At a glance
| Dates | Expected Dec/Jan 2026–27From about Friday 11 December 2026 into early January 2027. On 13 October 2026 the Seoul Tourism Organization moved the 2026 Gwanghwamun Market to 11 December 2026–10 January 2027 to line it up with the 2026 Seoul Winter Festa, but the city had not announced the festa's own dates or programme as of 18 October 2026. Earlier editions were announced on 22 November 2023, 21 November 2024 and 24 November 2025. |
|---|---|
| Next edition | 2027: Mid-December 2027 to early January 2028, if the yearly pattern since 2023 holds; nothing announced as of 18 October 2026. |
| Weather | December average 4/−3 °C (40/26 °F), 23 mm of rain January average 2/−5 °C (36/22 °F), 17 mm of rainWell below freezing at night: a down coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers. Monthly averages, not a forecast: Korea Meteorological Administration climate normals, 1991–2020, Seoul station. |
| Admission | Free: the light shows, lanterns, market, countdowns and bell-ringing have no entry charge. The Seoul Plaza ice rink costs about ₩1,000 for a one-hour session, skates and helmet included. |
| Venue | Central Seoul: Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggyecheon, Seoul Plaza, Bosingak and Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP)서울특별시 종로구 세종대로 172 (광화문광장) |
| Nearest station | Gwanghwamun Station (광화문역), Seoul Subway Line 5, Exit 9 or 7The station is directly under Gwanghwamun Square; City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2) Exit 4 or 5 is about 5 minutes from Cheonggye Plaza |
| From Seoul | In Seoul · SubwayFull route |
| Organizer | Seoul Metropolitan Government, with the Seoul Tourism Organization, Seoul Design Foundation and Seoul Business Agency running individual programmes서울특별시 (서울관광재단·서울디자인재단·서울경제진흥원) |
| Usual timing | Three to five weeks from a Friday in mid-December into January: 15 Dec 2023–21 Jan 2024 (38 days), then 13 Dec 2024–5 Jan 2025 and 12 Dec 2025–4 Jan 2026 (24 days each). Each programme keeps its own dates, so the lanterns and the Seoul Plaza ice rink run past the festa's official end. The city has announced each edition in the second half of November. Browse December / January festivals. |
| First held | 2023 |
| Last checked | 18 October 2026Checked against 35 sources · See sources |
What it is like
Seoul Winter Festa, often shortened to 'Seoul Winta', is less a single event than the city government's banner over the light shows, markets and New Year events it stages in the city centre each winter. It began in 2023, when Seoul combined winter events that had been run separately into one 38-day festival across seven sites (15 December 2023–21 January 2024), which drew about 7.4 million visitors. The 2024 edition ran for 24 days and counted about 5.39 million visits; the 2025 edition, themed 'Fantasia Seoul', also ran for 24 days and roughly doubled that, to 10.98 million.
The core is a walkable cluster around Gwanghwamun and Jongno. On Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul Light Gwanghwamun projects media art onto Gwanghwamun Gate each evening and the Gwanghwamun Market builds its Christmas 'Santa Village'. From Cheonggye Plaza at the square's south end, the Seoul Lantern Festival lines Cheonggyecheon stream with lantern sculptures. Both have their own pages on this site with dates, hours and details. Beside City Hall, the Seoul Plaza ice rink opens about a week after the festa and stays open into February; a one-hour session costs about ₩1,000 with skates and helmet, a price unchanged since the rink opened in 2004. To the east, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) runs Seoul Light DDP on its 222 m curved façade and hosts SeoulCon, a gathering of global influencers, over the New Year.
New Year's Eve is the climax. At Bosingak, the bell pavilion on Jongno, the bell is struck 33 times at midnight after an evening of performances; in 2025 the ceremony ran from about 22:50 to 00:20 with 11 citizen bell-ringers. Countdowns also ran on the screens around Gwanghwamun Square, at DDP with fireworks, and on Myeongdong Square, and the subway ran later than usual.
Almost everything is free, outdoors and after dark: in 2025 the light shows came on between 17:30 and 18:00 and switched off between 21:30 and 23:00.
Caveats: the line-up changes every year and is announced only in late November, and each part keeps its own dates, so check the programme you want rather than the festa's headline dates. Weekend evenings and Christmas week are packed, and New Year's Eve at Bosingak means road closures from the evening, trains skipping Jonggak Station and a dense crowd in the cold.
