How To Celebrate New Year’s Eve In Seoul

Last Updated on September 14, 2026

Like many places around the world, on New Year’s Eve there are parties galore across the country from Seoul to Busan and everywhere in between. But I think it should be noted that traditionally, January 1st is celebrated with a sunrise hurrah not a midnight kiss. These days there is a lot to do from night to morning though.

There’s no single “right” way to celebrate New Year’s Even in Seoul. You can stand in a crowd downtown for a countdown, watch fireworks over the Han River skyline, or do what many Koreans actually do and skip the midnight countdown altogether to catch the first sunrise of the year instead.

Whether you want to celebrate traditional Korean style or are looking for where to countdown in Seoul or maybe where to see fireworks in Seoul, there is plenty to do to ring in the New Year in Seoul.

There are numerous ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Seoul and Korea. Whether you’re looking for a countdown or a morning sunrise, here’s what you can look forward to:

• How To Celebrate New Year’s Eve In Seoul
  • Ring In The New Year With A Tolling Bell
  • Get Some Wine & Charcuterie & Celebrate At Home
  • See Fireworks
  • Countdown with Seoul Light
  • Enjoy A Party & A Staycation
  • See The Sunrise From A Mountaintop in Seoul
  • Dance It Up At A Club
• How To Celebrate New Year’s Eve In Korea
  • Watch The First Sunrise
• FAQ

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Quick Facts: Where To Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Seoul

Not sure which option fits your night? Here’s how they stack up at a glance.

Event	Where	Free or Ticketed	Best for
Bosingak Bell-Ringing	Jonggak	Free (or watch on TV)	Tradition, atmosphere, crowds
Lotte Tower Fireworks	Jamsil	Free (viewing)	City views, skyline photos
COEX Fireworks OR Media Display	Samseong / Gangnam	Free	Casual walk-up viewing, changes annually sometimes drone shows, media display, fireworks
Seoul Light Gwanghwamun	Gwanghwamun	Free	Media art, no need to brave the exact midnight crowd
Seoul Light DDP	Dongdaemun	Free	Design fans, flexible-night visits
Hotel Countdown Parties	Various	Ticketed/paid	Warmth, dinner, staycation
Club Countdown Events	Various	Ticketed	Nightlife
First Sunrise (Gangneung, Jeju, Ulsan, Pohang)	East coast / Jeju	Free (travel costs only)	Tradition, scenery, avoiding the midnight crush

As a first-timer, I’d go for Bosingak for something traditional, or plan to wake up with the New Year’s sun instead, or go standard with a fireworks display. It really depends on whether you’re more of an early bird or a late-night owl. For the past decade, my daughter wasn’t able to stay awake that late, so we were watching the Bosingak bell from home, or watching the sunrise. Before her, I was all about the hotel countdown parties.

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How To Celebrate New Year’s Eve In Seoul

There is a lot to do in Seoul for New Year’s Eve. Keep reading to find the best hotels to book for New Year’s Eve in Seoul, where to see fireworks, and even the best places to watch the first sunrise of the year in Seoul.

Ring In The New Year With A Tolling Bell

If you’ve walked out of Jonggak Subway Station at any point on your visit to Seoul, you  might have noticed the traditional Bosingak Belfry (보신각타종행사). In the Joseon Dynasty period, the bell was rung when the Seoul Fortress Wall gates were opened and then closed each day.

These days, people sign up to ring the bell daily, but it’s mostly unnoticed by pedestrians in the downtown area. On December 31st, however, that all changes. It is the center of celebrations in downtown Seoul.

Tens of thousands of people gather outside in frigid temperatures to see the ringing of the bell (recent years have drawn crowds estimated near 100,000, with nearby roads closed from early evening). The bell is rung a total of 33 times at midnight. If you don’t want to stand outside in the cold, you can also watch and listen to the televised spectacle from the comfort of your own home.

• Address: 54 Jong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 종로구 종로 54)
• When: December 31 from 10:50pm ~ 12:30am
• Note: Roads nearby will be closed from 6:00pm and people will start filling in from this time so if you want a closer spot, plan to get there earlier. Also note, that in previous years, subways were extended to 2:00am for better crowd management and dispersal after the event for safety.

Fun fact: You can also ring the Bosingak bell yourself! This is an a super underrated experience that few people know about. Not ON New Year’s Eve, but you can sign up or even walk up on select days to ring the bell yourself. It’s free and a very unique thing to do in downtown Seoul.

See Fireworks

There are a couple of great places to see dazzling fireworks for the New Year’s Eve celebration in Seoul usually. 

