There are special events ALL the time in Seoul. We’ve had a couple busy weeks and the weather has been rainy off and on, but there was a clear night last night so we went to check out the Seoul Lantern Festival!

The festival started November 5 and is on display until November 22 this year. The lanterns begin at Cheonggyecheon Plaza (청계광장) and go a little over a kilometer down to Supyogyo Bridge. You can see them illuminated from 5 to 11 pm. This is the seventh year Seoul has hosted the lantern festival and the theme is “Illuminated Seoul Tour.”

These are so much more than paper lanterns! (They’re not paper… or there’s some sort of coating, anyways.) See for yourself:

Can you believe the detail and dimensions of this one?

Some people paid to customize floating lanterns. I guess you make a wish and send it down the stream:

There were several exit points along the way. We indulged in some street food:

One of the treats we got was a pancake folded in this paper cup. I got a kick out of the writing on it. “Espresso of Street. When I walk on the street with my coffee, I feel so good and happy. Magical thing! It’s a cup of coffee.” Ha!

And what lantern festival would be complete without… Mount Rushmore?

These photos weren’t even half of the displays! There were several Korean cartoon characters, a giant make-up display, illuminated bridges, and more. It’s definitely worth checking out! (Plus, it’s free!)

For more information, check out these websites:
• visitkorea.or.kr
• visitseoul.net

Which one was your favorite?