Pohang Steel Art Festival 2026 Oct 24: Stunning 45m Steel Wall at Songdo Beach – Complete Guide

Pohang Steel Art Festival puts a 45 m steel wall on a beach 🎨 — a brand-new artwork at Songdo Beach, one of 5 sites across Pohang, open for 23 days from October 24, 2026. Here’s the full guide: venues, exhibits and what to check first. 🌊

※ Check the official website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.

Pohang Steel Art Festival is the 15th edition of the steel art event, open for 23 days from October 24 to November 15, 2026. 🎨 Look at the theme “Takma” and the signature artwork first. 🌊

Pohang Steel Art Festival turns the steel-industry city of Pohang into an open-air gallery. Launched in 2012, this is the 15th edition, held by the Pohang Cultural Foundation from Saturday, October 24 to Sunday, November 15, 2026 (23 days) at Dongbin Warehouse 1969, Songdo Beach, Kkumteul-ro, Jungang-ro and Jukdo Market. According to the foundation, the festival moves away from displaying finished iron sculptures and focuses on telling the city’s history and its citizens’ lives through iron art. Based on official announcements as of October 8, 2026, as reported by Gyeongbuk Maeil.

Official English Page (VisitKorea)

1. Pohang Steel Art Festival Dates & Venues: Dongbin Warehouse 1969 and Songdo Beach

23 Days, 15th Edition

The festival opens on Saturday, October 24, 2026 and closes on Sunday, November 15. With 23 days to choose from, you can pick any weekend. It began in 2012, and this is its 15th year.

The theme is Takma (탁마, 琢磨), a term for polishing and refining. The festival uses it for people, art and daily life, and for a city and its citizens, growing through exchange. The slogan reads, roughly, “iron sheds its rust against iron, and potatoes shed their skins against potatoes.”

Dongbin Warehouse 1969 and Songdo Beach

These two places are the festival’s main stages. At Dongbin Warehouse 1969, photographer Kim Hoon’s Public Photo Pohang is on display. Songdo Beach hosts Pohang Cheolbyeok Seosa (포항철벽서사), a large work by artist Lee Ung-bae.

The Friends of Yeongilman exhibition has 10 artists, 5 from Pohang and 5 from elsewhere. The sources are not consistent on whether it is at Dongbin Warehouse 1969 or Songdo Beach, so confirm its location on the official page. Travel time and transport between the two main sites were not confirmed, so check how you will get around if you plan to see both in a day.

Kkumteul-ro, Jungang-ro and Jukdo Market

This year the festival spreads out from exhibition halls to the places where citizens live, such as Kkumteul-ro, Jungang-ro and Jukdo Market. Along the stream in Jungang-ro, a Public Architecture Pohang (퍼블릭 아키텍처 포항) pavilion and street furniture are installed.

Jukdo Market (죽도시장) is also the workplace of merchants whose faces appear in Public Photo Pohang. Walking the market after seeing the photos is one route you could try.

2. Dongbin Warehouse 1969 vs Songdo Beach vs Jungang-ro at a Glance

With exhibits spread around Pohang, it can be hard to know where to start. If you like photography and portraits, Dongbin Warehouse 1969 is the pick. For a large installation, go to Songdo Beach, and for a place to sit and linger, try Jungang-ro. This comparison is based on confirmed information.

💡 Agoda and Booking.com let you compare Pohang-area hotel rates by date!

With venues scattered, some visitors split the exhibits over two days rather than rush through in one. In that case, plan your route and your bed together. With 23 days to choose from, you have plenty of options for which weekend to go. Once your date is set, narrow down hotel candidates first.

3. Takma Theme and Signature Works: 3 Things to Know

From Steel Sculptures to a City’s Story

Lee Sang-mo, head of the Pohang Cultural Foundation, said earlier festivals centered on displaying finished iron sculptures. This year, he said, the focus is on telling Pohang’s history and its citizens’ lives through iron art. The program links the life of a city that grew up with iron to history, labor, people and memory.

The Signature Work: Pohang Cheolbyeok Seosa

Pohang Cheolbyeok Seosa (포항철벽서사), roughly “Pohang Iron Wall Narrative”, is a work by artist Lee Ung-bae to be installed at Songdo Beach. It is 45 m long and 3 m high. It captures Pohang’s time and space, from the Chilpo-ri petroglyphs (칠포리 암각화) to modern life, and it is a new piece planned and produced this year.

Six Areas Led by Citizen Planners

The 14-member Pohang Iron Culture Planning Team (포항철문화기획단) leads programs in 6 areas: Munhaeng Lab, Academy, Nori+Teo, Citizen Travel Agency, Citizen Market and Bakmul+So. Bakmul+So is an archive project that gathers and displays 200 personal items and stories from citizens. A schedule for each area was not confirmed.

4. Admission & How to Visit

Admission and Advance Booking

The confirmed reports do not mention an admission fee or advance booking, so it cannot be said whether entry is free. Check the official notice before you visit. It is also unknown whether the citizen participation programs need separate sign-up.

Start With the Place You Most Want to See

Dongbin Warehouse 1969 centers on photography, Songdo Beach on the large installation, and Jungang-ro on the pavilion. Pick one first and move on to the next if time allows. Transport between the sites was not confirmed.

Citizen Participation Programs

Several of the 6 areas are hands-on in nature, such as Nori+Teo, Citizen Travel Agency and Citizen Market. Bakmul+So puts 200 items and stories from citizens on show. Check the official notice for how to take part and when.

Visitor Information (English)

5. Visiting Tips and Cautions

Keep One Day to Two or Three Stops

Pairing two places of different character, such as Dongbin Warehouse 1969 and Songdo Beach, is a reasonable route. Seeing one or two sites in depth beats rushing through five.

Check Opening Hours by Venue

Detailed hours were not confirmed. An indoor hall like Dongbin Warehouse 1969 and an outdoor installation may be open at different times, so read the official notice first.

Check the Weather for Outdoor Works

The installation at Songdo Beach is exposed to the weather. Check the forecast and bring a jacket before you leave.

Check Whether Citizen Programs Need Sign-Up

Whether any of the 6 program areas require advance registration was not confirmed. If one interests you, confirm its schedule first.

6. Where to Eat & Stay Around Pohang

Eating Around Jukdo Market

Jukdo Market is both a festival site and the workplace of the merchants seen in Public Photo Pohang. You can picture seeing the exhibit and then eating at the market, but no individual restaurants were confirmed, so none are named here.

Finding a Place to Stay in Pohang

For a longer trip, Agoda, Booking.com and Trip.com list Pohang hotels with date-based prices. No partner hotels were confirmed, so none are recommended. Pohang is on Korea’s east coast in North Gyeongsang Province, and long-distance buses and trains connect it with Seoul. Travel times were not in the announcements, so check timetables before you book.

Day-Trip Tips

If you go for the day, check the last departure home first. Looking at several venues can take longer than expected, so leave extra time.

💡 Klook and Trip.com list train tickets and day-trip options, so you can plan your trip in advance!

Visiting several venues can use up the day faster than you think. Whether you stay over or return the same day depends on how many venues you plan to visit. Once your date is fixed, check availability first. Counting travel time makes the plan cleaner.

Frequently Asked Questions