Seoul Winter Festival 2026 (Winter Festa): Dates, Venues, Lights and New Year’s Eve

The Seoul Winter Festival 2026 (Seoul Winter Festa, 서울윈터페스타) is the city’s big season of lights, markets and New Year events. Seoul’s official festival portal lists the 2026 edition as scheduled from 11 December 2026 to 31 January 2027 (checked 6 November 2026), at Gwanghwamun Square and six other sites across the city centre — almost twice as long as last year. The detailed programme hasn’t been published yet, so this guide explains what the festival usually includes, where each part takes place, how to plan your evenings and what we’ll update when the city announces the line-up.

Last checked: 31 October 2026. The 2026 dates are listed as planned on Seoul’s festival portal; we’ll update this page when the official programme is released. Dollar figures use about 1,330 KRW = 1 USD (October 2026).

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What is Seoul Winter Festa?

Seoul Winter Festa brings the city’s separate winter events together under one name: light installations and a Christmas-style market at Gwanghwamun, the Seoul Lantern Festival along Cheonggyecheon Stream, the outdoor ice rink at Seoul Plaza, the bell ringing at Bosingak on 31 December and New Year countdown shows at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). The 2025 edition ran from 12 December 2025 to 4 January 2026 and, according to the city, drew millions of visitors. The 2026 edition is planned to run through the whole of January as well.

Where does each part take place?

All five sites are within a few kilometres of each other, so you can walk from Gwanghwamun along Cheonggyecheon to DDP in an evening. For the lantern section, see Seoul Lantern Festival 2026; for skating, Seoul ice skating rinks.

How should I plan an evening at the festival?

1. Start at Gwanghwamun Square around sunset to see the lights come on and browse the market.
2. Walk east along Cheonggyecheon Stream for the lantern displays (allow about an hour).
3. Warm up with street food or a café near Jonggak; see Korean winter street food.
4. Finish at DDP for the media-facade show, or detour to Seoul Plaza to skate.

The full walk is about 3–4 km on flat ground. Weekday evenings are much calmer than Friday and Saturday nights.

What happens on New Year’s Eve?

The bell at Bosingak, a pavilion in Jongno, is rung 33 times at midnight on 31 December — a Seoul tradition broadcast live across Korea. In 2025, the city added a light show synchronised with the chimes and a countdown with performances and fireworks at DDP. Expect very large crowds, road closures and crowd-control barriers around Jonggak from the evening. Arrive early, dress for sub-zero temperatures and check last-train times, as some lines run late on New Year’s Eve. See Seoul New Year’s Eve for a full plan.

How much does it cost?

Light installations, the lantern festival, the market grounds and the Bosingak bell ringing are free. The Seoul Plaza ice rink has historically charged a small fee — 1,000 KRW (about $0.75) per session including skate rental in recent years — while market food and souvenirs are paid. Some special experiences may need advance booking through the official site.

What’s the weather like?

December and January are Seoul’s coldest months, with night-time temperatures often below freezing and a cold wind in open squares. Wear thermal layers, a hat, gloves and warm shoes, and carry heat packs from a convenience store. See Seoul in December and Seoul in January for packing and other events.

Notes for families and travellers with reduced mobility

Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul Plaza and the DDP plaza are flat and easy with pushchairs and wheelchairs. Cheonggyecheon’s walkway sits below street level and is reached by stairs at most points; use the ramps and lifts near Cheonggye Plaza, and avoid peak evenings when it’s crowded. On New Year’s Eve, crowds around Bosingak are not suitable for small children.

What will we update?

When the Seoul Metropolitan Government publishes the 2026 programme, we’ll add the confirmed opening date of each site, the ice rink schedule and price, market hours and New Year’s Eve details. Until then, use the 2025 programme above as a guide to what to expect.

FAQ

When is Seoul Winter Festa 2026?
Seoul’s festival portal lists it as scheduled from 11 December 2026 to 31 January 2027 (checked 6 November 2026).

Is Seoul Winter Festa free?
Most of it is: light shows, lanterns and the bell ringing are free; the ice rink and market food cost extra.

Where is Seoul Winter Festa held?
Around Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggyecheon Stream, Seoul Plaza, Bosingak and DDP in central Seoul.

Can tourists join the New Year’s Eve bell ringing?
Anyone can watch from the streets around Bosingak; the bell itself is rung by invited citizens.

Sources: Seoul Festival portal (Fun Seoul) – Winter Festa 2026 listing · Kyunghyang Shinmun – 2025 Seoul Winter Festa programme · Visit Seoul – official tourism site
Photos: photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited in each caption