireworks
at the Lantern Festival on the Namgang at 20:00.
from the 12th (Mon) to the 15th (Thu)
If you plan to attend a weekday evening concert,
be sure to check city buses or parking
in advance
⏳ What’s Not Announced Yet
□ Locations (map) of sets and exhibition halls
□ Concert ticket prices and seating
□ Operation in case of rain
□ Evening stage on the 18th (Sun)
The ‘Festival Events’ section of the Organizing Committee
says ‘to be announced’.
I’ll update this post when more info is available.
If you have questions, call the Organizing Committee
at 055-755-2363.
👍 Recommended for These Families
✔ Families who want to take photos at drama sets
✔ Families planning a day in Jinju with the Lantern Festival
✔ Families who want to enjoy a music stage by the Namgang in the evening
Visit the sets during the day, then enjoy the Namgang concert at night—
a drama festival to enjoy with the lanterns.
This post is organized from official guides before visiting in person. The mascot images are GPT-generated.
🔄 Updates
- First write-up
📎 Sources
- 10월 축제 종합 안내 — 코리아드라마페스티벌 진주시 · 관공서
- KDF 페스티벌 안내 — 행사개요 (사)코리아드라마페스티벌 조직위원회 · 주최
- KDF 페스티벌 안내 — 공연행사(코리아드라마어워즈·KDF 콘서트) (사)코리아드라마페스티벌 조직위원회 · 주최
- KDF 후원 및 티켓 신청 (사)코리아드라마페스티벌 조직위원회 · 주최
- 공연 안내 '2026 코리아드라마어워즈' 경남문화예술회관 · 관공서
- 10월 축제 종합 안내 — 교통(무료 셔틀·임시주차장) 진주시 · 관공서
- 진주남강유등축제 첫날 관람객 18만 5천여 명 찾아…역대급 (KDF 일정 포함) 진주시 · 2026.10.6 · 관공서
- 진주시, ‘글로벌 축제 원년’…10월 3대 가을축제 ‘만전’ 진주시 · 2026.9.23 · 관공서
- 진주남강유등축제 누리집 — 교통안내(하모콜버스·동반 행사) 진주남강유등축제(진주문화예술재단) · 주최
- '2026 코리아드라마페스티벌' 9일 개막⋯AI 숏폼도 첫선 이투데이 · 2026.10.8 · 기사
This is a guide based on official announcements, not a visit review. Schedules, programs and fees can change, so please re-check the official notice before you go.
AI-assisted translation. Numbers and article structure were checked against the Korean original on 2026-10-09. This is not a new verification of the event announcements. Original post (Korean)