At Lotte Tower (롯데월드타워)

Lotte Tower, the tallest building in Korea, is host to a magnificent fireworks display twice a year and New Year’s Eve is one of them. At midnight the tower’s exterior is illuminated with fireworks that burst from the tower itself. Being so tall, you can see this one from quite a distance if you’re facing the right direction.

• Address: 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 송파구 올림픽로 300)
• Where To Stay: Signiel Hotel is an AMAZING place to stay RIGHT in the tower. We’ve stayed twice. I highly recommend it. They also have a great champagne bar inside if you want to amp up your night.
• How To Get There: Head to Jamsil Station and you can walk right out to Lotte Tower and Lotte Mall.
• Website: www.lwt.co.kr

Countdown with Seoul Light

Seoul Light is a huge media show on the facade of two iconic buildings in downtown Seoul, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza and Gyeongbokgung Gate, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Both shows actually show for a couple weeks prior to New Year’s Eve so if you want to see the show on another night, you can do that too!

What I love about the Seoul Light displays is that they run for many nights, so we can head out any time we feel like it, not deal with the overcrowding of the exact countdown moment, and still get to see those celebrations. Being spread over weeks also means that you can make a few special nights out of the week and see these spectacles too.

DDP Seoul Light New Year’s Eve Countdown

Head to the Dongdaemun Design Plaza to see the 220 meter façade transformed with lights to create a surreal world of lights.

• Address: 281 Eulji-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 중구 을지로 281 (을지로7가))
• When: TBD
• Where To Stay: JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul is a great place to stay just down the road. Enjoy a night in Dongdaemun.
• How To Get There: Head to the Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station and go out of exit 1.
• Website: www.ddp.or.kr
• Tour: Klook has a pretty epic tour to celebrate NYE in both western and Korean traditional fashion. See Seoul Light at the DDP and then hop a bus to the east coast to see the sunrise. Check out this unique opportunity.

Gwanghwamun Seoul Light New Year’s Eve Countdown

This amazing media and light art spectacle will take place once again in the Gwanghwamun Square. Global media artists have artistically portrayed Seoul’s present and future. On New Year’s Eve there will be extended hours to celebrate the ringing in of the new year.

• Address: 1-68 Sejong-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul (서울시 종로구 세종로 1-68)
• When: December 11, 2026 ~ January 3, 2027

Enjoy A Party & A Staycation

See The Sunrise From A Mountaintop in Seoul

Dance It Up At A Club

Clubs across the city usually host awesome dance parties. Events this year haven’t yet been announced, but I’ll update this section when they do.

Showtime: A Gatsby Goodbye

Ring in the new year in golden style and the “last curtain of the year” with performances and views out over Namsan Mountain from the Grand Hyatt’s Jj Mahoney’s Live Room.

• Address: 322 Sowol-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (서울시 용산구 소월로 322)
• Tickets: Get tickets on Ticketlink

Drop The Beat & Balloons Countdown at Inspire Resort

Not in Seoul, but close enough. Head out to one of the most popular new spots, Inspire Resort, an entertainment resort that will be hosting an event with concerts, balloon drop, LED countdown, lucky draws, and more.

• Address: 127 Gonghangmunhwa-ro, Jung-gu, Incheon (인천광역시 중구 공항문화로 127)
• Tickets: You can get tickets for the event on Interpark.
• Tip: Book to stay the night at either Inspire Resort or nearby Paradise Resort so you don’t get stuck out in Incheon with no way back to Seoul.

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How To Celebrate New Year’s Eve in Korea

Watch The First Sunrise

Rather than ringing in the New Year at midnight, a lot of Koreans head to the tallest mountains near them or to the east coast of Korea to watch the first sunrise. Koreans believe that wishes made while watching that first sunrise of the year are the most powerful so if you need some good juju in the coming year, maybe this is the best way for you to celebrate.

If you plan to head to the coast, look into renting a car. Renting a car is easy with Klook. Here are the best places to watch the first sunrise of the year in Korea:

Gangneung, Korea

Gangneung is an especially popular spot for Seoulites to get away to because it’s so easy by just hopping on a train. There are two major sunrise festivals in Gangneung including: the Gyeongpo Sunrise Festival (경포해맞이축제) and the Jeongdongjin Sunrise Festival (정동진 해맞이 축제 모래시계회전식).

• Address: Gyeongpo Sunrise Festival: 514 Changhae-ro, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do (강원도 강릉시 창해로 514 (안현동)); Jeongdongjin Sunrise Festival: Jeongdongjin2-ri, Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do (강원도 강릉시 강동면 정동진2리)
• Join a Tour: There’s a Trazy tour from Seoul that will take you out to Jeongdongjin Beach. Or, a tour to Sokcho Beach in the same region.
• Where To Stay: St. John’s Hotel and Skybay Hotel Gyeongpo are fantastic places to stay in Gangneung.
• How To Get There: Get out to Gangneung on the KTX. From Seoul Station to Gangneung Station, it takes 2 hours and costs between W22,000 and W35,000 depending on what seats you choose.