Highlights
- One banner over central Seoul's winter nights: lanterns on Cheonggyecheon, the Gwanghwamun Market, Seoul Light at Gwanghwamun and DDP, the Seoul Plaza ice rink and the Bosingak New Year bell (six to seven sites in 2025)
- New Year's Eve bell-ringing at Bosingak: 33 strokes at midnight after performances from about 22:50, with the subway running later than usual (2025)
- Seoul Plaza ice rink: about ₩1,000 for a one-hour session including skates and helmet, the same price since 2004; open 19 December 2025–8 February 2026
- Seoul Light Gwanghwamun: media art on Gwanghwamun Gate, 17:30–21:30 (to 22:00 on Fridays and Saturdays) in 2025, with a drum visitors strike to fire lasers
- Seoul Light DDP: media art on the 222 m façade of Dongdaemun Design Plaza, 18:00–21:30, ending with a New Year countdown with DJs and fireworks (18–31 December 2025)
- Opening night on Gwanghwamun Square: a light parade and lighting ceremony at 19:00 on 12 December 2025
Who it suits. Best for anyone in Seoul between mid-December and early January who wants free evening walks among holiday lights a few subway stops apart, and for travelers spending New Year's Eve in the city; less suited to people who dislike crowds or the cold, or who expect one ticketed festival ground, because this is a spread of separate programmes with their own dates.
Getting there
From Seoul
Everything is in central Seoul. Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5) lies under Gwanghwamun Square (Exit 9 or 7) for Seoul Light Gwanghwamun and the market. City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2) is beside Seoul Plaza and the ice rink, and Exit 4 or 5 is about 5 minutes from Cheonggye Plaza, where the lanterns begin. Bosingak stands at the Jongno 1-ga crossroads by Jonggak Station (Line 1), which trains skip on New Year's Eve. DDP is at Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (Lines 2, 4 and 5); in 2025 the lantern route followed Cheonggyecheon from Cheonggye Plaza east to Ogwansumun near DDP, so you can walk between the two.
From Incheon Airport
AREX express train to Seoul Station (about 40 minutes non-stop, ₩13,000), then Line 1 one stop to City Hall Station for Seoul Plaza and Cheonggye Plaza.
Last leg from Gwanghwamun Station
Seoul Subway Line 5, Exit 9 or 7. The station is directly under Gwanghwamun Square; City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2) Exit 4 or 5 is about 5 minutes from Cheonggye Plaza
Getting home
Most programmes end between 21:30 and 23:00, within normal subway hours. On New Year's Eve 2025 the city ran the subway (Lines 1–9, Ui-Sinseol and Sillim, with 104 extra trains) and the buses near Bosingak later than usual, trains did not stop at Jonggak Station around midnight, and the city pointed people to City Hall, Jongno 3-ga, Euljiro 1-ga and Gwanghwamun stations. Check the city's New Year's Eve transport notice for this year before relying on a late train or bus.
Parking
Not advised. Gwanghwamun Square has no parking of its own; the market organizer lists the Sejong-ro Public Parking Lot and nearby building car parks but asks visitors to use public transport. On New Year's Eve 2025 Jongno (Sejong-daero crossroads to Jongno 2-ga), Cheonggye-buk-ro (Cheonggye Plaza to Cheonggye 2-ga) and Ujeongguk-ro were closed from the evening until the next morning, and 47 city bus routes were diverted.
How to switch Naver Map and Kakao Map to English
Google Maps shows train, subway and bus routes in Korea but not walking or driving directions yet, so for the walk from the station Naver Map or Kakao Map is more reliable.
Before you go
1330 · Travel hotline
The Korea Tourism Organization’s helpline answers in English, Japanese and Chinese around the clock, and in several other languages from 08:00 to 19:00. Dial 1330 from a Korean phone, or +82-2-1330 from a phone registered abroad.
112 / 119 · Emergencies
112 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance. Both are free from any phone. Police on 112 can add an English or Chinese interpreter to the call.
T-money card
Buy one at a convenience store such as GS25, CU or 7-Eleven and top it up there with cash. It pays for subways and buses in most cities, and for most taxis.
