An Exciting Winter Awaits! Your At-a-Glance Guide to Seoul's Winter Festivals

The "Seoul Festival Map" Winter Edition has been published, providing a comprehensive look at the cultural and artistic events taking place across Seoul from December 2025.

Seoul City is showcasing diverse winter cultural and arts festivals from December 2025 through February 2026 with this Winter Edition of the "Seoul Festival Map."

This winter map features a range of events, including:

• 'Light Festivals' illuminating various parts of the city center.
• 'Christmas & New Year's Events' to set a warm, festive mood.
• 'Seollal (Lunar New Year) Holiday Festivals' for family gatherings.

This year, programs are prepared for all generations—from outdoor light spectacles to indoor performances and fusion arts festivals—making them perfect for families enjoying winter break and the holidays.

Bright Streets & Cultural Tourism Festivals

The winter city center is awash in light, hosting exhibitions and citizen participation programs that spread festive warmth to families and couples walking the streets.

Yangcheon Biche Nara Festival

• Dates: Nov. 28 – Feb. 1, 2026.
• Location/Highlights: Paris Park, Haenuri Fountain Square. Features light sculptures and Christmas trees to enjoy the year-end atmosphere.

The 11th Winter Light Festival on Cheonggyecheon

• Dates: Dec. 12 – 31.
• Location/Highlights: Cheonggye Plaza. Features a large tree, LED sculptures, photo zones, a video letter contest, and a mini-train ride experience.

Seoul Light DDP 2025 Winter

• Dates: Dec. 18 – 31.
• Location/Highlights: DDP. World’s largest asymmetrical media facade on the 222m exterior wall. Features character collaborations (Haechi, LINE). DDP is set up as a Christmas Town and an MZ countdown hotspot with DJ performances, media facade countdown, and fireworks.

Seoul Winter Festa

• Dates: Dec. 12 – Jan. 4, 2026.
• Location/Highlights: Gwanghwamun, DDP, Cheonggyecheon, etc. Seoul's largest winter festival centered on 'Light' and 'K-Content.' Highlights include the 17th Seoul Lantern Festival, featuring traditional hanji lanterns and media art under the theme of 'Dream.'

2025 Bosingak Bell-Ringing Ceremony

• Dates: Dec. 31 – Jan. 1, 2026.
• Location/Highlights: Bosingak Area, Jongno-gu. Seoul's iconic event signaling the end of the year and the start of the new one, where citizens gather to share their hopes for the new year.

Seoul Plaza Skating Rink

• Dates: Dec. 19 – Feb. 8, 2026.
• Location/Highlights: Seoul Plaza. Operates for 52 days under the theme 'WINTER RING.' Features events like figure skating, carol busking, and DJ parties on major dates. Also includes the 'Seoro Market' for regional agricultural products.

Performance & Exhibition: Adding Depth to Art in the Cold

In winter, the transition between the start and end of the year, Seoul is filled with performances that help you forget the cold. Enjoy the emotion of live performances that bloom in the chilly air, perfect for the whole family.

The 46th Seoul Dance Festival

• Dates: Nov. 21 – Dec. 7.
• Location: Arko Arts Theater, Seoul Dance Center • Focus: Showcases excellent creative dance performances across all genres of pure dance, including Korean traditional dance, contemporary dance, and ballet.

The 4th Seoul Fusion Art Festival 'UnfoldX 2025'

• Dates: Dec. 9 – 21 • Location: Culture Station Seoul 284.
• Focus: Explores the theme "Let Things Go: Relationships of Relationships," presenting diverse exhibitions and performances combining technology (AI, robotics, video, sound) and art.

The 22nd Seoul ASSITEJ Winter Festival

• Dates: Dec. 26 – Jan. 4, 2026.
• Location: Daehakro Theater Quad and others.
• Focus: A festival designed to inspire imagination and hope in children through various performances and linked programs, including children's and youth theater, experience workshops, and artistic play zones.

Traditional Festivals: Warmth for the New Year

Embrace the warmth of traditional culture with family-friendly festivals that melt the cold. From sunrise programs to serene traditional performances, rediscover the charm of tradition in the winter city center.

Inwangsan Sunrise Festival (Jongno-gu)

• Date: Jan. 1, 2026.
• Location: Inwangsan Cheongun Park Area.
• Activities: Begins with traditional music (Pungmulnori) and performances, followed by rituals like hanging wish tags, writing family mottos, and drumming the large drum (Dae-gogak). Watch the first sunrise and share wishes for the new year.

2026 Haneul Park Sunrise Festival

• Date: Jan. 1, 2026.
• Location: World Cup Park (Haneul Park Summit).
• Activities: Features a large drum performance and drumming, where citizens write their New Year’s wishes to hang on a wish tree, praying for a hopeful start to the year.

2026 Unhyeongung Lucky Seollal Festival

• Dates: Feb. 16 – 18, 2026.
• Location: Unhyeongung Palace Front Yard.
• Activities: A feast of seasonal traditional activities for Lunar New Year, including folk games, tteokguk (rice cake soup) sharing, traditional arts performances, and craft workshops (e.g., making protective talismans and masks).

The Seoul Metropolitan Government states, "We have prepared the 'Seoul Festival Map' Winter Edition to make it easier and more convenient for citizens to enjoy the colorful winter festivals unfolding across Seoul during the upcoming year-end and New Year holidays." The city plans to continue providing systematic seasonal festival information, striving to make Seoul a city where culture flows throughout all four seasons.

Source: Seoul newsletter