Seoul Plaza ice rink to reopen Friday, 1,000 won admission remains unchanged

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Seoul Plaza ice rink to reopen Friday, 1,000 won admission remains unchanged

Published: 17 Dec. 2024, 14:57 Updated: 18 Dec. 2024, 00:01

CHO JUNG-WOO
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

In a rendered image provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday, people skate at the Seoul Plaza ice skating rink. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

'Tis the season for ice skating at Seoul Plaza, as the rink reopens this Friday.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Tuesday that the rink in downtown Seoul will remain open until Feb. 9. Admission will be free for all visitors on the opening day.

This year, the admission fee for a one-hour skating session — including skate and helmet rentals — will remain at 1,000 won (70 cents), a price that has remained unchanged since the rink first opened in 2004.

On the first day, the rink will operate during the following hours: 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. to 9: 30 p.m. At 6 p.m., an opening ceremony will be held, featuring congratulatory remarks from Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon and special performances.

This year, international visitors holding the Discover Seoul Pass — a foreigner-exclusive travel pass that offers discounts to various attractions in the city — will receive one free ticket to the ice rink per pass. However, as each time slot accommodates up to 300 people, pass holders may need to wait for the next available round if the current session is fully booked.

Tickets can also be purchased online through the Leisure Planner website.

The rink’s regular hours are 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. from Sunday to Friday, and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and public holidays. Sessions run on an hourly basis, with 30-minute intermissions for cleaning. Hours will be extended until 12:30 a.m. on Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

Visitors can also enjoy a cafe and snack shop at the venue. The cafe will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturdays and public holidays. The snack shop will operate from 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sunday through Friday and until 11 p.m. on Saturdays and public holidays.

The lobby of the Seoul city government building, located next to the rink, will remain open until 9:30 p.m. to accommodate visitors.

An esports promotion booth will be set up near the rink, allowing visitors to play sports like baseball and tennis virtually using VR technology. The booth will operate from Friday through Dec. 31, the city government said.

In a rendered image provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Tuesday, a person poses in front of an interactive medial wall located in the city government's lobby. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Additional events, including carol performances and countdown celebrations, will take place near the rink. Inside the government building, an interactive media wall will be displayed on the first floor, where visitors can pose in front of the wall to see themselves virtually skating on the ice rink.

According to the city government, the rink will close in cases of high ultrafine dust levels. Visitors with reservations will be notified of closures via text message.

"I hope people will be able to create special winter memories once again this year at the Seoul Plaza ice skating rink, which offers the 'happiness of 1,000 won,'" said Kim Young-hwan, director-general of the city's tourism and sports bureau, in a press release.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]