Maps
Use Naver Map or Kakao Map for walking and bus directions; Google Maps does not yet give walking directions in Korea. Both apps can be switched to English. Naver Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → Language (Japanese and Chinese also available). Kakao Map: Menu (≡) → Settings → App settings → Language. If the option is missing, change your phone’s language and reopen the app. Small shop names and some reviews stay in Korean.
Trains and buses
Book trains on Korail’s English site and express buses on Kobus. Holiday weekends sell out first.
Checked 18 October 2026.
Tickets, prices and practical details
| Item | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | — | Free in every edition so far; no 2026 notice yet |
- Booking
- None for the outdoor programmes, and none for the 2025 bell-ringing. For the ice rink in 2025–26, half of each session's tickets (300) were sold online at seoulskate.kr from 7 days ahead and half (300) on site on the day.
- English on site
- The official site winta.co.kr has an English version; questions go to Seoul's Dasan Call Centre (02-120). In 2025 foreign visitors with a Discover Seoul Pass skated free.
- Crowds
- Very busy: 10.98 million visits in 24 days in 2025. Weekend evenings, Christmas week and New Year's Eve are the peaks; for the 2025 bell-ringing about 820 city, district and fire staff and about 1,700 police and other staff were on duty.
- Best time to go
- A weekday evening early in the run: start at Gwanghwamun Square when the lights come on around 17:30–18:00, then walk the lanterns east. Go to Bosingak on New Year's Eve only if you are ready for a dense crowd, and arrive well before 23:00.
- What to bring
- Warm layers, gloves and a hat for evenings outdoors in December, a charged phone, and a topped-up transport card for the ride home.
- Rain
- The outdoor programmes run in winter weather; the ice rink may stop sessions for poor air quality, snow or rain, so check seoulskate.kr before you go.
- Toilets
- On New Year's Eve 2025 the city put temporary toilets on each side of the Jongno 1-ga crossroads in front of Bosingak, with information booths at Jongno Tower, the SC First Bank building and the Youngpoong Building, a medical booth and four heated shelters.
2026 program
- Gwanghwamun Market11 December 2026–10 January 2027, in three seller seasons (see its own page)
- Seoul Lantern Festival18th edition expected on Cheonggyecheon from about 11 December; its operator was chosen in July 2026, but dates are not out (see its own page)
Fourth edition if counted from 2023. Expect the line-up, the Seoul Plaza rink season and the New Year's Eve plans in late November 2026.
Editions
| Year | Dates | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | Mid-December 2027 to early January 2028, if the yearly pattern since 2023 holds; nothing announced as of 18 October 2026. | tba | |
| 2026 | From about Friday 11 December 2026 into early January 2027. On 13 October 2026 the Seoul Tourism Organization moved the 2026 Gwanghwamun Market to 11 December 2026–10 January 2027 to line it up with the 2026 Seoul Winter Festa, but the city had not announced the festa's own dates or programme as of 18 October 2026. Earlier editions were announced on 22 November 2023, 21 November 2024 and 24 November 2025. | expected | Fourth edition if counted from 2023. Expect the line-up, the Seoul Plaza rink season and the New Year's Eve plans in late November 2026. |
| 2025 | 12 Dec – 4 Jan 2026 | ended | Six sites in the city's announcement (Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggyecheon, Seoul Plaza, DDP, Bosingak and Uicheon); its results release counts seven |
| 2024 | 13 Dec – 5 Jan 2025 | ended | Gwanghwamun and Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggyecheon, Seoul Plaza, DDP and Bosingak (six central sites per Seoul's Chinese newsletter) |
| 2023 | 15 Dec – 21 Jan 2024 | ended | Seven sites: Gwanghwamun Square, Yeolin Songhyeon Green Square, Cheonggyecheon, DDP, Bosingak, Sejong-daero and Seoul Plaza |
Before or after the festival
Places you can fit in before or after the festival without missing the shuttle or the last train or bus back.
The main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty, entered through Gwanghwamun Gate at the north end of Gwanghwamun Square; you walk through its gates, courtyards and halls. From November to February it is open 09:00–17:00 (last entry 16:00), so go in the afternoon and walk out through Gwanghwamun as the festa lights come on (17:30–18:00 in 2025). Adults pay ₩3,000. Tip: it is closed on Tuesdays; on a Tuesday visit Deoksugung instead.
