Seoul City to Host 38-Day Winter Festival... 'Seoul Winter 2023'

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is organizing a "mega urban winter festival" by bringing together year-end and New Year events that used to take place across the city during the winter season.

On the 22nd, Seoul announced that it will hold 'Seoul Winta (Seoul Winter Festa) 2023,' a 38-day festival connecting seven representative attractive points of Seoul, from next month 15th to January 21st of next year. The motif of this festival is ‘light,’ where visitors can experience dazzling light exhibitions such as media fa?ades and projection mapping along the route from DDP to Bosingak, Sejong-daero, Gwanghwamun Square, Open Songhyeon Green Plaza, Cheonggyecheon, and Seoul Plaza.

The city plans to invigorate the entire downtown area by hosting a ‘mega festival’ that consolidates previously dispersed winter events held individually across Seoul with different themes and schedules. Furthermore, it aims to develop 'Seoul Winta' into a flagship festival brand befitting Seoul’s status as a ‘global cultural hub.’

Under the theme ‘Unprecedented Light, Coloring Seoul,’ this festival will showcase a variety of sights and activities through 10 festivals and events utilizing light and lighting technologies such as ▲media fa?ades ▲projection mapping ▲gobo lighting at seven locations within the city. In particular, on the last day of the year, the ‘New Year’s Eve Bell Ringing’ event held at Bosingak will be dynamically produced to not only entertain but also reflect on the meaning of bidding farewell to the old year and welcoming the new one, making it a ‘global event’ enjoyed by both citizens and domestic and international tourists. To allow more relaxed enjoyment beyond Bosingak, simultaneous live broadcasts will be conducted from three locations (Bosingak, Gwanghwamun Square, and DDP).

'Seoul Winta 2023' will officially begin on the 15th of next month at 6 p.m. with the simultaneous lighting of ▲Seoul Light Gwanghwa (Gwanghwamun Square) ▲Seoul Lantern Festival (Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggyecheon, Seoul Plaza) ▲Songhyeon-dong Pine Light Festival (Open Songhyeon Green Plaza).

Han Kyung-ah, the general director of Seoul Winta 2023, said, “Seoul Winta 2023, a mega urban winter festival that connects winter events previously held individually across Seoul under one theme, will enhance Seoul’s charm and attract visitors from around the world. We hope everyone will experience the unprecedented new ‘light’ presented in Seoul as the year ends and the new year begins.”

Choi Kyung-joo, head of Seoul’s Cultural Headquarters, stated, “‘Seoul Winta’ will be a signal for Seoul to be reborn as a ‘world-class festival city’ befitting its status as a ‘global cultural hub.’ We will do our best to ensure that everyone can safely and joyfully enjoy this mega festival.”

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