What's happening in June 2011: Check out the Mud Festival and head to the beaches of Busan

A beautiful day downtown at City Hall.

Summer is here!  Here is a comprehensive list of whats going on this month around Korea.  Be sure to check back for updates throughout the month! I hope everyone enjoys their Korean memorial day!


June 5 Rafting at Inje river and hiking: Join the Seoul hiking group lead by the awesome founder Warren Seung Il Kim! There are a few spots open and this one day trip costs only 43,000 won. There are other activities such at ATV's, bungee jumping, and zip lining for an extra fee. To learn more about the event visit their facebook page here. 

June 6 SHITY Korean Memorial Day Hike: This hike will start at Hwagye Temple and you will hike in the surrounding mountains. This group is a small group I found on Facebook a while ago. The hike is free but they recommend you bring your own Makgeolli for the top!  Learn more here.

June 3-6 Haeundae Sand Festival in Busan: Take a trip down to the beach in Busan to see the ever famous sand sculptures.  Because this is a holiday weekend be sure to book your train tickets in advance!  Check out more at the Korea Tourism Org.


July 15-19 Seoul International book fair: This is a great event for those that love meeting authors, and learning about publishing. There will be several opportunities for book signings and even a seminar on the controversy surrounding e-books. To learn more visit the Korea Tourism Org.


July 16-24 Boryeong Mud Festival:  This event sells out every year, so it is a good idea to start looking at train and bus tickets or trip tours to this event now. This is without a doubt the most popular event in Korea all year among foreigners and Koreans alike. There are several groups taking tours such as Adventure Korea and The Seoul Hiking Group.  To learn more visit the Korea Tourism Org.





If you have any questions or comments about "Whats happening in June 2011" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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What's happening in May 2011: come hiking with me and Seoul hiking group at Seoraksan and book a trip for the Boryeong Mud Festival

My trip last month to Gangwado with The Seoul Hiking Group was beautiful!

May is the last month to enjoy no humidity before summer sets in!  Here is a comprehensive list of whats going on this month around Korea.  Be sure to check back for updates throughout the month! I hope everyone enjoyed the Hi-Seoul Festival and Lotus Lantern Festival which took place in the beginning of the month over our vacation days!





Through May 15 Goyang Flower Show: Take a look and gain knowledge of Korea's newest flower planting technology and new flower species. They will have giant flower displays featuring full sized people and buildings.To learn more visit my article about the event here. 

May 20-22  Seoraksan Hike: This hike is in one of the most majestic National Parks in Korea. With the Seoul Hiking Group you can hike and camp on the beach for only 50,000 won if you book soon.  Learn more here.

May 26-29 Ulsan Whale Festival: Take a trip down to the coastal town of Ulsan to see the whales migrate. They will also reenact traditional whale fishing, and visitors are encouraged to share their opinions on whale fishing at the event.  Check out more at the Korea Tourism Org.

July 16-24 Boryeong Mud Festival:  Yes this event is not until July, but it is a good idea to start looking at train and bus tickets or trip tours to this event now. This is without a doubt the most popular event in Korea all year among foreigners and Koreans alike. There are several groups taking tours such as Adventure Korea and The Seoul Hiking Group.  To learn more visit the Korea Tourism Org.



If you have any questions or comments about "Whats happening in May 2011" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

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Raise money for Japan by clubbing at TOMODACHI in Itaewon this Friday at Club Function

  
      

    Do you want to give back to Japan by dancing the night away? Sounds like an easy feat for most Seoulites to accomplish. TOMODACHI which is the name of the event, means friends in Japanese. The event video which can be watched on the You Tube link above has pictures of the coordinators and DJ's and the word friends translated into many different languages. Friends serves as the overall theme for the event, we can be a friend to anyone and Japan could use all of our help right now.
    The event representative Grant Clure said this will be an awesome event to bring the Seoul community together in support of a good cause. The two DJ'sYEONJUN and LEAM will play beats as you dance the night away. All of the proceeds including the $10 cover fee, dinner, and drink coupons will go directly to support Japan. The event is sponsored by Club Function, Macaroni Grill, Noxia, My Thai, Buddha's Belly, Luv Lounge, Berlin, Between, B1 and Real JAMusic. And all of the donations will go through NHK Central Donation Centre. NHK or Nippon Hoso Kyokai is known in English as 'Japan Broadcasting Company.
    Hosted in Itaewon this Friday April 8th at Club Function, TOMODACHI begins at 10pm till whenever everyone stops partying. View the Facebook Page for more information and to invite your friends! Shake the night away for a great cause without feeling any regret.