Getting there: On foot: Gwanghwamun Gate is at the north end of Gwanghwamun Square
The palace of the Korean Empire proclaimed in 1897, where Western-style stone halls such as Seokjojeon stand among the traditional buildings. Unusually it stays open until 21:00 (last entry 20:00), so you can walk it after dark before or after the Seoul Plaza rink or the Gwanghwamun lights; closed on Mondays, adults ₩1,000. Tip: the exhibition halls inside, Seokjojeon among them, close at 17:30, so go earlier if you want to see inside.
Getting there: On foot: Daehanmun Gate faces Seoul Plaza across Sejong-daero, about 2 minutes from City Hall Station
- Getting awayAfter
On New Year's Eve the crowd round Bosingak is dense, roads close from the evening, and in 2025 trains did not stop at Jonggak Station around midnight. Walk to City Hall, Jongno 3-ga, Euljiro 1-ga or Gwanghwamun Station instead, as the city advised. The subway ran later than usual that night in 2025; check this year's city notice before relying on a late train.
Questions travelers ask
When is Seoul Winter Festa 2026?
Not announced as of 18 October 2026. The Gwanghwamun Market, one of its parts, has been moved to 11 December 2026–10 January 2027 to match the festa, so expect it to open on or around Friday 11 December and run into early January. The city announced the last three editions in the second half of November.
Is Seoul Winter Festa free?
Yes. The light shows, lanterns, Gwanghwamun Market, countdowns and New Year bell-ringing are free. The only paid part is the Seoul Plaza ice rink, about ₩1,000 for a one-hour session with skates and helmet.
What is part of Seoul Winter Festa?
In 2025: Seoul Light Gwanghwamun, the Gwanghwamun Market, the Seoul Lantern Festival on Cheonggyecheon, the Seoul Plaza ice rink, Seoul Light DDP and SeoulCon at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, and the New Year's Eve bell-ringing at Bosingak, plus an opening parade and countdowns. The line-up changes every year.
How is it related to the Seoul Lantern Festival and the Gwanghwamun Market?
Both are parts of Seoul Winter Festa, run by the Seoul Tourism Organization, and they have their own pages on this site. They keep their own dates: in 2025 the market closed on 31 December and the lanterns stayed lit until 18 January, two weeks after the festa ended on 4 January.
How can I see the New Year's Eve bell-ringing at Bosingak?
Just turn up; no registration was needed in 2025. Performances started at about 22:50, the bell was struck 33 times at midnight, and the event ended about 00:20. In 2025 trains did not stop at Jonggak Station around midnight, so use City Hall, Jongno 3-ga, Euljiro 1-ga or Gwanghwamun; the subway ran later than usual that night, but check the city's New Year's Eve transport notice before relying on a late train.
How much is the Seoul Plaza ice rink and when is it open?
About ₩1,000 for a one-hour session including skates and helmet. In 2025–26 it ran 19 December to 8 February, 10:00–21:30 Sunday to Friday and 10:00–23:00 on Saturdays and holidays. Half the tickets are sold online at seoulskate.kr from 7 days ahead, half on site.
Which subway station should I use?
Gwanghwamun (Line 5) for Gwanghwamun Square; City Hall (Lines 1 and 2) for Seoul Plaza and Cheonggye Plaza, where the lanterns start; Jonggak (Line 1) for Bosingak, except on New Year's Eve; Dongdaemun History & Culture Park (Lines 2, 4 and 5) for DDP.
What is the weather like during Seoul Winter Festa?
December in Seoul: average high 4 °C (40 °F), low −3 °C (26 °F), 23 mm of rain (Seoul station, KMA 1991–2020 normals). January in Seoul: average high 2 °C (36 °F), low −5 °C (22 °F), 17 mm of rain (Seoul station, KMA 1991–2020 normals). Well below freezing at night: a down coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers.
Sources and verification
Facts checked
18 October 2026, against the sources listed below.
This page is desk research from the sources below, not a firsthand report of the 2026 edition. Confidence in the current facts: medium.
