Winter Spots Worth Visiting in Seoul: The Cheonggyecheon Light Festival

Translated from the Korean original.

A while ago I had business in Jongno, Seoul, and since it felt like a waste to just head straight home, I went over to Gwanghwamun.

I had a coffee at SFC Mall and when I came back outside there were such pretty light sculptures that I took photos. This is the sculpture below. It looks like it was made to promote the Sancheoneo (Mountain Trout) Ice Festival, and the colours and design were prettier than I expected, so there was no way I could not take a picture.

Hwacheon is in Gangwon Province, right? It looks like Hwacheon really went all out on this promotion.. If you look closely you’ll see they are all fish. Don’t they look like they have been caught in a net? They are so pretty in person.. all colourful and.. I’m really short on words to describe it. Anyway, it was fun that without even going all the way to the Garden of Morning Calm, there were such pretty light sculptures right nearby, in a place I never expected.

If you walk a little further up from here toward Gwanghwamun Post Office, you will see the signs for the Cheonggyecheon Light Festival.

It was good that there were a medical support booth and a tourist information booth just in case. That plush is a character from Frozen, isn’t it? I blurred the face for privacy, but the person hugging that plush, haha, is a middle-aged gentleman.. haha. The mood was such that everyone, young and old, seemed to have gone back to a world of childlike wonder.. But he must have seen Frozen too, right? That’s why he was glad enough to give it a hug, surely? Hehe

I actually haven’t seen it.. so I don’t know that character’s name. It was a good place to visit for people with children too. There was a mini train running for the kids, and colourful hearts and even teddy bear sculptures had been installed, so it was a great spot for a family winter outing in Seoul.

On top of that, there was no admission fee, which made it even better. That day we were so tired and cold that we could only see this one spot before heading back. If you go further down along the Cheonggyecheon stream from here, there are many bigger, more spectacular and beautiful sculptures installed. I really do recommend it~~

It was an event I would genuinely like to visit again next year. Do go and see it with your family, your partner or your friends!!