Experience the Magic of December in Seoul: A Guide to Cultural Events
As 2025 draws to a close, why not celebrate the year's end with Seoul's vibrant cultural events? With only a month left, we invite you to discover a variety of attractions, entertainment, and relaxing experiences amidst the chilly weather. Here's a guide to Seoul's December cultural highlights, featuring the dazzling Seoul Light Gwanghwamun and Lantern Festival along Cheonggyecheon Stream, urban ice skating rinks, Christmas markets, the New Year's Eve bell-ringing ceremony, and even lush green parks and botanical gardens.
Seoul Light Gwanghwamun
Dec 12, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026, Gwanghwamun Gate and Gwanghwamun Square (North)
Seoul Light Gwanghwamun is Seoul's premier light festival, showcasing media art and cultural content for everyone to enjoy. The highlight is the stunning media facade show set against the backdrop of Gwanghwamun Gate. This year's theme is 'Gwanghwa, Breathing with Light.' In addition to the media facade show, there's an interactive program where visitors can strike a large drum to trigger lasers.
Seoul Light DDP
Dec 18 – Dec 31, DDP Front Area
The world-renowned media art festival, 'Seoul Light DDP,' will take place at the DDP. This year's event features the world's largest non-standard media facade in collaboration with popular domestic and international characters like Haechi and Line Friends. A 'Christmas Town' linked to permanent night lighting will also be created, along with various events such as 'HIP Santa,' who leaves gift boxes throughout the DDP.
Seoul Lantern Festival
Dec 12, 2025 – Jan 4, 2026, Cheonggyecheon Stream and Uicheon Stream Area
Celebrating its 17th year, the 'Seoul Lantern Festival' will be held along Cheonggyecheon Stream with the theme 'My Light, Our Dreams, Seoul's Magic.' Starting from the 'Eight Horses' sculpture at Cheonggye Plaza, the festival will feature illuminated sculptures and experimental media art installations along the stream, passing Samilgyo Bridge and reaching Ogansu Gate near the DDP. This year, the festival extends to Uicheon Stream, where the 'Royal Parade' sculpture, a visitor favorite from last year's festival, will be specially exhibited.
Seoul Plaza Ice Skating Rink
Dec 19, 2025 – Feb 8, 2026, Seoul Plaza
Under the theme 'Winter Ring (A Festive Ring Blooming on the City),' the Seoul Plaza Ice Skating Rink will be open for 52 days from December 19 to February 8. Major events such as the opening ceremony, Christmas, and New Year's Eve will feature figure skating performances, carol busking, and DJ parties to enhance the festive atmosphere. A 'Local Market Zone' (Seoro Market) will be set up around the skating rink, offering special local agricultural products.
Gwanghwamun Market
Dec 12 – Dec 31, Gwanghwamun Square
The Gwanghwamun Market will be transformed into a European-style Christmas market with a 'Santa Village' concept. A new 'Rudolph Merry-Go-Round' will be installed, offering childlike joy to visitors of all ages. Additionally, a 'Haechi Zone' will allow visitors to peek into the room of Seoul's representative character, 'Haechi.' In collaboration with global toy company 'LEGO,' sculptures of 'SEOUL MY SOUL' and 'Haechi' made of LEGO bricks will be displayed.
AI Talent Festival Week
Dec 1 – Dec 5, DDP and Youth Job Academy
The '2025 AI Talent Festival Week' will take place from December 1 to 5 at the DDP and Youth Job Academy campuses. This event is Seoul's largest AI talent event, directly connecting AI education, technology, and jobs. Various programs will be held, including an AI hackathon, the Youth Job Academy 2.0 vision declaration ceremony, and regional open campuses. On December 4 and 5, five campuses (Gangnam, Yangcheon, Dongjak, Dongdaemun, and Seocho) will be open to the public, offering open programs for anyone from citizens new to AI to young people looking to enhance their practical skills.
New Year's Eve Bell Ringing Ceremony
Dec 31, 2025 – Jan 1, 2026, Bosingak Pavilion Area
The 'New Year's Eve Bell Ringing Ceremony' will be held at Bosingak Pavilion on December 31. This year's concept, 'You are the Light,' will visualize the sound of the bell by mapping a media facade onto the roof tiles of Bosingak, making the building resonate with the sound. Pre-show performances will include a congratulatory performance by the winning team of the 'K-Performance Contest' and an 'LED Dance Performance (Dance of Light)' representing the Year of the Red Horse.
SEOULCon
Dec 29, 2025 – Jan 1, 2026, DDP
SEOULCon is an expo featuring 3,567 global influencers from 56 countries, showcasing the global influence of K-content. Over 30 diverse events will be held, including the 'APAN Star Awards' and the 'World K-Pop Festival.'
Haechi's Winter Garden Tour
Dec 3, 2025 – Jan 31, 2026, Major Parks in Seoul
From December 3 to January 31, the '2025 Haechi's Winter Garden Tour' will take place in major Seoul parks, including Seoul Forest, Namsan Park, Seoul Botanic Park, World Cup Park, and Buk Seoul Dream Forest, in conjunction with winter programs. Participants in designated programs at each park can receive various keyrings featuring Haechi and friends. Keyrings can also be obtained through SNS 인증 missions, but they may be exhausted early at each park.
Botanical Garden Hug
Dec 3 – Dec 14 (Closed Mondays), Seoul Botanic Park
Seoul Botanic Park will host the emotional healing exhibition <At the End of the Year, Comfort from Plants 'Botanical Garden Hug'> from December 3 to 14. In the main hall (B1) of the Plant Culture Center greenhouse entrance, visitors can experience visual stability through the soft texture and colors of paper under the theme 'Vision: Garden of Light.' On the first floor of the Plant Culture Center, visitors can enjoy moments of reflection by listening to the sounds of nature and reading books under the theme 'Hearing: Garden of Books.' In the 'Gardener's Room (Mediterranean Hall),' an exhibition on 'The Room of Literary Writers Who Loved Gardens' will be held, along with the opportunity to experience the 'Scent of Seoul Botanic Garden,' officially launched for this event.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/haechiseoul/224093966684
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