If you have any questions or comments about "Raise money for Japan by clubbing in Itaewon at Club Function" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

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What's happening in April 2011: cherry blossom festivals and a sunset booze cruise!

Cherry blossoms are on their way! Photo courtesy of Heather Smith.

April is the month to enjoy perfect spring weather and view the cherry blossoms!  Here is a comprehensive list of whats going on this month around Korea.  Be sure to check back for updates throughout the month! 





 April 1-10 Jinhae Cherry Blossom Festival: This festival takes place in the Gyeongsangnam-do region.  See the thousands off cherry blossoms on the tree lined streets. Over 2 million tourists come each year to see the blossoms. Check out more at the Korea Tourism Org.

April 8 TOMODACHI Music Fundraiser: Help Japan by attending the TOMODACHI Music Fundraiser in Itaewon this Friday. To learn more visit my article about the event here.
April 9 Fortress Wall of Bugaksan Hike: This hike is among my favorites, I wrote about it here back in February! If you're not brave enough to follow my directions, you can go with the RASKB.  Learn more here.


April 8-10 Nonsan Strawberry Festival:  Korea's strawberries  are among the freshest and sweetest in the world.  Visit the area that harvests the most strawberries in Korea . The train ride is 1 hour 30 minutes from Seoul, and you will return with tons of cheap strawberries.  To learn more visit the Korea Tourism Org.

April 15-17 Cheongpungho Cherry Blossoms Festival: Enjoy the cherry blossoms from the beautiful scenery of Cheongpungho lake. Among the blossoms there are exhibitions, water sports, and even bungee jumping. Click here for more info.

April 30 Sunset Booze Cruise:  Adventure Korea is hosting another booze cruise on the Han River. There are only 31 seats left as of today April 1st. So book one soon on their website! Visit the Adventure Korea website to purchase tickets online. 

If you have any questions or comments about "Whats happening in April 2011" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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What's happening in March 2011: Walk on water at the Jindo Sea parting festival or witness some action at the Cheongdo Bull Fighting Festival!

Spring in Korea is finally here and so are the strawberries!

 March is a great month! There are tons of concerts, and events to celebrate the beginning of Spring! Here is a comprehensive list of whats going on in March.  Be sure to check back for updates throughout the month! 

March 11-13 Yoengdeok Snow Crab Festival: This festival takes place in the Gyeongsangbuk-do region. The festival takes place this time of year because it is the peak season for snow crab. So work up and appetite and enjoy the freshest crab of the year! Over 100,000 snow crabs are sold each year at this event, check out more at the Korea Tourism Org.



March 17-20 Sansuyu Blooming Festival:  Celebrate spring's arrival this march with the blooming of the Sansuyu trees. The yellow blossoms will cover the area surrounding Mt. Jirisan. Different kinds of food, tea, and snacks are made from the flowers which can all be sampled by tourists. To learn more visit the Korea Tourism Org.

March 17-20 Cheongdo Bull Fighting Festival: Cheongdo's main attraction is bullfighting. I went here a few months ago and the area has a lovely and quaint atmosphere also known as the persimmon capital. The bull fighring festival is sure to deliver an action packed trip! 
Click here for more info.
March 19 Far East Movement Concert:  This Asian American electro-hop group from LA will be performing at 9pm. They are famous for the song "Like a G6." Tickets are all standing and cost 88,000 won. There are still plenty of seats available and it takes place in Seoul at the Sheraton Grand Walkerhill. Visit the Interpark Ticket website to purchase tickets online. 

March 19-21 The Jindo Sea Parting Festival: This event always looks so amazing! One time a year the sea parts and leaves a small stretch of land where people can walk from Jindo to a nearby island. The trek from Seoul is a long one, but I'm sure an amazing experience. Learn more here.

If you have any questions or comments about "Whats happening in February 2011" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Whats happening in February 2011

Check out all the great Valentine's Day gifts!

