Where to See Christmas Lights in Seoul
Almost every country in the world celebrates Christmas in some way, shape or form. Regardless, holiday lighting displays seems to reign supreme in every place that features this winter holiday. While no one does it quite like the USA, Canada or Europe, the Christmas lights in Seoul, South Korea are quite breathtaking in their own right.
Remember to dress warmly, I like to layer with Uniqlo heattech whenever possible, and head out to see what Christmas is like in Korea.
Find out more about the top 11 places to see Christmas lights in Seoul along with a healthy number of honorable mentions. From Lotte retail giant and several shopping malls, such as Times square, IFC and NC, to amusement parks, there are plenty of places to go to get into the holiday spirit this December in Seoul. These places go out of their way to impress and create awe-inspiring displays.
No matter which one you view, you’re sure to walk away filled with the Christmas spirit. Even if you don’t like this list of places to see holiday lights, your best bet will be to visit any one of the many notorious shopping areas in Seoul.
Get ready to celebrate Christmas in Seoul:
- What to know about Christmas in Korea
- The top 11 places to see Christmas lights in Seoul
- Lotte Department Store (롯데백화점 본점)
- Shinsegae Department Store (신세계백화점 본점)
- Times Square Shopping Mall (타임스퀘어)
- The Hyundai Seoul (더현대 서울)
- IFC Mall (IFC몰)
- NC Shinguro Mall (NC 신구로점)
- Lotte World Mall (롯데월드몰)
- Cheonggyecheon Stream (청계광장)
- Starfield Library (스타필드 코엑스몰)
- Lotte World Tower (롯데월드타워) and Amusement Park (롯데월드 어드벤처)
- Everland Amusement Park (에버랜드)
- Hotels with beautiful Christmas displays
- Other Honorable Mentions
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What to know about Christmas in Korea
To understand holiday light displays in Seoul, you have to know about how Koreans celebrate Christmas in general. Christmas in Korea is much like and echoes that of what people celebrate in the West. However, they have a slightly different take on the unfolding festivities.
While family is an important component to a Korean Christmas, it’s more of a romantic holiday. Christmas is a national holiday in Korea, where people go shopping, enjoy seasonal songs and eat a grand feast. If you’re looking for Christmas markets, events, and more, check out our guide to Christmas in Seoul which covers all of the festive things to look forward to.
Korean Christmas Traditions
Koreans do some gift giving but it’s not the all-out family celebration you’ll find in places like the United States or Canada. Even still, they have plentitudes of things to do like sledding, ice skating, sending greeting cards to loved ones and observing holiday lights. Of all the Christmas traditions valued in Korea, viewing massive displays of glittering, twinkling lights is a top-notch priority.
The top 11 places to see Christmas lights in Seoul
Lotte Department Store (롯데백화점 본점)
The Lotte Department Store in the Myeondong district of Seoul is a great place to view impressive Christmas lights and decorations. This is an extension of the Lotte retail conglomerate throughout Seoul, which offer some of the most famous places for holiday illumination displays.
Every year they light up the outer portion of the building with LED snowflakes complete with a tree. A message generally splays across the tree with a projection featuring “Merry Christmas” or other similar slogans. However, they feature a different theme each year.
In 2021, they had a winter wonderland via “Christmas in Finland,” honoring the birthplace of Santa Claus. However, this year, Lotte Department Store will focus on “Christmas Dream Moments.” This is sure to highlight many gnomes, trolls and elves.
- Address: 81 Namdaemun-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul (서울 중구 남대문로 81)
Shinsegae Department Store (신세계백화점 본점)
Just a short jaunt down the street from the Lotte Department Store is the Shinesegae Department Store and their holiday lights are just as amazing. They splay the front of the store with larger-than-life decor and a breathtaking illumination display. This comes with an LED light show every 30 minutes that captures everyone’s hearts and imaginations.
What sets Shinesegae apart from others is that they want to offer shoppers more than a simple exercise in consumerism. They aim to please people with a visual and tactile experience, especially during Christmastime. Therefore, they endear native Koreans and foreigners alike with their trees, lights and traditional decorations.
- Address: 63 Sogong-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul (서울 중구 소공로 63)
Times Square Shopping Mall (타임스퀘어)
One of the more famous and impressive lighting displays in the heart of Seoul is the Times Square Shopping Mall. Reminiscent of what you find in New York City, they decorate an enormous tree but each year they deck it out differently, albeit it stunningly.
