8 Places To Feel The Christmas Vibes In Seoul
8 Trending Christmassy places recommended by local Koreans
Koreans think of Christmas as more of a romantic holiday than a religious or family holiday. Lovers usually spend Christmas together as it is considered a very special day for couples. Many people like to visit giant Christmas trees, exchange gifts, and dine out at fine restaurants. Here is a list of places in Korea with the best Christmas decorations so that you can visit them and spend this time of the year full of pleasant surprises!
Seoul City Hall Square
Credit: HanInPost & Yonhap News
During the Christmas season in Korea, City Hall Square becomes a very vibrant place for celebrating the end of the year. Every year, a giant cone-shaped Christmas tree sparkles brilliantly at the square. Many people visit this place for a romantic evening out or for fun with friends!
Along Cheonggyecheon, an artificial stream that runs through key parts of the city with beautiful trails, there are also Christmas monuments installed. The Cheonggyecheon Stream is a place that many local families, couples, and friends like to hang out at all throughout the year, but it is especially worth visiting during Christmas! During the Christmas season, you can see many Christmas decorations and lights, so you'll definitely feel the holiday vibes here!
Information
Source: 서울특별시 중구 태평로 1가 54-3
54-3 Taepyeongno 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul
Transportation: About a 4-minute walk from City Hall Station Exit 5
Myeongdong Cathedral
South Korea probably might have the highest proportion of believers in Christianity and Catholicism out of all East Asian countries. You can see Christian and Catholic churches on almost every corner, which adds to the enthusiasm for Christmas in Korea. Plenty of Christmas decorations can be found at many of the churches. The beautifully lit Myeongdong Catholic Church is one of the best places to feel the holiday charms.
Even if you're not religious, it's a great place to see the large cathedral and all the decorations surrounding it! If you come to Myeongdong during the Christmas season, you may want to see the Christmas decorations at the Myeongdong sanctuary!
Information
Address: 서울특별시 중구 명동길 74
74 Myeongdong-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul
Transportation: About a 11 minute walk from Myeongdong Station Exit 8 and a 12 minute walk from Euljiro 1-ga Station Exit 12.
Lotte World
2022 Christmas Magic Castle
Every night, Lotte World's Magic Castle will light up with sparkling holiday decorations. They're absolutely beautiful! At 8:40 PM, you'll be able to catch the 3D digital show, Magic Castle Lights Up. Be sure to get to the castle a little bit early and get a spot to watch the show!
Don't miss out on the joyful performances including live jazz music, Christmas-themed shows, and the famous Happy Christmas Parade. Some performances may be canceled or changed depending on the situation, so be sure to refer to Lotte World's official website before visiting! You can also check out our blog in the link below for a full review of Lotte World during the Christmas season and for discounted tickets!
Information
Address: 서울특별시 송파구 잠실동 올림픽로 240
240 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul
Period: ~Dec 31, 2022
Transportation: About an 8-minute walk from Jamsil Station Exit 4
Everland
Everland is another famous amusement park in South Korea, and this place also holds a grand celebration during the Christmas season. The entire park is filled with a celebratory Christmas atmosphere. Make a wish in front of the giant Tower Tree!
Although it is located outside Seoul, many locals make a day trip to Everland to enjoy the festivities in the big amusement park. Along with the Christmas Parade, you can enjoy many rides and other facilities.
If you get hungry or want to shop for holiday souvenirs from all over the world, stop by the Christmas Market.
Information
Address: 경기도 용인시 처인구 포곡읍 에버랜드로 199
Transportation: Take EverLine and exit from Jeondae-Everland Station Exit 4 and take the Everland bus or take the shuttle bus from Hongdae and Myeongdong
Namsan Seoul Tower
Another very romantic place to spend Christmas in Seoul is the N Seoul Tower, where many couples come up to secure and promise their love to one another with a lock.
Every Christmas, N Seoul Tower will light the famous love lock trees. It's an alluring array of medium-sized Christmas trees. It is especially pretty when it snows, as the branches of the love lock trees are covered with snow and become very picturesque.
If you are not a huge fan of a massive Christmas crowd, you may want to avoid N Seoul Tower during the Christmas season. But everyone, from solo travelers to couples, to families and friends, are all welcome and can enjoy the holiday festivities!
Information
Address: 서울 용산구 남산공원길 105
105 Namsangongwon-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul
Price: Adult 16,000원
Child 11,000원
Transportation: About a 10-minute walk from Myeongdong Station Exit 4, or take the cable car.
Get discounted tickets to N Seoul Tower at the link below!
Yeongdeungpo Times Square
A grand Christmas tree lit with golden bulbs stands tall in Yeongdeungpo Times Square. The small tents under the Christmas tree create a fairytale-like atmosphere! You can sit in a chair under the lights for a while and enjoy the tree.
Before COVID-19, Christmas parades were held on December 24th and 25th at Yeongdeungpo Times Square, and many people would gather to watch.
Information
Address: 서울 영등포구 영중로 15 타임스퀘어
15 Yeongjung-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul
Hours: 10:30-22:00
Transportation: 187 meters from Yeongdeungpo Station Exit 5
COEX Starfield Library
This is an indoor spot where you don't have to worry about not being able to enjoy Christmas due to the cold weather. COEX Mall is a complex shopping mall operated by Shinsegae, and its advantage is that you can enjoy a variety of brands, an aquarium, and a movie theater in one place in addition to the Starfield Library. Currently, a huge, shining 10-meter-high silver tree stands in the middle of the library.
Can you see the big tree in the middle of the picture? In 2018, at the Starfield Library, there was a 9-meter-high tree made of 14,000 books!
Information
Address: 서울특별시 강남구 영동대로 513 스타필드 코엑스몰 B1
Starfield COEX Mall B1, 513 Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Hours: 10:30-22:00
Transportation: About a 10-minute walk from Samseong Station Exit 6
Sinchon Yonsei-ro
If you want to enjoy the Christmas atmosphere in downtown Seoul, you should check out Yonsei-ro in Sinchon. It's a street that goes from Sinchon Station to Yonsei University and is always bustling with life as it is in a university area. A busy business district and a college town in Seoul, Yonsei-ro is always full of lively college students.
On New Year's Eve, a huge Christmas tree lights up on Yonsei-ro. For Seoulites, Sinchon is a go-to place for enjoying the holidays. On Christmas Day, you can see colorful Christmas decorations and join the celebratory crowd! During Christmas and New Year's, the surrounding area of Sinchon usually gets very crowded, so please keep that in mind.
Information
Address: 서울특별시 서대문구 연세로
Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul
Transportation: About a 6-minute walk from Sinchon Station Exit 2
Which place are you keen on visiting the most? Let us know in the comments below! We wish you happy holidays and the best in the coming year! If you have any questions or concerns, please leave a comment below or send us an email at help@creatrip.com! You can follow us on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and Facebook to stay updated on all things Korea!
