Three festivals to see in Seoul until Dec. 31

Gwanghwamun Square is a must-visit place for travelers in Seoul. It is a landmark of Seoul where you can see the past and present features of Seoul at a glance. This year, three festivals are being held simultaneously at Gwanghwamun Square until the 31st of December.

Gwanghwamun Square has been newly remodeled last August as restoring ‘Woldae’ in front of Gwanghwamun that is the main gate of Gyeongbokgung, the palace of the Joseon Dynasty. ‘Woldae’ is the wide stylobate installed in front of the main buildings of the palace. Its appellation is derived from a platform good to see the moon. The different charms of daytime and nighttime at Gwanghwamun Square also bring tourists here continuously.

“Seoul Lantern Festival” launched in 2009 and celebrates its 14th anniversary this year is the remarkable cultural tourism lantern festival in Seoul. It was held in Cheonggye Plaza and Cheonggyecheon with a new theme every year, and it will take place at Gwanghwamun Square this year for the first time.

The exhibits will be lightened up from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm every evening, and you can see the colorful light artworks symbolizing the past, present, and future of Seoul. In addition, a 12-meter-tall grand lantern of a rabbit and a lucky bag will be displayed to welcome the new year of 2023 which is the year of the rabbit. It is expected to attract the attention of visitors who are looking forward to hope and happiness in the new year.

“Seoul Light Gwanghwa” is a lighting performance, a combination of a media façade show that the outer walls of buildings around Gwanghwamun Square.

A signature show using lights and lasers will start for 10 minutes from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm, and about a5 minute video for each site will be followed and repeated for the next 50 minutes.

A giant Christmas tree and big-sized snowball photo zone are set up, and an on-site photo printing service will be provided to print out the photos taken in the landmark of Seoul.

Deoksugung Stonewall Path – A nightscape completely full of Korean mood
The night view of all palaces is beautiful, but Deoksugung in particular has a walkway along the stonewall of the palace, and now it is a famous filming set of many Korean dramas and movies. At night, Deoksugung is open until 9 p.m. and admission is allowed from 8 p.m.

The night view of Deoksugung provides a fantastic experience as if you went back to the past momentarily in downtown Seoul.

Myeongdong Cathedral and its surroundings – The best place to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere
Myeongdong Cathedral is one of the best night views that many Koreans also visit during the Christmas season. At the lower part of the hill where the cathedral is located, there is a beautiful LED rose garden good to visit in winter.

There are also two big department stores in Myeongdong area. They present a new media façade artwork every year and it is so famous that everyone waits until sunset in front of the building to watch the show. The department stores also decorate the exterior walls and surroundings of the buildings with Christmas ornaments and set up photo-zone with a Christmas tree and lanterns.

The Christmas lighting decoration that two department stores are competing for since they are located on the same street but it gives visitors the joy and happiness of the season, so it is recommended to visit if you are in Myeongdong.