- Seoul Metropolitan Government — 1천만이 즐긴 2025 서울윈터페스타 (6 Jan 2026)official — 2025 dates 12 Dec 2025–4 Jan 2026 (24 days), theme Fantasia Seoul, seven downtown sites, 10.98 million visits vs 5.39 million in 24 days in 2024, lanterns to 18 Jan and rink to 8 Feb, K-Performance final 25 Dec, hibernation contest 27 Dec, random-play dance 28 Dec, countdowns at Bosingak, DDP, Gwanghwamun Square and Myeongdong Square, no safety accidents
- Seoul Mediahub — 설렘 폭발! 환상적인 겨울 축제 '서울윈터페스타' 온다 (Nov 2025)municipal — 2025: 24 days, six sites; Seoul Light Gwanghwamun 12 Dec–4 Jan, market 12–31 Dec, lanterns 12 Dec–18 Jan, rink 19 Dec–8 Feb (52 days), City Hall 27–28 Dec, Seoul Light DDP 18–31 Dec, SeoulCon 29 Dec–1 Jan (3,567 teams, 56 countries); opening 12 Dec 19:00, about 150 choir; 33 strokes; Dasan 02-120
- Seoul Mediahub — 올겨울 가장 예쁜 서울을 만나세요! '서울윈터페스타' 관람포인트 (4 Dec 2025)municipal — 2025 programme table and venues; media art on Gwanghwamun with a drum that fires lasers; Seoul Light DDP on the 222 m façade; lantern route from Cheonggye Plaza to Ogwansumun near DDP; rink shows, carol busking and DJ parties
- Korea JoongAng Daily — Seoul Winter Festa to return with more to do (25 Nov 2025)news — English name Seoul Winter Festa; 2025 theme in English; six sites; 5.4 million visitors in 2024; announced 25 Nov 2025
- Newsis — 2025 서울윈터페스타, 24일간 도심 6곳 (24 Nov 2025)news — City announcement on 24 Nov 2025; six venues; opening at 19:00 on 12 Dec with the Fantasia light parade and lighting ceremony; rink 52 days with figure skating, carol busking and DJ party
- Seoul Metropolitan Government — 2024 서울윈터페스타 & 2024 제야의 종 타종행사 (events calendar)official — 2024: 13 Dec 2024–5 Jan 2025; free except the rink; Seoul Light Gwanghwamun and market 18:00–22:00; lanterns 13 Dec–12 Jan; rink 20 Dec–9 Feb, Sun–Fri 10:00–21:30, Sat and holidays 10:00–23:00, ₩1,000 per hour; Seoul Light DDP 19–31 Dec 19:00–21:30 (Seoul Design Foundation); SeoulCon 28 Dec–1 Jan, countdown to 02:00 (Seoul Business Agency)
- Newsis — 작년 740만명 왔던 '서울 윈터페스타'…12월13일부터 24일 간 (21 Nov 2024)news — First held in 2023 with 7.4 million visitors; 2024 dates and 24 days, announced 21 Nov 2024; theme SOUL PRISM; general director Yang Jeong-ung; Squid Game parade on 21 Dec, about 500 people, about 1 km from Seoul Plaza to Gwanghwamun; 30 m midnight sun; 15,000 LED bands; bell-ringing from 23:35, 33 strokes
- Seoul Metropolitan Government Japanese newsletter, January 2025municipal — Japanese name ソウルウィンターフェスタ; 2024: 5,388,163 visits in 24 days, daily average about 19% above the 38-day 2023 edition; Bosingak 32,000 (97,000 in 2023); Seoul Light Gwanghwamun 746,280 (1,896,426 in 2023); Seoul Light DDP 775,719; rink 70,217
- Seoul Metropolitan Government Chinese newsletter (Simplified), November 2024municipal — Simplified Chinese name 首尔冬日嘉年华; 2024 edition 13 Dec–5 Jan at six central sites; 7.4 million visitors in 2023; bell-ringing 23:30–00:30, free; rink ₩1,000 per hour
- Seoul Metropolitan Government Chinese newsletter (Traditional), November 2024municipal — Traditional Chinese name 首爾冬日嘉年華; 2024 dates, free; rink Sun–Fri 10:00–21:30, Sat and holidays 10:00–23:00, ₩1,000 per hour; Seoul Light DDP listed 19 Dec–1 Jan
- Seoul Mediahub — 겨울축제 끝판왕! 서울 매력명소 7곳서 '서울윈타' 개최 (22 Nov 2023)municipal — Published 22 Nov 2023. 2023: separate winter events combined; 15 Dec 2023–21 Jan 2024 (38 days) at seven sites; lighting at 18:00 on 15 Dec; Songhyeon-dong Solbit Festival; Seoul Light DDP and DDP Christmas market 21–31 Dec; SeoulCon 30 Dec–1 Jan; rink 22 Dec–11 Feb; countdown and bell from 23:00, 33 strokes by 18 bell-ringers, 12 m Midnight Sun; first citizen bell-ringing since COVID-19
