Visitors to Seoul at this time of year for business or tourism are in for a special treat. With unique Christmas ambience and exciting New Year celebrations added to its cultural riches and state-of-the-art facilities, the city is as alluring as ever. The final days of 2010 hold the promise of Christmas warmth, good cheer and seasonal delicacies, all served up with the gusto that one would expect of the festive season.
Christmas
South Korea is the only Northeast Asian country to designate Christmas a national holiday, and unlike in many Western nations, most restaurants and businesses stay open on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. To Seoul's Christian community, the holiday is a time not just of celebration but also of worship. To others, it is a time of festive, bright abundance, with colleagues and friends holding parties to enjoy the yuletide spirit.
Christmas traditions in Seoul are similar to those in Western countries, but many are given a unique twist. It is customary for close friends and couples to exchange gifts, and it is even more common for Koreans to send out Christmas cards. However, the holiday is not necessarily seen as a time for family gatherings, as many young adults spend Christmas and Christmas Eve attending parties, dinners or other events with friends and former classmates. It is something of a tradition at these gatherings to share Christmas-themed cakes, which may even be decorated with flickering candles.
For travelers in search of a traditional holiday experience, there are plenty of places throughout the city to see Christmas shows, with The Nutcracker and various concerts befitting the season. Christmas-themed decorations can be seen around the city, with many areas illuminated with colorful lights and dazzling LED displays. Also, many businesses such as hotels, restaurants, department stores and bakeries are holding special Christmas events and winter promotions.
New Year’s Eve
On December 31, a wide variety of celebrations are held at hotels, restaurants, bars and other locations across the city to welcome the New Year. The main event, however, is the bell-ringing ceremony at Bosingak, a historic pavilion in the heart of Seoul near City Hall and the Gwanghwamun intersection. An ocean of revelers gathers around the pavilion where its huge bell is struck at midnight to officially welcome the New Year. The event draws so many people that many families opt to watch the ceremony on TV in the comfort of their living rooms.
Others, meanwhile, opt to bundle up and join the massive crowd so they can be part of one of Seoul’s most festive and exciting events. Attendees can enjoy the once-a-year opportunity to stroll through the downtown streets untroubled by motor vehicles, as many major roads are closed on New Year's Eve. There is also a late-evening concert, featuring some of the country’s top entertainers and pop stars, on a stage set up in front of the pavilion. Street vendors sell various items ranging from tasty finger food to holiday paraphernalia like sparklers. At the stroke of midnight, fireworks paint the sky while a massive cheer erupts from the crowd. After the ceremony is over, many attendees head to the adjacent Jongno area to continue the celebrations at one of the many bars, clubs and restaurants.
Due to the popularity of the event, trains on Seoul Subway Line 1 do not stop at Jonggak Station, located next to the pavilion, on New Year’s Eve. The best way to join the festivities is to take Subway Line 2 to Euljiro 1-ga Station and use exit 2 or 3. Jonggak is a 5-10 minute walk from the station. Another option is to take Subway Line 5 to Gwanghwamun Station. Use exit 5, then walk toward Gwanghwamun Intersection. Turn right at the intersection. Jonggak is a 5-10 minute walk from the station.
Other Holiday Activities
Visitors interested in sampling Seoul’s pulsating nightlife will find that they have arrived just at the right time, as Christmas and New Year’s Eve offer some of the biggest parties of the year. In areas such as Hongdae, Sinchon and Gangnam, clubs are packed as revelers toast the New Year and dance the night away.
For those who seek to get into the holiday spirit with a glide across the ice, skating is available at a number of locations, such as Seoul Plaza, Olympic Park and Mokdong Ice Rink as well as the Grand Hyatt and Sheraton Walkerhill hotels. There are also a wide range of activities such as rides and performances at Seoul Land and Lotte World amusement parks.
The end-of-the-year period offers visitors to the Korean capital the opportunity to partake in the city’s celebrations while savoring the atmosphere of the holiday season. Following a year in which it served as World Design Capital and hosted the G20 Seoul Summit, the city has much to celebrate, and it wholeheartedly invites the world to join in.
The Seoul Tourism Organization is a joint venture launched by the city and private enterprise in February 2008 with a core mission to promote Seoul as a convention and tourism destination. The Seoul Convention Bureau, a division of the STO, represents Seoul’s meetings industry and business tourism interests.
For more information, please contact Alexander Paik of the Seoul Tourism |