In 2020, they featured a glamping (glamorous camping) theme, which also allowed a tour of the tree’s inside which featured mirrors and additional birch trees. It’s a very kid-friendly place, where children can let their hair down and allow their imaginations to run wild. Plus, they have great winter food selections that include themed tea.
- Address: 15 Yeongjung-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul (서울 영등포구 영중로 15)
IFC Mall (IFC몰)
Many people seem to favor the IFC Mall’s annual holiday light display. This is one of the few malls connected to a hotel, The Conrad. The mall’s inside and outside glisten with lights. Inside, they feature a chair that comes in the shape of an ornament along with a gazebo themed in a similar manner to the famous cartoon, “Frozen.”
The entire lighting presentation is such a big deal that the mall encourages people to take pictures of it. IFC even has brochures to give tips and directions on where to take impressive and magical photos and if you post them online, they give out gift cards that can be used at the mall. So, this place is a must-see for newcomers to Seoul.
- Address: 10 Gukjegeumyoong-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul (서울 영등포구 국제금융로 10)
The Hyundai Seoul (더현대 서울)
A newcomer to the Christmas scenery extravaganza. The Hyundai Seoul is Korea’s first eco-friendly department store that is looking to the future with their concept that brings together nature and shopping in one massive space.
Visit twelve floors with 600 shops but don’t forget to see all of the Instagram worth shots in between, especially during the Christmas season.
- Address: 108 Yeongdeungpo-gu Yeouidae-ro, Seoul (서울시 여의대로 영등포구 108)
NC Shinguro Mall (NC 신구로점)
While all of Seoul’s popular lighting displays are a sight to behold, the one at NC is one of the most magical and gives other ones with global fame a run for their money. Every year they borrow décor inspiration from France but take everything over the top.
NC Outlet Mall is notorious for their hanging, or floating, trees inside the mall. There must be at least a dozen and each one comes decorated in traditional Christmas ornamentation. Whoever dreamt this up can only be described as having nothing short of sheer genius.
While the seven floors of the mall are impressive in and of itself, their yearly Christmas lighting displays are something visitors should not miss. Children and adults alike wonder in amazement at the detail and are taken with each of these floating trees.
- Address: 152 Guro Jungang-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul (서울 구로구 구로중앙로 152)
Lotte World Mall (롯데월드몰)
Yet another stop in the lighting displays of Seoul around Christmastime is the Lotte World Mall in the popular Jamsil district of Seoul. They deck the inside and outside of this massive shopping complex in millions of lights, setups and scenes. And, much like most other malls and shopping centers, they go with a different theme each year.
One of the main attractions is their four huge cabins in the courtyard of the complex. Even the inside of the cabins have holiday decorations, lights and individual themes, which appear warm, cozy and inviting. These offer some of the best photo opportunities in Seoul during this time of year.
The inside of the mall also displays ornaments and decor that echo what you see outside in the cabins. Truly, anyone curious about Christmas lights in Korea would be remiss not to visit. The best time is in late afternoon, when all the lights come on. That is an event to witness in and of itself.
- Address: 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (서울 송파구 올림픽로 300)
Cheonggyecheon Stream (청계광장)
In the heart of Seoul’s downtown is Cheonggyecheon Stream, which is a river that runs 11 kilometers (just under seven miles) through the entire diameter of Seoul. Every year they begin their Seoul Light Festival here and they do it in style. They run these from the end of November to the beginning of January.
This is a great display and is sure to get anyone into the holiday spirit. Great care and detail goes into their presentation each year, complete with millions of lights and larger-than-life dioramas. This is where holiday festivities kick off and many Korean nationals wouldn’t dare miss it.
- Address: 1 Taepyeong-ro 1-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul (서울 중구 태평로1가 1)
Starfield Library (스타필드 코엑스몰)
Located at the center of the COEX Mall is the Starfield Library in the Gangnam district of Seoul. Not only do they offer books in several different languages people can read for free, their holiday decorations are quite the sight. Each year they go with a different theme related to Christmas such as snowflakes and Santa’s workshop.