Sorry this is late, blame it on my boyfriend who took up all my time while he was visiting Korea for the past 2 weeks! Here is a comprehensive list of whats going on in February.  Be sure to check back for updates throughout the month! 

February 2 – 4: Happy Seollal (Lunar) New Year! This Year the Chinese New Year takes place on a Thursday which means Korea gets an extra long holiday. You must book tickets months in advance to travel anywhere during this holiday. If you forgot and are stuck at home check out "How Koreans Celebrate Seollal, Lunar New Year".

February 17-19 Jeju Fire Festival: This yearly event has been canceled. If anyone knows why, please leave a comment. Here is the website from The Korea Tourism Org. about the event and the cancellation: Jeju Fire Festival. 

February 10-13 La Boheme:  This opera will be performed by the Incheon Opera Group. The cheapest tickets are 30,000 to 100,000 and more information can be found at Korea 4 Expats. There's nothing like a good opera performance to relax your mind and soothe your soul!

February 14 Valentine's Day:  Be sure to check out all of the crazy Valentines Day gifts sold at Watsons and Olive Young, as well as your local Mini Stop! This is one of the most celebrated holidays in Korea!


If you have any questions or comments about "Whats happening in February 2011" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

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Celebrating The New Year Korean Style

Here is the first sunrise of the 2011 year. Watching the sun rise NYD is good luck.

    Multiple readers have e-mailed me asking what New Year's Eve was like in Korea. Even though it is already Thursday, this is one celebration worth talking about. Unfortunately, with the New Year comes our busiest month at ESL schools, so this post is coming a few days late! The biggest New Year's event happens every year in Seoul, and  is pretty much equivalent to the giant ball dropping in New York City at Times Square. There is also a famous event on the morning of New Years Day. So what is the Korean equivalent of NYC New Years?
    Well, there is no fancy ball, but there is a giant bell ringing ceremony. Last year the President even came out to ring the famous Bosingak bell which dates all the way back to 1346. The bell is housed in a beautiful traditional Korean style building, and events take place all day leading up to the ringing of the bell at midnight. The bell is located in the historical downtown area of Jongno, which is a great place to remember old times and celebrate the future.

Here is a picture taken before the famous bell ringing ceremony at around 5 pm.

    The event is pretty lackluster in my opinion. Everyone stands outside for hours in the freezing cold weather to hear the giant bell ring and see a few fireworks. My group of friends ending up hiding out in a restaurant behind the bell until about 5 minutes before midnight. Then we walked outside and joined the crowded streets packed with policemen, and participated in the countdown. Immediately after the event people start clearing away from the site, but there were many people who stayed to shoot off personal fireworks.
 

A picture taken behind the famous bell tower during the ringing ceremony.

    In my opinion the event is completely overrated, but it is definitely something that everyone should experience once in their life while they are living in Korea. Although the New Years Eve ceremony is lackluster, the New Years morning tradition is one that I strongly recommend. Every year on New Years morning, thousands of Koreans get up before dawn and venture to the coast or mountain tops to watch the sun rise. Watching the first sun rise of the new year will bring you good luck and karma for the rest of the year.
    My first opinion of the sun rising events was, "are these people nuts?" But my morning spent on top of Namsan Mountain was truly one of the best experiences I have ever had in my life. Everyone was so excited to see the sun, and when it finally came up you heard cheers and applauds from everyone. There was so much happiness and love present that morning it was almost overwhelming. Once the sun comes up you are supposed to make a wish for the new year and announce it to your friends and family who will also wish for your happiness too. To learn more about sun rising events and festivals in Korea during New Years visit The Korea Tourism Organizations website here.

Another view of the first 2011 sunrise on top of Namsan Mountain.

If you have any questions or comments about "Celebrating The New Year Korean Style" please leave them in the comment box below or email them to goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Whats happening in January 2011, check out the ice fishing festival!

The road to Namsan Tower during New Year's morning 2011.

Here is a comprehensive list of whats going on in January. Be sure to check back for updates throughout the month! 

December 17- February 6, 2011 Boseong Tea Fields Festival of Lights: This  light display will feature numerous lights over the enormous tea fields as well as themed exhibits. Located in Jeollanam-do Province this trip will take some planning ahead of time.


