Seoul Lantern Festival

서울빛초롱축제

The Seoul Lantern Festival, now in its 18th edition since 2009, is the capital's premier nighttime light festival, attracting an average of 3.4 million visitors annually. The 2026 edition, themed « Seoul's Romance: Symphony of Light », spans from Cheonggyecheon Plaza to Samil Bridge and is divided into four zones: « Hanyang Overture », « Analog Rhapsody », « Neon Sonata », and « Light Fantasy ». Visitors encounter a diverse array of illuminated installations combining traditional mulberry paper lanterns with media art, along with interactive experiences and special programs. The festival runs from December 11, 2026 to January 31, 2027, open daily from 6 PM to 11 PM.

Book on the official site

Dates: Dec 11, 2026 → Jan 31, 2027
Venue: Cheonggyecheon Plaza and surrounding areas, Jung-gu, Seoul · 🏙️ Seoul
Price: Free
Ticketing: Official event site

Practical information

Opening hours: 18:00~23:00
Exact location: Cheonggyecheon (Cheonggyegwangjang ~ Samilgyo)
Organiser: Seoul Tourism Foundation
Phone: 02-3788-8168

Open in Naver Map

Don't miss events like this one

Festival, exhibition, and concert alerts on X and Instagram.

Follow on X Follow on Instagram

🎟️ How to book — Official event site

1
Most regional festivals are free entry
Korean municipalities fund a huge number of free festivals (flowers, food, light shows) — free entry is the norm, not the exception, sometimes with paid stalls or activities on site.
2
Check the event's official site
The link sits on the event's VisitKorea page — it's the most reliable source for the program, hours, and any last-minute changes.
3
Book via a Korean platform if a reservation is required
When a festival has paid premium activities or an attached concert, booking usually goes through NOL or YES24 — see the matching guide on this page.
4
Call 1330 when in doubt
Korea's tourism hotline answers in English, Chinese and Japanese, 24/7 — handy for confirming a time or address when the official site is Korean-only.

💡 Good to know

When a price shows as "see details", the organiser simply hasn't published one in advance: in almost all of those cases entry is free and only some on-site activities are paid. Bring a little cash — many stalls don't take cards.