Visiting Seoul in January? From Korean New Year’s events to the Seoul Winter Festa, there is lots to do and epic events to enjoy in January 2026 in Seoul; plus you can ice-skate at Seoul Plaza or enjoy wrap up warm for some wintery hanbok photography at the Royal Palaces (possibly with snow).
This post may contain affiliate links to tours and hotels. These help us earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.
Seoul in January is a great (albeit often cold) time to visit – catch the last few days of the Seoul Lantern Festival, see the Garden of Morning Calm shine bright or ring in the Seoul New Year with fireworks, K-Pop concerts of a traditional temple bell ringing ceremony.
Here is our pick of the best Seoul events in January 2026 along with a couple of other South Korea festivals – please note January 2026 in Seoul has fewer events and festivals than other times of the year.
South Korea checklist
We love using agoda.com, expedia.com and booking.com for researching and booking all our hotels, and Hostelworld for booking hostels.
For booking tours, transfers and SIM cards we recommend Get Your Guide, Viator, Trazy or Klook.
For booking rental cars visit Discover Cars. For private drivers and taxis, check out our Transfer guide >
Check out our South Korea travel booking resources >
All set for South Korea? Do one final check with our Seoul first timers guide and our South Korea packing list
South Korea public holidays in January 2026
There is one public holiday in January in South Korea – Thursday 1 January 2026 is New Year’s Day.
Seoul New Year’s Eve 2025 and New Year’s Day 2026
As 1 in South Korea is a public holiday, many people will be celebrating New Year’s Eve in Seoul in style. On 1 January 2026, Seoul’s last subway trains and standard bus services will likely run until 2am extending the usual schedules by one hour.
However, note this is different from the usual bigger Korean Seollal Lunar New Year holidays which start from 17 February 2026.
From traditional bell ringing and special ceremonies at temples to wish lanterns and fantastic firework displays, here is our guide to Seoul New Year’s Eve in 2025.
We’ve written a more detailed guide to New Year’s Eve in Seoul here but if you plan to see in 1 January at a Seoul New Year’s Eve firework display or concert, the biggest ones are:
- Lotte World Adventure New Year’s Countdown Festa 2025
- COEX Mall New Year’s Eve 코엑스 신년 카운트다운
- Seoul DDP New Year’s Eve Fireworks and Winter Illuminations (TBC)
- Shinsegae Square Countdown, Myeongdong
- New Year 2026 bell ringing event at Bosingak Pavilion
- Seoul Plaza NYE Countdown including ice-skating
- 2025 Red Road Countdown Event in Hongdae
You might like – Our first timers guide to Seoul >
New Year’s Ice skating at Seoul Plaza 2026
Across January 2026 until Sunday 8 February 2026
Seoul Plaza and City Hall play host to a huge ice-skating and winter village every year and January 2026 is no exception.
This is one of Seoul’s biggest seasonal ice-skating rinks, a continual family favourite since it opened in 2004.
The Seoul Plaza ice-skating rink is open in January daily from 10am to 9.30pm during the week and until 11pm on weekends.
It is also really cheap – the prices at Seoul Plaza ice-skating rink have increased this year and skating now costs 1,100 Won for one hour including skate rental.
You might like – 101 best things to do in Seoul >
2026 Seoul Lantern Festival at Cheong-gye-cheon stream
Until 4 January 2026
Seoul’s annual Christmas lantern festival returns to Cheong-gye-cheon stream and Ui stream from mid December until early January – the 2025 / 2026 Seoul Lantern festival theme is “My Light, Our Dream, the Magic of Seoul”.
Starting in 2009, the annual Seoul Lantern Festival has become one of the most well attended festivals in Seoul and is a firm family favourite during Seoul New Year with over 200 lanterns of all shapes and sizes.
You can visit the Seoul Lantern Festival 2026 until 4 January between 6pm and 10pm daily and it is free admission. Visit the official website here >
Seoul Winter Festa 2025
Until 4 January 2026
Running in conjunction with the Seoul Lantern Festival, details of the 2025 Seoul Winter Festival are still to be announced at the time of writing.
It encompasses the whole city taking place at venues like the DDP in Dongdaemun, Cheong-gye-cheon stream, Gwanghwamun, Bosingak Pavilion and more Seoul landmarks.
Wrap up warm and enjoy the New Year’s events that Seoul Winter Festa is famous for – check the official Seoul Winter Festa 2025 / 2026 website here.
Seoul New Year’s Hanbok Photoshoot – Hanbok / Traditional Korean Costume Rental
The Royal Palaces of Seoul are a must visit when visiting South Korea’s capital but especially so in January and New Year’s when snow is sometimes on the ground.
Many visitors hire hanboks and traditional Korean costumes whilst exploring these historic sites (extra layers are needed in January as it can get COLD in Seoul).
Most of the Seoul Palaces have costume rental stores near them such as the 15th century Changdeokgung Palace as well as Bukchon Hanok Village.
Hanbok style clothing has been around for over 1500 years and a popular family activity in Seoul is to dress up as a family and take pictures in the historical palaces – some families even hire professional photographers (fancy!)
Book your hanbok costume via Klook or as part of a photoshoot. You can also check out our guide to hanbok photography sessions in Seoul.
Seoul Assitej Winter 2025 / 2026 – “When Children are Happy, the World is Happy”
26 December 2025 to 4 January 2026
A cultural post Christmas festival in Seoul’s Daehak-ro district, curated for families and young children, this winter festival in Seoul runs every January for just over a week.
In 2025, the Seoul Assitej Winter festival will feature seven headline performances (including puppet theatre, shadow theatre, and live music) at major venues in Daehakro, including SFAC theatre QUAD, Jongno Children’s Theatre, NC Cultural Foundation, and Hanye Theatre.
