In Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, where the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit is being held, a variety of side events are prepared for general visitors to the venue. From cultural and artistic performances including a multimedia show and a hanbok fashion show to nighttime installations, art and tech-related exhibitions, and a food truck zone, anyone from the general public can enjoy them freely.
In the Bomun Tourist Complex area in Gyeongju during APEC summit week, a multimedia show is held every evening through the 2nd of next month. It is a nighttime media art performance featuring fireworks drones, lasers, and light-emitting diode (LED) lighting. From Hoban Square to the waterside path by the floating stage, installations related to APEC and Silla cultural heritage have been set up in various spots.
Visitors can also experience interactive content. At Hoban Square, a space has been installed for hanbok and Silla costume interaction via QR codes, and at Mokwol Park, LED interactive panels that respond to visitors' footsteps change the surrounding light and color in real time. The waterside path is mapped with lasers and mist (projecting images or drawings onto a surface), creating a space that feels like walking in moonlight.
North Gyeongsang Province will hold a hanbok fashion show on the 29th at the Woljeonggyo Bridge special stage under the theme "Our hanbok, flying into tomorrow." The elegance of hanbok will be showcased through a floating stage and seating, an "ㅎ-shaped" runway symbolizing the "five Han" (hanbok, hansik, hanok, hanji, Hangeul), the night view of Woljeonggyo Bridge, media video performances, and sky lantern effects produced by drones.
Major museums in Gyeongju are holding special exhibitions of Korean art. Solgeo Art Museum at Gyeongju Expo Grand Park curated an exhibition themed "Silla Hanhyang," and a free shuttle bus runs to and from the Expo Park entrance. At the Cheongun Complex Cultural Space, visitors can see the "2025 Korean Craft Exhibition," and at the Wooyang Museum of Contemporary Art, they can view artist Paik Nam-june's "Humanity in the Circuits."
Exhibitions on advanced industries (tech) such as mobility and semiconductors, featuring large corporations and Start - Up, will open to the general public after the summit period ends. At the Advanced Future Industry Hall of the APEC Economic Exhibit organized by the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), not only Hyundai Motor's new hydrogen electric vehicle The All New Nexo, a fuel cell stack, and robots, but also semiconductor chips and servers from semiconductor corporations such as Samsung Electronics and medical AI corporation Lunit are on display.
Outdoors at the Gyeongju arts center, a K-street food zone will operate where visitors can enjoy food. Options range from small-business food trucks offering classic snacks such as tteokbokki and sundae and fusion-style street foods, to franchise snack booths, to booths providing premium meals in collaboration with hotel brands.