Winter Festa 2023 to turn Seoul into a city of lights

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Wednesday that seven festivals and events will be held in parts of the capital as part of Seoul Winter Festa 2023 from Dec. 15 to Jan. 21.

Beams of light and media facades adorn Gwanghwamun, central Seoul, in a rendered image shared by the Seoul city government Wednesday. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Seoul will be adorned with colorful lights during the upcoming winter festival season.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Wednesday that seven festivals and events will be held in parts of the capital as part of Seoul Winter Festa 2023 from Dec. 15 to Jan. 21.

Colorful media facades will illuminate areas, including Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in eastern Seoul, Cheonggye Stream, Bosingak Pavilion, Gwanghwamun and Seoul Plaza in central Seoul.

Beams of light will embellish the 800-meter-long (2,600-feet-long) area between the newly restored woldae, a wide stone platform at the entrance of Gwanghwamun in Jongno District, and Gwanghwamun Square.

The woldae was fully restored to how it used to look 100 years ago during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), before it was destroyed during the Japanese colonization of Korea last month.

The Songhyeon-dong site in central Seoul, temporarily opened to the public last year after about 110 years, will also host a light festival.

The Seoul Lantern Festival, marking its 15th anniversary, will be held in the neighborhoods of Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggye Stream and Seoul Plaza under the theme of “white night in Seoul.”

Large structures, including a blue dragon-shaped lantern, will be displayed at Gwanghwamun Square to celebrate the Year of the Blue Dragon next year. The 10-meter-long lantern will be made of hanji, or traditional Korean paper.

The skating rink at Seoul Plaza will open from Dec. 22 to Feb. 11. Christmas markets will be held at Gwanghwamun Square and DDP from Dec. 15 to Jan. 21.

A beaming sun-like structure rises from the center of Sejong-daero, downtown Seoul, in a rendered image shared by the Seoul city government Wednesday. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

The highlight of the Seoul Winter Festa will be the annual Bosingak bell-tolling ceremony, which will invite representatives from the public for the first time in four years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A beaming sun-shaped structure with a diameter of 12 meters (39 feet) will rise from the center of Sejong-daero as the bell rings to celebrate the start of the year, the city government said.

The ceremony will be livestreamed at Bosingak, Sejong-daero, DDP and Gwanghwamun Square.

The metropolitan government said it aims to create the city a global countdown landmark similar to New York’s Times Square and the Sydney Opera House.

The participation of 3,000 global influencers in 2023 SeoulCon, a fashion and lifestyle fair scheduled for Dec. 30 through Jan. 1, will elevate the festival's profile as they create and post content about the events.

The city government stressed that it is in talks with the police to host a safe event.

“We will do our best to ensure that everyone can enjoy the mega festival safely and joyfully,” said Choi Kyung-ju, director-general of the city government’s culture headquarters.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]