Last checked: October 29, 2026. The official city page has not announced exact 2026 dates yet, so the schedule below comes from the 2025 edition. Confirm before you travel.
The Seoul Lantern Festival lights up Cheonggyecheon, the stream that runs through central Seoul, with traditional hanji (Korean paper) lanterns and media art each winter. It is one of the easiest night festivals to add to a Seoul trip: it follows a walking route in the city center and runs for several weeks.
Quick facts
- 2026 dates: Not announced yet. The official FUN SEOUL festival page lists the festival as planned for December, without exact dates.
- 2025 edition, for reference: December 12, 2025 to January 18, 2026, from 6 PM to 10 PM. It was the 17th edition.
- Where: Cheonggyecheon. In 2025 the festival was split into four zones from Cheonggye Plaza to Samil Bridge, plus a fifth zone along Uicheon stream in northern Seoul that ended earlier, on January 4.
- What you see: Large lantern sculptures made with traditional hanji, combined with media art. The theme changes each year; in 2025 it was “My Light, Our Dream, Seoul’s Magic.”
- Admission: Seoul’s 2025 coverage describes the Seoul Winter Festa as a whole as free to enjoy, but the 2026 page does not state admission. Check the official notice.
- Inquiries: The FUN SEOUL page gives 02-120 as the festival inquiry number. I could not open the festival’s own website, so I did not check it.
- Map: Cheonggye Plaza on Google Maps
What to expect
In 2025 the lanterns were arranged zone by zone along the water, with traditional-style figures and world landmarks reimagined in hanji, plus media art pieces. Because the festival is spread over several zones, decide which section you want to see first, and check the official map for the current year’s zone layout.
Plan your visit
- Confirm the dates first. The festival has run on different dates in different years, so check the official page before booking flights or hotels.
- Dress for a cold night. Late December and January evenings are cold, and a stream-side walk is outdoors.
- Arrive around dusk. The 2025 edition started at 6 PM. Arriving near opening time is my suggestion, not official advice, and I could not find official crowd data.
- Getting there. Cheonggye Plaza, where the 2025 route started, is a short walk from Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5) and City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2). Check the exit on your map app.
- Keep a backup plan. If it rains or snows, check the official notice for changes.
More festivals
Looking for something sooner? See our guides to the Masan Gagopa Chrysanthemum Festival and Hwadam Forest autumn foliage.