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"Wow, this really is a Christmas village." "Take another picture so the teddy bear looks bigger."

On the afternoon of the 17th at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul. I thought I could leisurely explore just before office workers’ rush hour, but the closer I got to the ‘Christmas Village,’ the more crowded it felt. Hyundai Department Store, which was the first among major department stores to open its Christmas decorations on the 27th of last month, decorated about 3,300㎡ (approximately 1,000 pyeong) of the 5th floor ‘Sounds Forest’ at The Hyundai Seoul as ‘Grandfather and Teddy Bear Harry’s Village.’

There was a long line at the entrance on the 5th floor, so I first took a walk inside. At the center stood a gigantic 13-meter-high tree adorned with deep pink teddy bear plush toys hanging all over it. Around the huge tree’s base, visitors posed for photos, circling the tree with one or two teddy bears. From a distance, it looked like they were standing in a circle facing outward from the tree, creating a fun scene. Faces smiling happily while taking photos responded to requests like ‘Don’t include the person next to me’ and ‘Make the teddy bear look bigger.’

Visitors to The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul are exploring 'H Village' on the 5th floor Sounds Forest, designed with a Christmas village concept.

Along the edge of the central giant tree, over 100 trees and cabin houses (log cabins) were set up with different concepts, creating a real village-like atmosphere. The long line at the entrance was for a log cabin filled with teddy bears where visitors could take photos surrounded by the bears. Inside other log cabins glowing with warm light, various Christmas-themed scenes were staged, such as a real bear spending winter and a year-end feast being prepared. Hyundai Department Store focused on warmth rather than extravagance for this ‘Christmas Village’ theme. The display tells a story where Grandfather and Teddy Bear Harry open their grain storage to share food with villagers suffering from a shortage due to a snowstorm, making everyone happy. Small Christmas markets were also held between the cabins, where visitors could purchase Christmas-themed decorations and accessories.

Visitors here were mainly in their 20s and 30s, but families pushing strollers or holding children’s hands were also frequently seen. Middle-aged and older visitors were busy taking commemorative photos as well. If you want to enjoy the Christmas and year-end atmosphere without spending money, take photos, and spend some time, this place is recommended. It is centrally located in Yeouido, making it easily accessible, and it’s convenient to have a meal inside the department store or nearby after visiting. However, on weekend afternoons, the crowd can be dense, and waiting times may be longer. The light show, which was suspended due to the Itaewon tragedy, will resume three times a day at one-hour intervals starting from 5:30 PM on the evening of the 18th.

Interior view of the cabin house in 'H Village' created at The Hyundai Seoul Sounds Forest (Photo by Hyundai Department Store).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.