Seongsan Ilchulbong, Jeju, Korea

The Seongsan Sunrise Festival (제주성산일출축제) is held annually and features a more holistic festival of celebrations as it seeks to spread the natural values of Seongsan Ilchulbong Peak, an UNESCO World Nature Heritage site. I just stayed at a hotel here this past year on vacation and the sunrise, whether it’s January 1st or not, is gorgeous.

• Address: 284-12 Ilchul-ro, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do (제주특별자치도 서귀포시 성산읍 일출로 284-12)
• Where To Stay: Phoenix Seopjikoji is the perfect place to stay with a view of Ilchulbong or stay right within walking distance at Co-Op City Hotel Seongsan.
• How To Get There: Get ready for fun. Here are the options for how to travel to Jeju Island.
• Website: www.Sunrisefestival.kr

Ulsan, Korea

The Ganjeolgot Sunrise Festival (울산 간절곶 해맞이축제) is a popular place on the east coast for the sunrise. There are fireworks displays, tteokguk to eat, and performances for visitors. The festival starts at sunset on December 31st and is filled with fun throughout the night that culminates with the first light of the year.

• Address: 39-2, Ganjeolgot 1-gil, Ulju-gun, Ulsan (울산광역시 울주군 서생면 간절곶1길 39-2 (서생면))
• Join a Tour: There’s a tour on Trazy from Busan out to Ulsan.
• Where To Stay: Find a hotel in Ulsan on Booking.com
• How To Get There: Take a KTX train from Seoul to Ulsan Station. It takes a bit under 2.5 hours.

Pohang, Korea

The Homigot Sunrise Festival (호미곶 한민족 해맞이축전) is one of the most popular places for sunrise viewing and is home to the iconic hand that is reaching out of the ocean. As the easternmost point of the Korean peninsula, this is the “first” place that see the sunrise. Homigot Village means “a village on a tiger’s tail” referencing the Korean peninsula looking like a tiger. Wouldn’t it be fun to celebrate January 1st on a tiger’s tail?

• Address: 136 Haemaji-ro, Nam-gu, Pohang-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do (경상북도 포항시 남구 호미곶면 해맞이로 136)
• Join a Tour: There’s a Trazy tour from Busan to Homigot.
• Where To Stay: Find a hotel in Pohang on Booking.com
• How To Get There: Take a KTX train from Seoul to Pohang Station. It takes 2.5 hours.

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FAQ

Do Koreans celebrate New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day more?

Both, but the emphasis is different from what Western visitors expect. New Year’s Eve has countdowns, fireworks, and parties, but the deeper tradition in Korea is watching the first sunrise of January 1st, which is considered the more meaningful moment for wishes and fresh starts.

Is Bosingak bell-ringing free to attend?

Yes. Standing in the crowd near Jonggak Station to watch the 33 tolls of the bell at midnight is free, though it does mean braving the cold alongside a very large crowd. You can also watch the ceremony live on Korean TV from home, which is what my family usually does.

Do I need tickets for Seoul Light Gwanghwamun or Seoul Light DDP?

No, both media art displays are free and open to walk up and view. Because they run for multiple weeks before New Year’s Eve, you don’t have to fight the December 31st crowds to see them; any night during the run works.

How crowded does downtown Seoul get on New Year’s Eve?

Very. Recent years have drawn crowds estimated near 100,000 people to the Bosingak area alone, with road closures starting in the early evening and extended subway service to help everyone get home. If big crowds aren’t for you, Seoul Light’s multi-night run or a hotel staycation are easier options.

What’s the best spot to see the first sunrise of the year near Seoul?

Gangneung is the easiest to reach from Seoul by KTX and has two dedicated sunrise festivals. If you’re willing to travel further, Homigot in Pohang is the literal first place on the Korean peninsula to see the sunrise, and Jeju’s Seongsan Ilchulbong is one of the most beautiful settings for it.

Can I get a taxi in Seoul on New Year’s Eve?

It can definitely be difficult though of course more taxis will be out and about than normal knowing there will be crowds. Between the crowds and road closures, plan to either stay overnight near wherever you’re celebrating or budget extra time (and patience) for getting home though.

What’s the difference between New Year’s Eve and Seollal (Lunar New Year) in Korea?

New Year’s Eve on December 31st is the solar, Western-calendar new year, marked with countdowns and fireworks in Korea much like elsewhere. Seollal is the separate Lunar New Year holiday, usually falling in late January or February, and is a much bigger traditional family holiday in Korea, with ancestral rites, hanbok, and visits to family.

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