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How to Get a Tax Refund on Electronics in Korea (2026 Guide)

Foreign tourists in Korea can get a refund on value-added tax (VAT) when they shop at stores with a "Tax Free" sign. For expensive electronics such as smartphones, laptops, and cameras, the amount you get back and when you get it depend on the refund method and the customs steps you follow when you leave. Tax Free is a system that lets foreign tourists claim back the tax on goods they buy during a trip.   A Global Tax Free notice posted at a store entrance in Seoul's Myeongdong shopping district. Photo: Tenant News   Refunds are about 4–8% of the purchase price The Tax Free refund applies to foreign tourists who spend at least ₩15,000 per receipt. The amount you actually get back is about 4–8% of the purchase price. The taxes refunded are VAT and the individual consumption tax. The VAT included in the price is about 9%, and you receive that amount minus the refund agency's fee.   You qualify if you are a non-resident foreigner staying in Korea for less th...

Korea Music Festivals 2026: Dates, Lineups, Tickets

Four of Korea's seven major music festivals in 2026 are already over. Three remain: Gangwon RED FRYS in Gangneung on October 24, and two November shows in Incheon and Goyang. This guide covers the dates, lineups, ticket sellers, prices, and sale timing for all seven. All prices are in Korean won (KRW).

 

Four Festivals Are Over, Three Remain

This year's seven festivals run from the Seoul Jazz Festival on May 22 to WONDERLIVET on November 22. The first four have already ended.

 

  • Seoul Jazz Festival: May 22–24, Olympic Park, Seoul
  • Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival: July 31–August 2, Songdo Moonlight Festival Park, Incheon
  • Busan International Rock Festival: October 2–4 (Friday–Sunday), Samnak Ecological Park, Sasang District, Busan
  • Grand Mint Festival: October 17–18, Olympic Park, Seoul

 

The three still to come:

 

  • Gangwon RED FRYS: October 24, Gyeongpo Beach central plaza, Gangneung
  • ASEAN-Korea Music Festival: November 7 (Saturday) at 5 p.m. and November 8 (Sunday) at 4 p.m., Namdong Gymnasium, Incheon
  • WONDERLIVET: November 20–22 (Friday–Sunday), KINTEX Exhibition Hall 2, Goyang

 

Lineups: 60 Jazz Acts, 66 Rock Acts

The 18th Seoul Jazz Festival had 60 acts, including Herbie Hancock, Jon Batiste, Janelle Monáe, and Arturo Sandoval. The shows were spread across four stages in Olympic Park: the 88 Lawn Madang, KSPO Dome, Handball Stadium, and 88 Lake Stage.

 

Herbie Hancock performing at the 2026 Seoul Jazz Festival. Photo: Segye Ilbo
Herbie Hancock performing at the 2026 Seoul Jazz Festival. Photo: Segye Ilbo

 

The Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival had 66 acts, including Massive Attack, Pixies, Crowded House's Kruangbin-style peers Khruangbin, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Hyukoh, Silica Gel, Lee Seung-yoon, and Original Love. Shows ran from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day. The address is 350 Central-ro, Yeonsu District, Incheon. The hosts are Incheon City, with Incheon Tourism Organization and Kyeongin Ilbo as organizers. The official site is pentaport.co.kr, and the phone number is +82-32-899-7423.

 

Crowd in front of the main stage at the 2026 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival. Photo: Gyeonggi Ilbo
Crowd in front of the main stage at the 2026 Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival. Photo: Gyeonggi Ilbo

 

Grand Mint: Five Zones

The Grand Mint Festival was set up in five zones: Mint Breeze Stage, Club Midnight Sunset, Loving Forest Garden, RADAR, and ART ZONE. ART ZONE was located at Sky Plaza in Olympic Park.

 

Grand Mint Festival 2026 official poster (Oct. 17–18, Olympic Park).
Grand Mint Festival 2026 official poster (Oct. 17–18, Olympic Park).

 

The Remaining Three: Beach, Gymnasium, Exhibition Hall

The three remaining events take place at a Gangneung beach, an Incheon gymnasium, and a Goyang exhibition hall, so the settings differ a lot. RED FRYS is held outdoors on a beach plaza. Tickets come as the FRYS PASS and the VIP RED PASS.

 

Promotional image of RED FRYS 2026 at Gyeongpo Beach, Gangneung. Photo: Klook
Promotional image of RED FRYS 2026 at Gyeongpo Beach, Gangneung. Photo: Klook

 

ASEAN-Korea Music Festival 2026 ROUND in Korea runs 240 minutes and is rated all ages (open to viewers of any age). KBS is the host, and KBS and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are the organizers.

 

WONDERLIVET is in its third year and runs for three days, Friday through Sunday.

 

WONDERLIVET 2026 official poster with the three-day lineup at KINTEX. Source: WONDERLIVET official
WONDERLIVET 2026 official poster with the three-day lineup at KINTEX. Source: WONDERLIVET official

 

Ticket Sellers: Four Platforms, 3-Day Passes from About 210,000 to 470,000 Won

Each festival uses different sellers. The main outlets are Melon Ticket, NOL, YES24, and Ticketlink. NOL is the former Interpark Ticket.

 

  • Seoul Jazz Festival: Melon Ticket. One-day pass 189,000 won; three-day pass 470,000 won
  • Incheon Pentaport: NOL Ticket and KB Pay. The one-day early bird ticket (a ticket sold in advance at a price below the regular price) was 15% off the regular price
  • RED FRYS: NOL Ticket for early bird; NOL Ticket and the travel booking platform Klook for general sale
  • WONDERLIVET: Melon Ticket, Ticketlink, YES24 Ticket, and Ticketpia
  • ASEAN-Korea Music Festival: NOL, YES24, Melon, and Ticketlink

 

The Busan International Rock Festival sold tickets only through YES24 Ticket. The three-day early bird pass was 20% off, at 212,800 won.

 

Official poster for the 2026 Busan International Rock Festival, held Oct. 2-4 at Samnak Ecological Park. Photo: Busan International Rock Festival
Official poster for the 2026 Busan International Rock Festival, held Oct. 2-4 at Samnak Ecological Park. Photo: Busan International Rock Festival

 

When Tickets Went on Sale: December Through September

The first sale of the year was the Seoul Jazz Festival's blind early bird (a ticket sold before the lineup is announced). It went on sale in December 2025 and sold out in 30 seconds.

 

  • Incheon Pentaport: Early bird started May 14 at 2 p.m.
  • Busan International Rock Festival: Early bird started June 18 at 2 p.m. (KST)
  • WONDERLIVET: Sales started September 1 at 8 p.m.

 

If you want tickets for next year, this year's sale dates, in the order of December, May, and June, work as a calendar.

 

Korea's 2026 festival season opens with the Seoul Jazz Festival in May and closes with WONDERLIVET in November. The three remaining shows begin with RED FRYS on October 24 and end with WONDERLIVET on November 22.

 

Related Guides

Previous guide: What Is Korean Nunchi? How to Read the Room in Korea
Browse every guide by topic: All Guides

 

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