'Hwacheon's Hopes Shine Bright' Sancheoneo Lanterns Near Completion... Lantern Street Lighting on the 20th

Hwacheon Elders Handcraft Tens of Thousands of Sancheoneo Lanterns Year-Round
Building Frames, Covering with Hanji, and Painting Designs
Lanterns Installed Along Lantern Street and Festival Grounds

The making of Sancheoneo lanterns, which will illuminate the night sky of the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival, is in full swing.

On the 21st of last month, local elders were making Sancheoneo lanterns to be used in the festival at the Sancheoneo Workshop in Hwacheon-eup. Provided by Hwacheon County

Hwacheon County and the Nara Foundation will hold a lantern lighting ceremony at 6 p.m. on December 20 along Jungang-ro in Hwacheon-eup, marking the opening of the 2026 Ice Nation Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival season.

More than 100 local elders from each township, including those at the Sancheoneo Workshop in Hwacheon-eup, have been preparing this year’s Sancheoneo lanterns, dressing them in vibrant colors and getting them ready to soar into the sky.

The lively Sancheoneo lanterns embody not only hopes for the festival’s success but also the heartfelt wishes of Hwacheon residents for a dynamic leap forward in this border region.

When the lighting button is pressed on December 20, tens of thousands of Sancheoneo lanterns and hundreds of thousands of LED lights will simultaneously shine brilliantly along the Lantern Street.

The tens of thousands of Sancheoneo lanterns crafted by Hwacheon’s elders vary in size, shape, and color.

The elders bend thick wires to form the lantern frames and carefully cover them with durable hanji paper to withstand rain and snow.

They also use brushes to hand-paint the unique patterns of Sancheoneo onto the lantern bodies and fill in the pupils, breathing life into each lantern.

During the festival, Lantern Street filled with Sancheoneo lanterns will host a variety of lively nighttime programs every evening, including performances, shows, and busking.

This Sancheoneo lantern-making project, enriched by the elders’ skilled expertise, not only enhances the quality of the festival but also plays a significant role in providing high-quality jobs.

Choi Moonsoon, Mayor of Hwacheon County, said, “The Sancheoneo lanterns, which can only be seen in Hwacheon, not only add splendor to the festival but also offer safe and meaningful job opportunities for local elders.”

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