Their Christmas trees comprise over 14,000 books with a polar bear family appearing straight out of some classic fairytale. One year, they had an 11.6 meter (about 38 feet) “Snow Pavilion,” which contained some 900 individual snowflakes. This is a Christmas tree made entirely out of various snowflakes, with each one intimately lit and decorated. If you’re planning to go to COEX, check out this guide to the top 10 things to do at COEX.
- Address: 524 Bongeunsa-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (서울 강남구 봉은사로 524)
Lotte World Tower (롯데월드타워) and Amusement Park (롯데월드 어드벤처)
Yet another location for Christmas light viewing in Seoul is at Lotte World. Here they have a tower and an amusement park that live for the holiday spirit and their annual displays clearly demark this notion. There are a plethora of dazzling, sparkling golden trees along with themed pop-up stores during this time of year.
They even decorate their aquarium and there’s a skating rink inside so you could see lights, ride rides, and ice skate in one day. If you want to head into Lotte Adventure Amusement Park, be sure to buy your tickets online so you can take advantage of the discounted prices.
- Address: 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (서울 송파구 올림픽로 300)
- Book Ticket: Get your tickets online with Klook to take advantage of the online discount.
Everland Amusement Park (에버랜드)
For a fabulous day trip outside Seoul, Everland provides an amusement park experience only the privileged few get to see. This is one of the largest and most famous in Korea. They guarantee an amazing Christmas display, complete with fireworks and lights.
If their presentation doesn’t get someone into the Christmas spirit, they truly must be a Scrooge. Everland features special markets, parades and performances along with a snow sledding ride they call the “Snow Buster,” which opens mid-December. Their illuminations, decorations and ornamentations are always imaginative, creative and innovative.
- Address: 199 Everland-ro, Pogok-eub, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do (경기 용인시 처인구 포곡읍 에버랜드로 199)
- Book Tickets: Get your tickets online with Klook to take advantage of the online discount.
- How To Get There: If you don’t have a car, book a ticket on a bus from Seoul in advance so it’s easy to get there from Seoul.
Hotels with beautiful Christmas displays
Looking to visit Seoul this winter? These hotels will make for the best places to spend Christmas in Seoul with their festive atmospheres and decor and winter treats.
Signiel Hotel (시그니엘): Signiel Hotel is located in the tallest building in Korea and boasts amazing views out over the city. They change their hotel decor regularly. Toast champagne in their champagne bar and take photos with their holiday decor. Not only does their lobby sparkle with a beautiful tree, they also offer a Christmastime-only tea to their guests, which is the toast of Seoul.
- Address: 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (서울 송파구 올림픽로 300)
- Book a stay here to enjoy the Christmas holidays even more. Find a room on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
Imperial Palace (임피리얼팰리스): The Imperial Palace is a hotel in Seoul that also features a wonderful Christmas tree in the lobby along with themed high tea many people praise. What makes them particularly special is their Christmas village display.
- Address: 640 Eonju-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (서울 강남구 언주로 640)
- Book a stay here to enjoy the Christmas holidays even more. Find a room on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
Millennium Hilton (밀레니엄 힐튼): This hotel in Seoul has a very unique Christmas display when compared with others in its class. They feature a train set and this is a renowned presentation, capturing train set lovers from all over the world. Plus, they offer European-style desserts at their snack bar. FYI, the hotel released a letter this year stating that this will be the final year for the holiday train. So, don’t miss it this year if you can see it!
- Address: 50 Sowol-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul (서울 중구 소월로 50)
- Book a stay here to enjoy the Christmas holidays even more. Find a room on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
Grand Hyatt (그랜드 하얏트): For those who love ice skating, the rink at the Grand Hyatt in Seoul is a must-see. They have trees around the rink decorated in myriads of glittering lights. What makes this such a stellar experience is how the hotel’s location is on a mountain, which gives a bird’s eye view of Seoul below.
- Address: 322 Sowol-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (서울 용산구 소월로 322)
- Book a stay here to enjoy the Christmas holidays even more. Find a room on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
Park Hyatt (파크 하얏트): Another Hyatt hotel in Seoul offers the best high tea specifically themed for the holidays. Since it sits next to the COEX mall, it’s a great place to grab warm food and drinks after a day of ice skating at the rink. The restaurant offers amazingly beautiful views of Seoul.
