Gwangju will host the largest street dance festival in the country, with roughly 1,300 dancers competing.

Gwangju City announced on the 2nd that “From the 4th to the 7th, the ‘2026 Gwangju Street Culture Festa’ will take place at the Asia Culture Center (ACC) in Dong-gu and around the 5·18 Democracy Plaza.”

More than 1,300 top-tier dancers from Korea and abroad will participate in the Street Culture Festa. Participants will showcase fierce battles and K-pop dance, among other performances.

In particular, the ‘Battle Line Up’(Battle Line Up), launched by young dancers in Gwangju ten years ago and grown into a leading Korean street dance brand, reached capacity two minutes after registration opened.

At the ACC Arts Theater, Battle Line Up will present exhilarating battles across a total of five genres: hip-hop·waacking·popping·locking·open style, as dancers from around the world put their pride on the line.

A ‘Kids&Youth Battle’ featuring children and teenagers who will lead the future of street dance will also be held.

At the 5·18 Democracy Plaza, outdoor competition programs will run on the 5th and 6th. The K-pop dance contest’ and a group performance competition featuring 37 dance teams in the youth and general divisions will deliver spectacular routines that push the limits.

Top overseas street dancers who have dominated global dance battles such as the French ‘Juste Debout’ will serve as judges, and veteran MC Durak will host. Well-known dancers familiar to the public, including Rihey, Jinwoo, Love Ran, Danzel, and Akanen, will take part in the K-pop dance and team performance competitions.

Lee Seung-gyu, head of the New Vitality Promotion Headquarters of Gwangju City, said, “Street Culture Festa is a global cultural festival where young people and dancers from around the world gather in Gwangju to enjoy together,” adding, “We will do our best to help it grow into a world-class summer festival that promotes the cultural dynamism of Gwangju and its youthful energy at home and abroad.”