Even when the bitter winter wind blows, year-end warmth flows along the Han River. A string of winter festivals featuring Christmas lights, performances and markets is turning the urban riverside into a romantic winter stage.
Seoul City said it will host the "2025 Han River Winter Festival" starting on the 19th. The festival will take place at Ttukseom Hangang Park and under Cheongdam Bridge, and at Banpo Hangang Park and around Sebitseom, with a variety of programs to soak up the year-end mood.
At Ttukseom Hangang Park, the "Romantic Han River Christmas Market" will open. There will be shops selling Christmas accessories, a food zone to enjoy winter bites, and photo zones set against trees and lights. In particular, an 8-meter-tall giant Christmas tree has been installed under Cheongdam Bridge.
Indoor spaces to escape the cold have also been prepared. Inside Ttukseom Jabeolle, photo spots will feature "Christmas Panorama," which blends Christmas-themed videos and a tree, as well as "Romantic Lounge," "Over the Window" and "Joyful Playground."
The food zone will operate in the area under Cheongdam Bridge. A total of 16 food trucks and special sellers will offer warm winter foods and desserts, and an indoor dining zone will also be set up to keep out the chill.
Indoor experience programs are also prepared. A total of 10 programs, including making ceramic ornaments and keyrings, will run, and participation is available through online pre-registration. The Christmas market will be held from the 19th to the 25th from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily at Ttukseom Hangang Park's Jabeolle and the area under Cheongdam Bridge.
On the riverside in front of Sebitseom at Banpo Hangang Park, "BomON Hangang," composed of about 10 domes, will be unveiled. It will be arranged as experiential spaces such as a spring-flower dome, a rest dome and a photo dome.
The spring-flower dome will feature a large daisy, a wisteria-flower tunnel and cherry blossoms to evoke a spring atmosphere. In the photo dome, visitors can take pictures with Christmas and New Year themes, and the rest dome will be set up like a campsite so people can relax with winter snacks. It will be available free without reservations from the 19th to the 28th.
Along with this, the kite-flying event "Han River Wind Festival," a traditional folk play, will also be held. It will run from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the 27th and 28th at the waterfront stage in front of Sebitseom, where children can make and fly ray-shaped kites. The kite-making experience is free for 200 people per day, and advance registration is required through Seoul City's public service reservations.
Until the 30th, the "2025 Nodeul Winter Festa" will take place around Nodeulseom. This year's festival is organized under the theme "The snowman that doesn't melt." At the entrance in front of the west bus stop on Nodeulseom, an 8-meter-tall giant Christmas tree decorated with snowflake ornaments will be installed. In front of the entrance to Nodeul Seoga and in the first-floor central garden, a Christmas market will be held featuring beverages, alcoholic drinks, warm foods and stylish object brands.
On the 24th, an integrated orchestra of people with and without disabilities, "Einsbaum," will perform, and on Christmas, the 25th, 30 citizen buskers will stage a relay performance on the first floor of Nodeul Seoga in connection with the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture's "Piano Seoul."
Han River sledding hills will operate at the outdoor swimming pools in Ttukseom, Jamwon and Yeouido Hangang Parks. A variety of hands-on events will be offered, including a large slope (age 6 and older), a small slope (36 months to under 6), a snow playground and smelt fishing. At Mangwon Hangang Park's Seoul Battleship Park, a special exhibition themed "Santa Claus's Christmas secret mission" will also be held.
Park Jin-young, head of Seoul City's Future Han River Headquarters, said, "We prepared various winter programs so citizens can wrap up the year warmly."