Seoul Festival of Lights

The Seoul Festival of Lights is Seoul's flagship winter light festival, centered on Gwanghwamun Square in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace, where a large-scale media art show transforms the square's historic gate and surrounding buildings into a canvas for projection mapping and light displays set to traditional Korean music. Since 2023 it has run as part of the citywide Seoul Winter Festa, which unites several previously separate winter light events — including Gwanghwamun's own show and the lantern displays along the nearby Cheonggyecheon Stream — under one shared season and theme.

Held annually from mid-December into early January, the festival now draws several million visitors across its run, making it one of the largest winter light festivals in Asia.

Given the festival's own citizen-participation and pedestrian-first programming, using public transit rather than driving into central Seoul is both easier and consistent with how several of the festival's streets and squares are actually closed to traffic during its run, when congestion is at its highest.

Most of the festival's light displays and markets are free to attend, though the ice skating rink charges separate admission (included with the Discover Seoul Pass for international visitors). The festival spans several venues across central Seoul — Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Seoul Plaza, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, and Bosingak Pavilion — close enough together to visit several in one evening on foot or via a short subway ride.