You Need to Change Your Life

September 5 – November 15, 2026

I took the train to Gwangju to see the Biennale.

The Gwangju Biennale runs across two main parts: the Biennale exhibition hall itself, and a series of pavilions spread across different spaces around downtown Gwangju.

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Day One: The Biennale Hall

I visited over two days. On the first day, I went to the Biennale exhibition hall.

There were various paintings, installations, and video works on view, along with performances happening throughout the space.

After the exhibition, there was a space showing goods made by 29cm, along with various products from the 29cm shopping mall.

There was also a Coffee Libre pop-up space, which was a nice place to rest and have a coffee.

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Opening Ceremony

The opening ceremony was held on Friday afternoon, September 4, 2026.

Many notable figures gathered for the opening.

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The Pavilions

Next was the pavilion tour.

The pavilions are held in various spaces around downtown Gwangju, and each space has its own character, which makes them interesting to visit — though finding your way between them can be tiring.
(I didn’t make it to Yangnim-dong, which I heard has a lot of hilly streets.)

I also picked up some goods that were given out on a first-come, first-served basis, so overall it was a full day of viewing the exhibition.

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Final Thoughts

The Gwangju Biennale is held every two years, and this year there are impressive works on view once again. If you’d like to see a wide range of contemporary art, it’s worth a visit.

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Gwangju Biennale
111 Biennale-ro, Buk-gu, Gwangju

📅 September 5 – November 15, 2026
🕙 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM (closed Mondays)

Each pavilion space keeps its own hours, so it’s a good idea to check ahead before visiting.