- Seoul Mediahub — 올해도 1,000원…서울광장 스케이트장 19일 개장 (16 Dec 2025)municipal — Rink 19 Dec 2025–8 Feb 2026 (52 days); Sun–Fri 10:00–21:30, Sat and holidays 10:00–23:00; one-hour sessions ₩1,000 incl. skates and helmet, same as at the 2004 opening; 300 online tickets (seoulskate.kr, from 7 days ahead) and 300 on site per session; Discover Seoul Pass holders free; may close for air quality, snow or rain; part of the 2025 festa
- Seoul Metropolitan Government — 서울라이트 DDP 2025 겨울 (서울윈터페스타) (5 Dec 2025)official — Seoul Light DDP 18–31 Dec 2025 (14 days), 18:00–21:30, free; theme EVERGLOW; New Year countdown with fireworks, DJs and performances; Seoul Design Foundation
- Korea JoongAng Daily — Seoul to host New Year's countdown event at Gwanghwamun Square (31 Dec 2025)news — Countdown on Gwanghwamun Square 22:50–00:30 on 31 Dec 2025 on nine digital screens; free, no reservation
- Seoul Mediahub — 31일 보신각 '제야의 종' 타종행사, 지하철·버스 막차 연장 (30 Dec 2025)municipal — 31 Dec 2025: 23:00–00:20, 33 strokes, 11 bell-ringers, no registration, Crying Nut; about 820 and 1,700 staff; medical booth, four heated shelters; Jonggak skipped 23:00–01:00; alternative stations; Lines 1–9, Ui-Sinseol, Sillim and buses to 02:00, 104 extra trains; last trains City Hall L2 01:54:30/01:43:30, Gwanghwamun L5 01:53:10/01:41:50; 47 bus routes diverted 18:00–07:00
- Seoul Metropolitan Government — 2025 제야의 종 타종행사 (Story in Seoul)official — 31 Dec 2025 22:50–1 Jan 00:20; 33 strokes; 11 bell-ringers; road closures 18:00–07:00 on Jongno (Sejong-daero crossroads–Jongno 2-ga), Cheonggye-buk-ro (Cheonggye Plaza–Cheonggye 2-ga) and Ujeongguk-ro; information booths at Jongno Tower, SC First Bank and Youngpoong Building; temporary toilets at the Jongno 1-ga crossroads
- Herald Economy — 서울 겨울축제 740만명 방문..하얼빈·삿포로 눌렀다 (2 Feb 2026)news — 2025 lanterns 3.83 million visits in 37 days, market 3.57 million in 20 days, 7.4 million combined; Harbin 3.56 million in 68 days; Sapporo 2.32 million in 8 days
- Seoul Tourism Organization — [변경] 2026 광화문 마켓 마켓 부스 참여 소상공인 모집 공고 (posted 1 Oct 2026, revised 13 Oct 2026)official — 2026 Gwanghwamun Market 11 Dec 2026–10 Jan 2027 in three seasons, changed from 4 Dec–3 Jan to match the 2026 Seoul Winter Festa (revised 13 Oct 2026)
- Seoul Tourism Organization — preferred bidder for the 2026 Seoul Lantern Festival operation contractofficial — 2026 lantern edition contracted: preferred bidder named 16 July 2026
- Visit Seoul — Seoul Lantern Festival partnership pageofficial — Coming lantern edition described as the 18th
- Seoul Winter Festa official siteofficial — 2025 Winter Festa 12 Dec 2025–4 Jan 2026; no 2026 announcement when checked
- Seoul Winter Festa — English site (2025)official — English-language version of the official site
- Seoul Mediahub — 2025 Seoul Winter Festa opening (15 Dec 2025)municipal — Seoul Light Gwanghwamun 17:30–21:30 Sun–Thu and 17:30–22:00 Fri–Sat
- Seoul Lantern Festival & Gwanghwamun Market — 운영시간 조정 안내 (16 Dec 2025)official — 2025 hours from mid-December: market 17:30–22:00, lanterns 18:00–23:00
- Winter Festa / Gwanghwamun Market FAQ (English), 2024–25, page 1official — Line 5 Gwanghwamun Exit 9 or 7; Sejong-ro Public Parking Lot and nearby building car parks; public transport advised
- KTO tourist data — 광화문광장 (ktriptips mirror)kto — Address 세종대로 172; no parking at the square
- KTO tourist data — 광화문광장 마켓 (ktriptips mirror)kto — Gwanghwamun Square coordinates 37.5717, 126.9768
