Marian Dymarski, who was visiting Gwanghwamun Square while traveling with her family from Poland, said, “In some European countries, including Poland, Christmas markets are held in places that beautifully blend the old and the new. It’s beautiful to see it here in Gwanghwamun, in the center of Seoul, Korea, with all the tall buildings and palaces.”
“It’s amazing to see a Christmas market like the one in Wrocław, Poland, in Seoul,” said Dymarski. “I especially love the large Christmas trees and can’t take my eyes off them. It’s a bit disappointing that there’s no Santa, but I guess it’s a bit difficult to get to Seoul,” adding humor to her observation.
Emma Thomton and Tala Wright, both in their 20s and employed as English teachers in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, shivered in their coats as they snapped photo after photo in front of the tree. “I don’t think Christmas markets in the U.S. are this crowded, so I was surprised by the amount of people here,” Thomton, an American, said. “I love the little tiny knickknacks and stuff, but I don’t know if I could go through all the Christmas markets here.”
At 7 p.m. on the evening of Dec. 16, amidst a cold wave with a temperature dropping to minus 7 degrees Celsius, the Gwanghwamun area was lively with visitors undeterred by the cold. This was part of the Seoul Winter Festa, an event organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The event, which started on Dec. 15, aimed to “Color Seoul with light like never before.” After being deterred by rain on the first day of the event, crowds braved the weather and a cold snap to gather at Gwanghwamun over the weekend. The Seoul Tourism Organization (STO), which organized the event, stated that around 50,000 people gathered on the first day.
The Gwanghwamun Square Market, initially piloted last year, was designed to boost nighttime tourism and support local small businesses in Seoul. Last year’s market featured 43 small businesses and attracted 1.3 million visitors over 36 days, generating $483,000 (630 million won) in revenue.
This year, the market expanded significantly due to its previous success, this year’s market has more than doubled in size. It hosted 83 booths and 160 vendors, all small businesses offering handmade crafts rather than purchased goods. For the first time, there were also food booths and local specialty food booths selling European Christmas market staples such as bangers, crepes, and churros simmered in red wine with fruit and honey, as well as local snacks such as tteokbokki and hodugwaja, Korean walnut snacks. The result is a winter scene that is a feast for both the eyes and the palate. The event will be open until Jan. 21, 2024.
Christmas markets, traditionally a European custom, have long been known as places to purchase gifts for family members and food to sustain through the winter months. Such markets, typically found in cities like Strasbourg, France, and Nurnberg, Germany, have now made their way to the heart of Seoul. The Korean Christmas markets stand out for their handmade flea markets, offering a wide array of items that cater to varied tastes. These markets feature an assortment of Christmas decorations and household goods, reflecting a unique blend of local and traditional European market cultures.
The event also attracted many foreign tourists, who were drawn to the 10-meter-tall, fir-shaped media tree made of steel and LED bulbs, which initially appeared in the form of Santa Claus on the first day.
“Large trees are a common sight in many countries during this time of year, but I’ve never encountered one as grand as this in Korea,” shared Wright, a Canadian. “With the snow falling around us, the tree in front of me transcends a regular tree. It’s more like a piece of media art.”
Lee ha-yeong, a representative of the STO, overseeing the event, emphasized the cultural significance of Christmas markets in Europe and their role in tourism. “There are many events in Seoul at the end of the year, but unless you go to Europe or an English-speaking country, it’s hard to experience a Christmas market, and we wanted to let people experience it in the middle of Gwanghwamun,” Lee said.
She added, “We wanted to bring together foreigners and locals by giving them a chance to experience European nostalgia and locals a chance to experience Christmas culture. We also focused on supporting small businesses, which have a particularly hard time during the cold winter months.”