The Seoul Metropolitan Government has released the “Seoul Festival Map” Winter Edition, which provides an at-a-glance overview of various winter cultural and arts festivals taking place across Seoul from December through February 2026.

This Winter Edition features a wide range of festivals, from Light Festivals illuminating various parts of the city, to Christmas & New Year’s Events that capture the warmth of the year-end season, and Seollal (Lunar New Year) Holiday Festivals for families to enjoy together.

This year, programs for all generations are prepared—from outdoor light spectacles to indoor performances and fusion-arts festivals—making them ideal for families enjoying winter break and the holiday season.

Bright Streets & Cultural Tourism Festivals

As the winter cityscape glows with light, exhibitions and citizen participation programs unfold, filling the streets with a festive warmth for families and couples out for a stroll.

Yangcheon Biche Nara Festival  | November 28, 2025–February 1, 2026, Paris Park and Haenuri Fountain Square

Light installations, Christmas trees, and more decorate the streets, offering a chance to fully enjoy the festive year-end winter atmosphere.

The 11th Winter Light Festival on Cheonggyecheon Stream  | December 12–31, Cheonggye Plaza

The festival offers a wide range of attractions including a large tree, LED sculptures, photo zones, a video message contest for families, friends, and couples, and a mini-train ride experience.

 Seoul Light DDP 2025 Winter | December 18–31, DDP

The world’s largest asymmetrical media façade festival utilizing the 222-meter exterior wall of DDP. This winter, media art created in collaboration with various character brands such as Hechi, LINE FRIENDS, and Iyaiya and Friends will be showcased. Light installations will be set up across DDP (Oullim Square, Palgeori, and the Grass Hill), creating photo zones and a Christmas Town. As DDP continues to establish itself as a new countdown hotspot for the Millennials and Gen Z, it will also host New Year’s events unique to DDP, including DJ performances, a media-façade countdown, and fireworks.

Seoul Winter Festa | December 12, 2025–January 4, 2026, Gwanghwamun, DDP, Cheonggyecheon Stream, and more

Seoul Winter Festa is the city’s largest winter festival, featuring performances and exhibitions held throughout downtown Seoul under the themes of “Light” and “K-Content.” Visitors can enjoy a variety of events at iconic locations such as Gwanghwamun, DDP, and Cheonggyecheon Stream, where the unique charm of Seoul can be experienced to the fullest. The highlight is the “2025 Seoul Lantern Festival,” celebrating its 17th year as one of Seoul’s signature cultural and arts festivals. With traditional hanji lanterns and media art displays, it offers distinctive winter attractions across the city.
This year’s festival features light installations and visitor-participation programs inspired by the theme of “Dream.”

2025 Bosingak Bell-Ringing Ceremony  | December 31, 2025–January 1, 2026, Bosingak Area

The Bosingak Bell-Ringing Ceremony, one of Seoul’s most iconic events marking the close of the year and the beginning of the new one, takes place in the Bosingak area of Jongno-gu. Citizens gather to watch the ceremony on site and share their hopes for the coming year.

Seoul Plaza Skating Rink  | December 19, 2025–February 8, 2026, Seoul Plaza

This year, the Seoul Plaza Skating Rink will operate for 52 days under the theme “Winter Ring (A Festival Ring Blooming Above the City).” Various events including figure skating performances, carol busking, and DJ parties will be held for major occasions such as the opening ceremony, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. The “Seoro Market,” featuring regional agricultural products and specialties, will also be operated.

Performance & Exhibition: Adding Depth to Art in the Cold

In winter, when the year draws to a close and begins anew, Seoul is filled with performances that help you forget the cold.
Through stages the whole family can enjoy together, citizens are presented with the moving beauty of performances blooming in the chilly air.
 

The 46th Seoul Dance Festival | November 21–December 7, Arko Arts Theater and Seoul Dance Center

This festival aims to contribute to the promotion of dance arts in Korea through outstanding creative dance performances. Audiences can enjoy pure dance across all genres, including Korean traditional dance, contemporary dance, and ballet, without boundaries between tradition and creativity.

The 4th Seoul Fusion Art Festival “UnfoldX 2025”  | December 9–21, Culture Station Seoul 284

Now in its fourth year, the Seoul Fusion Art Festival is held under the theme “Let Things Go: Relationships of Relationships,” presenting a wide range of exhibitions and performances that combine technology and art, including artificial intelligence, robotics, video, and sound.

The 22nd Seoul ASSITEJ Winter Festival  | December 26, 2025–January 4, 2026, Daehakro Theater Quad and more

A festival that offers children imagination and hope through a variety of family-friendly performances and related programs, including theater for children and youth, hands-on workshops, and artistic play zones such as coloring and reading.

Traditional Festivals Filled with Year-End and New Year Warmth

In the warmth of the year-end and New Year season shared with family, traditional festivals rooted in cultural heritage help melt away the winter chill and share warmth. From sunrise programs welcoming the new year to serene traditional performances, visitors can experience the charm of Korean tradition in the winter city.

Inwangsan Sunrise Festival (Jongno-gu)  | January 1, 2026, Inwangsan Cheongun Park

On the first day of the new year, a New Year’s sunrise festival will be held around Cheongun Park, beginning with pungmulnori (traditional percussion) performances and followed by traditional rituals such as hanging wish tags, writing family mottos, and striking a large ceremonial drum.
Visitors will be able to enjoy the first sunrise of the year in a warm and festive atmosphere and share their wishes for the new year.

2026 Haneul Park Sunrise Festival  | January 1, 2026, World Cup Park (Haneul Park Summit)

On New Year’s Day, at the summit of Hanuel Park, a large drum performance will take place as citizens write their wishes for the new year and hang them on a wish tree, praying for a hopeful start to the year.

2026 Unhyeongung Lucky Seollal Festival (tentative) | February 16–18, 2026, Front Yard of Unhyeongung Palace

A festive celebration of Lunar New Year will unfold at Unhyeongung Palace, featuring seasonal traditional activities such as folk games, sharing tteokguk (rice cake soup), traditional arts performances, and craft workshops including making protective talismans and masks. Visitors can experience the joy of Seollal through hands-on traditional activities together.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government stated, “We have prepared the ‘Seoul Festival Map’ Winter Edition so that citizens can more easily and conveniently enjoy the colorful winter festivals across Seoul during the upcoming year-end and New Year holidays.” The city plans to continue providing systematic seasonal festival information and to work closely with district governments and arts organizations to help Seoul grow into a city where culture flows throughout all four seasons.

Contact: Dasan Call Center 02-120

[Source] Seoul in My Hand_“An Exciting Winter! A Quick Look at the ‘Seoul Festival Map’ Cultural Events” https://mediahub.seoul.go.kr/archives/2016369