Seoul Nights Glow: Light Festival Brightens Cheonggyecheon and Gwanghwamun
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
Seoul’s Gwanghwamun and Cheonggyecheon areas are lit up for the annual Seoul Lantern Festival (Seoul Bitchorong Festival), running through Jan 4 with record-scale displays. The 17th festival—Korea’s largest light event—draws millions each year and saw 1.08 million visitors on a recent weekend after opening. Over 400 illuminated installations and media art pieces span Cheonggyecheon and the Ui-cheon area, organized into themed zones like Miracle Seoul, Golden Secret, Dream Light, and Seoul Fantasia. Highlights include a historical “Moment of Lighting” area recreating Korea’s first use of electric lights, K-culture motifs such as a “gat lantern” (traditional Korean hat lantern), a 15m aerial “Seoul Moon,” and collaborative works like Pokémon Korea’s “I LOVE Magikarp” display. The Samil Bridge “Aurora of Light” uses a water-screen to simulate an aurora, and Ui-cheon features night-waterfront pieces including the returning “royal procession” and “Walking Through Time” hanji lanterns. Gwanghwamun transforms into a Christmas market with a 15m tree, carousel, and multiple photo zones. The festival runs daily 6:00–22:00 (Gwanghwamun market 17:30–21:30; extended to midnight on Dec 31). Admission is free.