- Address: 606 Tehran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (서울 강남구 테헤란로 606)
- Book a stay here to enjoy the Christmas holidays even more. Find a room on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
Banyan Tree (반얀트리): This is a hotel in Seoul that often features a European-inspired theme for Christmas. They often do this in the form of a village along with a train for children. They offer a beautifully decorated tree as well as a Christmas Pyramid that’s worth the visit.
- Address: 60 Jangchungdan-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul (서울 중구 장충단로 60)
- Book a stay here to enjoy the Christmas holidays even more. Find a room on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
JW Marriott (JW 메리어트): Seoul’s Dongdaemun Square has a Barbie convention blended with the Christmas holiday at the JW Marriot. They do this every year at the end of November/beginning of December. They offer a Barbie-themed buffet but the whole hotel spews Christmas cheer with a tree, lights and special themes.
- Address: 279 Cheonggyecheon-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul (서울 종로구 청계천로 279)
- Book a stay here to enjoy the Christmas holidays even more. If you’re a Marriott Bonvoy Member, book a stay directly on Marriott.com. Or, find a room on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
Intercontinental (인터컨티넨탈 서울 코엑스): This hotel in Seoul is part of the COEX Mall. They have an enormous Christmas tree comprised entirely out of ornaments. They have cascading lights dancing above the tree and the tree itself is a giant when compared to the size of an average adult. It’s 100% free as well.
- Address: 524 Bongeunsa-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (서울 강남구 봉은사로 524)
- Book a stay here to enjoy the Christmas holidays even more. Find a room on Booking.com or on Agoda.com
Honorable Mention
The list below details other fantastic spots to see wonderful holiday lights in Seoul. While they may not be the most popular, they are worth a tip of the hat as an honorable mention. If you plan an evening out just right you can see quite a few of the spots above with a few honorable mentions in between for a great Christmas light viewing itinerary.
Seoul City Hall Christmas Tree (서울광장): Right outside the Seoul City Hall building in Seoul is the city’s all-famous annual Christmas tree lighting held at the beginning of December. This is ginormous and features a various display of the latest lighting technologies.
- Address: 12 Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul (서울 중구 을지로 12)
Garden of Morning Calm Lighting Festival (아침고요수목원): The Garden of Morning Calm has the largest herb collection in all of South Korea. It covers 82 acres and prides itself on combining all the beauty of Venice with a quaint French farm. They have an annual Christmas lighting event that uses various colors to harmonize for the holidays.
- Address: 432 Sumokwon-ro, Sangmyeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do (경기 가평군 상면 수목원로 432)
- Book Tickets: Get tickets to join a tour that will take you out to Garden of the Morning Calm and includes a fun snowy adventure too. Book the trip on Klook.
Seoulism Café (서울리즘): One of the best places to eat and drink in Seoul during the Christmas holiday is Seoulism Café. This cafe is actually popular year-round for the view of Lotte Tower with a SEOUL sign too. For Christmas, they decorate the inside and outside gorgeously while playing classic seasonal tunes. For Westerners missing home, this is a great place to connect with the spirit of the holiday.
- Address: 6th floor, Yes Building, 435 Baekje Gobun-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (서울 송파구 백제고분로 435 예스빌딩 6층)
COEX Mall Skating Rink: The Starfield Library at the COEX Mall generally steals the show, but their outdoor skating rink is nothing to sneeze at. For a mere ₩5,000 ($3.75 USD), you can rent equipment and skates. Stay as long as you like and enjoy their impressive illumination and decorations for the holidays.
- Address: 524 Bongeunsa-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (서울 강남구 봉은사로 524)
Even though the list above is very exhaustive, it is hardly comprehensive. There are literally thousands of places to view Christmas lights in Korea. It’s just that these are the most famous and notorious of their kind in Seoul. Almost any mall, hotel or public space will have an impressive, cute and beautiful lighting display for Christmas.
While Christmas in Seoul is nothing like what you find in London, NYC, Munich or Paris, it is wonderful in its way. Many foreigners living in Seoul find their lighting displays a comfort when longing for the experiences they had back home as a child. Regardless, Seoul presents a lighting display that definitely makes the West blush.
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This post was contributed by The Korean Guide
Hey I’m Jason, a Korean travel blogger. I blog on TheKoreanGuide.com and love to write about anything related to Korea. In my free time, I watch Korean dramas and eat tteokbokki or instant ramen.