It is a family cultural experience festival that all ages can enjoy together, with performances, workshops and theatrics.
For the latest Seoul Assitej Winter line-up and ticket info, visit the official site here >
Join our Facebook South Korea Travel Planning and Tips Group!
Need help with your itinerary or have any South Korea related questions? Head on over to our friendly and active Facebook group with over 110,000 members!
Click here to join our group >
Garden of Morning Calm Winter Lights Festival 2025/26
Until 15 March 2026
Located on Chungryeongsan Mountain and a popular K-drama filming location, The Garden of Morning Calm is a must visit when in Seoul in winter (it is around 35km outside of the city).
With 30 gardens to explore and cute cafes overlooking gorgeous green spaces, South Korea’s The Garden of Morning Calm is great to visit by day, but during winter, the nights become spectacular too during the Winter Light festival.
Across January through to mid March 2026, the Garden of Morning Calm transforms into a winter wonderland with various themes and displays. The entire site is festooned with festive light tunnels and cute Christmas / winter light displays.
This year’s Garden of Morning Calm winter lights open daily in January and runs until 15 March 2026. The lights switch on at 5pm until around 9pm (and 11pm on Saturdays).
You might like our guide to the Garden of Morning Calm >
Seoul Concerts in January 2026
Here are some of the headline concerts in Seoul (K-Pop and international artists) in January 2026
Baekhyun “Reverie [dot]”
2 to 4 January 2026 – Seoul KSPO Dome
DAESUNG 2025 ASIA TOUR: D’s WAVE ENCORE
3 January and 4 January 2026 – ticketLINK Live Arena
CNBLUE “3LOGY”
17 and 18 January 2026 – ticketLINK Live Arena
Kino “FREE KINO” Tour
24 January 2026 at Myeonghwa Live Hall
Seoul pop-ups January 2026
For a full list of all the Seoul pop-up stores in January 2026, check out this comprehensive guide (you need to change the date to ‘January’).
Musicals in Seoul January 2026
Spirited Away The Musical – South Korea Premiere
From 7 January 2026 until 22 March 2026, Spirited Away the musical runs in Seoul as part of a huge world tour.
We saw Spirited Away in London on stage in London and it was amazing (especially the puppetry) so we highly recommend you see it. Please note the play is performed in Japanese with subtitles.
Find out more Seoul Spirited Away details here >
Regular events in Seoul (all year round)
NANTA Theatre Cooking Show
There are many theatre shows to see in Seoul on rainy days but perhaps the most famous (and long-running) is the NANTA theatre show.
This world renowned comedy cooking show has been packing in audiences worldwide since 1997. Possibly the best known Korean theatre show, NANTA Theatre has been performed over 50,000 times in over 60 countries and is a fun mix of slapstick and physical comedy.
There are very few spoken words used throughout so not understanding Korean (or English) won’t be an issue.
Myeongdong NANTA Theatre has at least two NANTA performances every day, with evening shows held at 5pm and 8pm Monday to Saturday (on Sundays, it is 2pm and 5pm).
Book your Myeongdong Nanta Theater Show Ticket >
The Painters show
‘The Painters’ in Seoul is the world’s first live painting show combined with music – a few people have asked recently about an alternative to the ‘Nanta Cooking / Comedy Show’ and we’d recommend ‘The Painters’. It is on 7 nights a week in Seoul at 8pm (and 2pm and 5pm).
To be honest, we thought it was going to be naff (terrible) but it was surprisingly good and the theatrics and artistry were amazing. Even if you don’t like K-Pop style shows, the way they create incredible paintings from nothing is spellbinding.
Korean ‘idols’ recreate famous paintings such as Michelangelo’s ‘Creation of Heaven’ and Vincent Van Gogh’s ‘Self-Portrait’ with splendid choreography and live drawings. It sounds like it will be kitsch AF but we both loved it. There is also a photo opp with the boys at the end.
For more info and tickets, check out ‘The Painters’ on Klook >
Other South Korea January 2026 Festivals and Events
Busan Gwangalli Drone Show (free) – every Saturday night at 7pm and 9pm
Busan’s Gwangalli Beach is the place to be every Saturday night with the weekly Gwangalli M Drone display over the night sky.
Seriously for us, this had to be one of the top 5 things to do in Busan, not just Gwangalli. It is also a great thing to enjoy in Busan with kids.
Every Saturday night at 8pm and 10pm (October to December, 7pm and 9pm), over 300 aerial drones take to the skies of Gwangalli Beach and create an incredible skyborne spectacle, with various scenes and characters created.
Each week, the official Gwangalli drone show website lists what the theme will that Saturday.
More things to do in Gwangalli >
Other January 2026 South Korea Festivals
- Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Fishing Festival from mid January 2026. Check out this Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival day tour from Seoul >
- Taebaeksan Mountain Snow Festival from mid January 2026 (TBC)
February 2026 Seoul events and upcoming South Korea festivals include:
- 2026 K Pop Music Awards at Seoul Olympic Stadium on 14 February 2026
- Korean Seollal Lunar New Year holidays which start from 17 February 2026
- HYPECON STYLE WEEK Seoul 2026 at COEX Mall 19 to 22 February 2026
- One Republic play Seoul Jamsil Arena on 23 February 2026
- More Seoul February 2026 events TBC
Found this Seoul January Events 2026 article helpful?
Did you enjoy our Seoul January Events article? Let us know in the comments or by sharing it on social media.
You can follow South Korea Hallyu on:
Instagram
Facebook group
Facebook page
TikTok
