The 2026 Seoul Mind Care Festival will take place from 11am to 5pm on Friday 9 October on Deoksugung-gil’s car-free street (from outside Daehanmun Gate to the circular fountain). Organised and hosted by 282 Books, the festival is part of a private-sector festival support scheme sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Its subtitle is ‘Welcome to the Mind Station’. A mind-care flea market and workshops, advice stalls, busking themed around comfort and empathy, and participatory art will run throughout the day. Entry is free.
Care for your mind before you feel unwell
The organisers say the festival began with a question: before our bodies become unwell, we exercise and take vitamins, so why do we wait until our minds are hurting before looking after them? The aim is to create a day for checking in with how we feel now, before things get worse. The festival’s slogan is ‘34 ways to care for your mind’. Like stepping off at a station for a short rest while out walking, visitors can explore the festival and find a way to care for their minds that they can take back into everyday life.
28 stalls and a stage of comfort
At the heart of the festival are 28 mind-care stalls. A flea market, workshops and advice stalls will line the street, where visitors can drop in, try activities for themselves and talk with others.
The stage will host busking themed around comfort and empathy. Artist Latisha will give a live drawing performance called ‘Mind Stones Become Spring’, while choreographer Kim Ho-yeon will present ‘A Time When the Heart Moves’. Sibling duo Seo and Kong will bring the comfort of music to the stage, and actor Hwang Mi-young will present ‘Mi-young, Who Became a God’. Drawing, movement, song and acting will come together in one place. Visitors can also take part in DRAW YOURSELF, a participatory art activity where they draw for themselves.
A place to find the right kind of mind care for you
The organisers recommend the festival to anyone curious about how they are feeling, looking for a way to care for their mind that suits them, or simply wanting to take a short break. They invite visitors to take their time, explore and try things out over the day, and discover one form of mind care that feels right for them.
These days, with screens to look at all day and a constant flood of information leaving little chance for our minds to rest, the idea of caring for our minds can feel vague. For anyone unfamiliar with sitting quietly and closing their eyes, a festival like this can offer an easy first step: walk along the street, visit the stalls one by one, draw, and watch music and movement. Moving your body, using your hands and paying attention to your mind can also offer a natural introduction to meditation.
There is no single way to care for your mind. For one person, it may be talking to a counsellor; for another, drawing or music; and for someone else, simply taking a slow walk along an autumn street. This festival lays out 34 approaches for visitors to choose from. Rather than offering a single right answer, it is worth noting for the way it helps people find what suits them for themselves. The festival runs from 11am to 5pm, so you could drop by while walking along Deoksugung-gil in autumn.
Event information
- Date and time: Friday 9 October 2026, 11am–5pm
- Location: Deoksugung-gil car-free street (from outside Daehanmun Gate to the circular fountain)
- Who can attend: Anyone interested in caring for their mind in everyday life
- Admission: Free
- Organised and hosted by: 282 Books / Sponsored by: Seoul Metropolitan Government
- Advance registration: Online application form (https://forms.gle/hGz2cau5deF6Keka6)
- Full festival details: https://app.notion.com/p/2026-3deecebb36ab800eb372c977f40faa6e
- Enquiries: Email pek@282story.com
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