Lotte World Christmas Market 2026: Jamsil Dates, Tickets, Hours and Seokchon Lake Lights

The Lotte World Christmas market — officially the Lotte Town Christmas Market — is Seoul’s most “European” Christmas market: wooden huts, a two-storey carousel, mulled-wine stands and a giant tree on the lawn in front of Lotte World Tower in Jamsil. It’s smaller and more organised than the free city market at Gwanghwamun, with timed tickets in the evening. This guide covers dates, hours, tickets, how to get there and what else to do around Jamsil and Seokchon Lake at Christmas.

Last checked: 2 November 2026. The 2026 market hasn’t been announced yet (as of 2 November 2026); dates, hours and prices below are from the 2025 edition — we’ll update when 2026 details are out. Dollar figures use about 1,330 KRW = 1 USD (October 2026).

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What is the Lotte World Christmas market?

The Lotte World Christmas market is a seasonal market run by Lotte in the outdoor World Park area of Lotte World Tower, opposite the Lotte World theme park. In 2025 it covered about 2,645 square metres with 51 booths — 26 of them food and drink — plus 16 curated gift shops selling ornaments, wooden music boxes and tableware. The centrepiece was a 13-metre tree decorated with red hearts, a two-storey carousel and a large heated dining tent. Lotte capped the number of people inside at about 700 at a time, which is why tickets are timed.

Expect Korean and European snacks side by side: tteokbokki and dumplings next to Belgian fries, sausages, egg tarts and chocolate cake, mostly 5,000–15,000 KRW (~$4–11). Brands such as Olive Young and LEGO had stalls last year.

When is the Jamsil Christmas market open?

The Jamsil Christmas market ran from 20 November 2025 to 4 January 2026 last season, a 46-day run. Opening hours were 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with last entry at 9:30 p.m.

How do I get Lotte World Christmas market tickets?

Lotte World Christmas market tickets were sold online in three rounds last year: the first for November dates, the second for 1–18 December and the third for 19 December to 4 January. Evening tickets (after 4 p.m.) cost 5,000 KRW and were sold on Naver; daytime entry was free but weekend slots still needed a reservation and filled up within minutes. Booking on Naver can be hard without a Korean phone number, so if you can’t get a ticket, go on a weekday afternoon when walk-in entry is easiest, or ask your hotel to help. There’s an English-speaking information booth on site.

Where is the Lotte World Christmas market and how do I get there?

The market is on the lawn of World Park, at the foot of Lotte World Tower (300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu). Take Seoul Subway Line 2 or Line 8 to Jamsil Station and follow signs to Lotte World Tower and Lotte World Mall; the walk through the underground mall takes about 5–10 minutes. From Myeongdong it’s about 35–40 minutes by subway (Line 2 from Euljiro 1-ga), and from Gangnam about 15 minutes. Our Jamsil half-day route shows the layout.

What else is there for Christmas at Lotte World Tower?

Lotte World Tower’s Christmas season goes beyond the market. Last year the big heart-covered tree stood at the entrance, and the mall inside was decorated throughout. At the top, Seoul Sky gives you the city lights from about 500 metres up — go just before sunset and then head down to the market after dark. Across the road, Lotte World Adventure runs a winter festival with a Christmas parade on its indoor route (last year’s theme was “Twinkle Miracle Winter”); see Lotte World tickets for prices.

Is there a Christmas light display at Seokchon Lake?

Seokchon Lake usually has a Christmas-season light display, run by the Songpa District Office rather than Lotte. Called Luminarie, it lined the lake with tens of thousands of lights and a light tunnel — the 2024–25 edition had about 50,000 lights and ran until the end of February, and travel guides listed last season’s display from 31 October 2025 to 28 February 2026. The lake walk is free and a nice 20–40 minute loop after the market; it’s directly behind Lotte World Tower.

Is it worth it, and how does it compare with Gwanghwamun?

If you’re in Seoul in late November or early December, Jamsil is the market that’s already open. Over Christmas week both get very busy; weekday afternoons are best. Read more in our Seoul Christmas market 2026 guide.

FAQ

When does the Lotte World Christmas market open in 2026?
Not announced yet. Last year it opened on 20 November 2025 and closed on 4 January 2026.

Is the Lotte Town Christmas Market free?
Daytime entry was free last year; after 4 p.m. you needed a 5,000 KRW ticket.

Do I need a reservation?
Yes for evenings and weekends last year; weekday daytime was the easiest time to walk in.

What are the opening hours?
Last year 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., last entry 9:30 p.m.

Which station is closest?
Jamsil Station on Lines 2 and 8, about a 5–10 minute walk through Lotte World Mall.

Sources: Korea JoongAng Daily – Lotte Town Christmas Market 2025 · Stars and Stripes – Lotte Town Christmas Market hours and fees · Korea Times – Seokchon Lake light festival
Photos: photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited in each caption