CAS COOL Festival

An annual youth culture and arts festival in South Korea, first held in 2011, featuring experimental programs that combine music, art, and technology.

CAS COOL Festival

Overview

The CAS COOL Festival (카스쿨 페스티벌) is an annual youth culture and arts festival held every summer in South Korea. The name 'CAS COOL' is a compound of the first letters of 'Creative', 'Art', and 'Science' plus 'Cool', with the motto of encouraging the free imagination and innovative thinking of the younger generation. Beyond a simple performance-centered event, the festival has contributed to spreading cultural diversity and social values through a variety of programs encompassing music, fine art, digital technology, and environmental issues.

Main Contents

History and Background

The CAS COOL Festival began in 2011 as a small underground music performance at Seoul Olympic Park. Initially it served as a venue for exchange between indie bands and local artists, but gradually grew into a large festival with support from corporations and local governments. The reason the word 'School' was included in the name is that it embodies the meaning of an 'informal learning space' that pursues free learning and experimentation, breaking away from the traditional education system. From 2015, the venue moved to the Jamsil Sports Complex area, establishing itself as one of Korea's representative summer festivals attracting over 30,000 visitors per day on average.

Main Programs

The CAS COOL Festival is organized into four themes:

Music Stage: A stage where domestic and international indie musicians and major artists coexist. In particular, 'CAS COOL Live' is famous as an audition to discover new bands.
Art Market: An area that sells and exhibits paintings, sculptures, and craft works by young artists. Upcycled works using eco-friendly materials are very popular.
Tech Playground: Interactive exhibitions combining digital technology and art, such as coding workshops, VR/AR experiences, and robot performances.
Food Truck Zone: A gathering of food trucks focused on vegetarian and health foods, along with booths run by local social enterprises.

In addition, events in which visitors can directly participate, such as a 'street fashion show', 'environmental talk concert', and 'citizen participatory flash mob', are held every year.

Symbolism and Influence

The CAS COOL Festival focuses on creating a virtuous cycle of experimental art and youth culture rather than commercial success. It provides performance and exhibition opportunities to new artists selected through various contests, and part of the profits are returned to a support fund for young artists. In line with ESG management trends, the festival has actively adopted eco-friendly policies such as plastic-free campaigns and carbon neutrality, earning it the reputation of a 'sustainable festival'. According to Seoul Metropolitan Government cultural arts indicators, the festival's annual economic ripple effect is estimated at about 50 billion KRW.

Recent Trends

In 2024, for the first time since COVID-19, it was held as a fully in-person event over four days.

Strengthened digital convergence: The 2024 CAS COOL Festival introduced a hybrid format linked with a metaverse platform, allowing viewers around the world to participate through simultaneous online streaming. NFT art exhibitions and a blockchain-based ticketing system were also piloted and drew attention.
Connection to youth policy: Following the government's 'MZ generation culture revitalization roadmap' announced in May of the same year, CAS COOL Festival expanded its mentoring program for young creators in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Global expansion: The CAS COOL Festival scheduled for 2025 plans to be held overseas in distributed locations for the first time. Pre-concert events are to be held in Tokyo, Japan and Hanoi, Vietnam, with expectations that this will open a new chapter in hallyu culture.
Sustainability practices: In line with the green consumer trend, it will fully implement a stage incorporating hybrid solar panels and a deposit system for reusable cups. The 'barrier-free viewing zone' first introduced in 2024 will also be expanded, with greatly enhanced facilities for special audiences such as wheelchair users and visually impaired visitors.