2025 Seoul Winter Festa Invites You to a ‘Fantasy Winter City’ with K-culture Programs

A poster to promote the 2025 Seoul Winter Festival taking place from Nov. 12 until Jan. 4, 2026. (Photos: SMG)

Seoul’s downtown areas were transformed into a fascinating winter city with Santa villages and K-content events to enjoy, including performances and other experiences.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the 2025 Seoul Winter Festival is taking place in six locations: Gwanghwamun, Cheonggyecheon, Seoul City Hall Plaza, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Bosingak and Uicheon from Nov. 12 until Jan. 4, 2026.

The upcoming mega winter festival, being held under the theme “FANTASIA SEOUL, a Fantasy Seoul Citizens Are Making Together,” is showcasing performances, experiences and exotic “K-culture programs.”

The festival is directed by Lee Jae-won, who has successfully conducted Korea’s representative festivals, such as K-Royal Culture Festival and National Dance Festival.

In particular, foreign tourists are being given the chance to get a glimpse of K-culture experiences.

There are K-culture Experience Zones, featuring Korea’s traditional culture and latest trends, such as the K-idol Beauty Experience Zone, Traditional Culture Experience Zone, K-pop Reels Zone, and K-pop Dance Party.

First, the Gwanghwamun Plaza is changing into a mega-media canvas, titled “Seoul Light Gwanghwamun,” taking place from Dec. 12 until Jan. 4, 2026.

With the backdrop of Gyeongbokgung Palace and Gwanghwamun, the downtown night landscape is adorned with products combining traditional aesthetics and future video technology.

A sculpture is also on display on the motif of Ilweol Obongdo (Painting of the Sun, Moon and the Five Peaks) and Gwanghwamun light performances.

A whole view of the Cheonggyecheon Winter Festa that took place in early 2025.

Gwanghwamun Market, decorated according to a Santa Village concept, is reproducing the mood of the European Christmas market.

The market is also opening on Dec. 12 until Jan. 4, 2026.

Visitors are given the chance to ride a carousel for free under the theme Rudolph.

Seoul Lantern Festival is taking place at Cheonggyecheon from Dec. 12 until Jan. 4, 2026.

Starting with Palma sculpture near Cheonggye Plaza, light artworks and experimental media art are brightening the nocturnal night urban landscape at a course leading up to Ogansumun near the DDP via Samilgyo Bridge.

The Seoul City Hall Plaza is changing into a skating rink, dubbed “1,000-won Happiness,” which opened on Dec. 19 for a 52-day run until Feb. 8, 2026.

Citizens are given the chance to enjoy the winter sport for only1,000 won.

The festival is coinciding with the two events designed to introduce the competitiveness of K-content on a global stage at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

They are “Seoul Light DDP,” an international media art festival, taking place from Dec. 18 until Dec. 31 and “SEOUL Con,” a global influencer expo, being held from Dec. 29 until Jan. 1, 2026.

The curtain of the mega festival is to be raised at the Gwanghwamun Plaza at 7 p.m. on Dec. 12 with the Fantasia Light Parade performance.

Performances, encompassing one by a Filipino invitation team, creative Korean dancing by “Areumdree Dance Team” and a musical gala show by top Korean musical actors are sure to heat up the exotic mood of the festival.

They are being followed by performances from a 150-member citizen choir and the LED art performance group “Saengdong-gam (Vividness) Crew.”

The prelude of the festival is culminating with a lightening ceremony, heralding the start of a 24-day journey.

Countdown programs to welcome the New Year are taking place at Bosingak Pavilion, DDP and Gwanghwamun.

The Bosingak bell-ringing ceremony, a New Year’s Eve fixture, is taking place with a citizens’ countdown amid fascinating media façade images being produced on the roof tiles of the pavilion.

Lee Hoe-seung, head of the Culture Headquarters at SMG, said, “We will devote ourselves to growing Seoul a world-class winter festival metropolis with a constant steam of tourists even in winter.”

STO Opens ‘2025 Gwanghwamun Market’ at Gwanghwamun Plaza

The Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) is holding the Gwanghwamun Market at the Gwanghwamun Plaza area in Seoul from Dec. 12 until Dec. 31 to help people spend year-end festivities.

Gwanghwamun Market, the 4th rendition, has established itself as one of Seoul’s representative winter tourism festivities.

The event is designed to back up small business owners’ sales and boost the night tourism activities.

The event has seen the number of visitors and small business owners’ satisfaction maintain a steady upswing.

2025 Gwanghwamun Market is recasting a “Santa Village in Winter Story” under the concept of a European Christmas village.

A combined 100-odd teams of small business merchants are participating in the event to showcase a variety of winter foods, handcraft products and season items.

The event also coincides with the Santa Village Invitation Exhibition, inviting social enterprises, regional farmers and indie authors in which limited supply goods are made available.

Organizers have expanded photo zones, experience programs and brand collaboration content to make the event an exotic stay winter Christmas urban festival.

STO CEO Gil Ki-yeon said, “2025 Gwanghwamun Market is recast as an urban Christmas festival for enjoying and staying by expanding fairytale space composition and participatory content and we hope people will enjoy a warm winter in a space in which the innocence of childhood is felt.”