Lights, bells, K-pop and 'Squid Game' to liven up Seoul's winter festival

Home > National > Social Affairs

Lights, bells, K-pop and 'Squid Game' to liven up Seoul's winter festival

Published: 21 Nov. 2024, 17:18

CHO JUNG-WOO
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

In a rendered image provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday, people watch a beaming sun-shaped structure rising from Bosingak in Jongno District, central Seoul. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Popular hotspots across Seoul are set to shine brightly this winter season as the city government announces its winter festival to begin next month.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday announced that the annual Seoul Winter Festa will take place from Dec. 13 to Jan. 5 at six iconic locations in central Seoul — Gwanghwamun, Gwanghwamun Square, the Cheonggyecheon, Seoul Plaza, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) and Bosingak — featuring colorful media facades, light sculptures and lanterns.

This year’s Winter Festa, themed “Soul Prism” and carrying the slogan “Shine Together,” marks the second year the city government consolidated different winter events into a single celebration.

The festival will officially begin at 6 p.m. on Dec. 13, with the lighting of the Gwanghwamun area and the Cheonggyecheon, a landmark stream flowing through downtown Seoul.

A rendered image of this year's Seoul Lantern Festival at the Cheonggyecheon in central Seoul [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

During the opening ceremony, the newly restored woldae — a broad stone platform at the entrance of Gwanghwamun in Jongno District — will be set up as an "arena" where visitors can celebrate the festival’s kickoff.

The woldae was fully restored last year to how it used to look 100 years ago during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), before it was destroyed during the Japanese colonization of Korea.

On Dec. 31, Bosingak will host both the countdown event and the traditional bell-tolling ceremony, starting at 11:35 p.m.

As the New Year is welcomed following the bell-tolling ceremony, a 30-meter-diameter sun-shaped structure will rise, celebrating the start of 2025. According to the city government, this year’s structure is more than twice the size of last year’s.

K-pop performances will be held before and after the countdown event.

Visitors will also receive LED bracelets controlled remotely by festival organizers, creating an interactive light show as they celebrate the New Year.

A simultaneous countdown event will take place at DDP, featuring laser shows and fireworks displays.

Gwanghwamun and DDP will also host media facades to illuminate the area.

At Gwanghwamun, light installations by artists like David Hartono from Italy, David Hugonot from France and Yim Tae-kyu from Korea will brighten the winter evenings.

At DDP, visitors will experience messages of hope through works by artists such as Jean Jullien.

In a rendered image provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Thursday, people skate at an ice rink set to be installed at Seoul Plaza as part of this year's Seoul Winter Festa. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Gwanghwamun Square will transform into a Christmas market featuring a 14-meter-tall (46-foot-tall) Christmas tree. The market will bring 141 small merchants to sell their products, according to the city government.

A special highlight of this year's Winter Festa is an exhibition of the upcoming season two of the Netflix series "Squid Game" (2021-) at Gwanghwamun Square.

Around 500 participants will also march in a 1-kilometer (0.6-mile) parade from Seoul Square to Gwanghwamun, promoting the upcoming Netflix series.

Other major attractions include the lantern festival along the Cheonggyecheon, showcasing around 240 light installations and the skating rink opening at Seoul Plaza.

Additionally, SeoulCon, a content fair for influencers, will also be held as part of the Winter Festa from Dec. 28 to Jan. 1 around DDP. Some 3,500 teams from 50 countries are anticipated to join the event to show parts of Seoul to their fans.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]