- KTO tourist data — 서울라이트 DDP 2026 가을 (ktriptips mirror, contentId 2640874)kto — Seoul Light DDP autumn edition 3–13 Sep 2026, 19:30–22:30, free; DDP at 을지로 281
- iVisitKorea — Cheonggyecheon Streamblog — City Hall Station Exit 4 or 5, about 5 minutes to Cheonggye Plaza
- The Seoul Guide — Gwanghwamun Square walking tourblog — Gyeongbokgung entered through Gwanghwamun Gate at the north end of the square; Cheonggye Plaza at the south end
- IBS — Transportation to Daejeon (AREX section)other — AREX express Incheon–Seoul Station about 40 minutes
- 공항철도 직통열차·일반열차 시간표, 노선, 요금 정리 (EZL blog, updated Jul 2025)blog — AREX express adult fare Seoul Station–Incheon Airport ₩13,000 with a ticket bought before boarding
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 경복궁kto — Gyeongbokgung hours: November–February 09:00–17:00 (last entry 16:00); closed Tuesdays; adult ₩3,000 (read for this site's Gyeongbokgung Starlight Tour record)
- ktriptips (KTO data mirror) — 덕수궁kto — Deoksugung, palace of the Korean Empire (proclaimed 1897); open 09:00–21:00, last entry 20:00; exhibition halls (Seokjojeon, Dondeokjeon, Jungmyeongjeon) to 17:30; closed Mondays; adult ₩1,000; 99 Sejong-daero
- koreatodo — Deoksugung Palaceblog — City Hall Station Exits 1, 2 or 12, about 2 minutes (read for this site's Deoksugung guard-ceremony record)
What we could not confirm
- 2026 dates, programme and hours are not announced (checked 18 Oct 2026); the city has announced the line-up in the second half of November. Recheck then, including whether the festa opens on 11 Dec as the Gwanghwamun Market's revised dates imply.
- 2025 bell-ringing start: 22:50 on the city's event page (programme start) vs 23:00 in the Mediahub transport notice.
- Foreign names: Seoul's Chinese newsletters use 首尔冬日嘉年华 / 首爾冬日嘉年華, used here; the site's Seoul Lantern Festival and Gwanghwamun Market overlays call it 首尔冬季庆典 / 首爾冬季慶典. No KTO foreign-language listing was found, and the festa is not in the TourAPI snapshot.
- Jonggak Station (Line 1) for Bosingak and Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station (Lines 2, 4 and 5) for DDP are given from general knowledge, not from a fetched source, and their exits were not checked.
- Accessibility and foreign-card acceptance were not published for the festa as a whole.
- Whether the Seoul Plaza rink stays at ₩1,000 and Discover Seoul Pass entry continues in 2026–27.
- New Year's Eve 2026 subway extension, Jonggak Station skip, bus diversions and road closures: the 2025 clock times were removed from the forward-looking text on 29 Oct 2026; add this year's times from the city's notice once the edition is within 30 days.
- This site's Seoul Lantern Festival record (winta.co.kr, read 21 Oct 2026) names the 2026 edition 'Seoul Winter Festival' and lists 11 Dec 2026–31 Jan 2027; this record's 2026 dates were not changed in the 29 Oct 2026 nearby rewrite. Recheck.
Changes: 2026-10-18 — Added to the site: fact-first record (dates, hours, prices, getting there, sources). · 2026-10-18 — Added a photograph from the Korea Tourism Organization (Korea Tourism Content Lab), KOGL Type 1. · 2026-10-19 — Corrected the AREX express fare from Incheon Airport to ₩13,000 (the earlier ₩8,000 came from a 2018 page). · 2026-10-29 — Nearby rewritten as 'Before or after the festival' (shuttle and last-train fit); transport: removed 2025 New Year's Eve last-train, subway-extension, station-skip and road-closure clock times from the forward-looking text and added how to get away from Bosingak on New Year's Eve; prices: Seoul Plaza ice rink given as about ₩1,000 an hour without a year (2025 edition prices unchanged).