December 17-February 2011 Seoul Plaza Ice Skating Rink: The rink will remain open through mid-February 2011, so don't worry if you can't fit in time to skate during the cold months of January. Skating costs 10,000 won and visit this website to see directions and times to the rink.

January 1-31 through February 6th Pyeongchang Trout Festival note the event has been postponed until further notice!: At this festival you can enjoy ice fishing, 4 wheel ATV'S, sledding, and much more. There is even a chance to win prizes by jumping in the freezing cold water and ice fishing by hand! Adventure Korea is offering a tour over the Lunar New Year to experience the festival, but there are only 19 seats left so get a reservation soon if you are interested in going.


January 21-30 Taebaek Snow Festival: View giant snow sculptures, go sledding, and enter in the national climbing contest. Adventure Korea is also offering a weekend tour to the festival.

If you have any questions or comments about "Whats happening in January 2011, check out the ice fishing festival!" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

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Santarchy at Santacon in Seoul 2010

Santacon took place last night in Hongdae at Ho Bar 3.

    Over 200 foreigners and Koreans joined together at Beer O' Clock in Sinchon last night decked out in their best Santa suits for the 2010 Santacon in Seoul! Once at Sinchon, the festivities started with some Christmas caroling and of course a beer stop on the walk over to Hongdae at around 7 pm. The walk over was exciting and Koreans everywhere were in shock when they saw the motley crew of Santa's. Santa's were drinking, and some of them were handing out Christmas candies to Koreans. The Santa's took over Ho Bar 3 for much of the evening, and enjoyed having dance parties outside in the crosswalk across the street.
    The highlight of the night was clearly the silent DJ that took place in the Hongdae park. Santa's and regular old joes simply had to hand over their ID's to check out wireless headphones for free. The Santa dance party began as hundreds of Santas danced the night away with their head phones on to the silent DJ. Thanks to www.silentdisco.co.kr for providing the free headphones and hours of entrainment for the 2010 Santacon!

Visit Gone Seoul Searching's Facebook Fan Page to see more pictures taken at the event, and make sure to watch the video posted here and on our You Tube video page! If you have more pictures of the event please post them on our Fan Page Wall on Facebook!

Two Santa's trying not to get ketchup in their beards!

If you have any questions or comments about "Santarchy at Santacon in Seoul 2010"  please leave them in the comment box below or email them to goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Whats happening in December, yes there's even a Santa-con!

Get your Santa-con costume for only 5,000 won at Daiso!

Here is a comprehensive list of whats going on in December. Be sure to check back for updates throughout the month!

December 11: Santa-Con! If you thought Halloween was crazy in Seoul, get ready to see foreigners tramping around Seoul wearing Santa suits. Come in your best Santa suit outfit and be ready to party with tons of other Santa expats. My recommendation is to get to Daiso ASAP and snap up a 5,000 won Santa Costume that comes with a beard. See this Facebook page for details, and http://www.santarchy.com for the official site. There is no official  meeting place yet but it will start at around 5:30, so keep checking the Facebook page for updates or check back here.

November 26 - December 12: The Seoul Players presents "Wintertime": This is a comedy about the miracle of love. The main characters will discuss and experience loves expectations and complications. Seoul Players is an English-speaking community theater company. The small non-profit group is mostly comprised of expats who bring an all English speaking theater to Seoul. They perform monthly at Roofers in Itaewon and the tickets are We're a small non-profit group of (mostly) ex-pats who delight in bringing English-language theater to our audiences here in Seoul. Email wintertimeseoul@gmail.com to purchase advance tickets for the show or for more information, check out their website. 

December 17th, 2010 Seoul Plaza Ice Skating Rink opens: Starting at 6 pm, enjoy the opening of the Seoul Plaza ice skating rink with its theme of "Caring, Harmony and Joy."  The rink will remain open through mid-February 2011, so don't worry if you can't fit in time to skate during the Christmas season. Skating costs 10,000 won and visit this website to see directions and times to the rink.

December 17th, 2010 to January 9th, 2011: First Ever Busan Port Lighting Festival: December 17th marks the eve before the official festival. But this will be one of the biggest celebrations with a huge parade of over 300 performers. They will be wearing futuristic costumes aglow with LED lights, neon lights, and glow-in-the dark accessories will wind though the streets of Yeongdo-gu, Seo-gu and Jung-gu. To see more information and dates about this festival visit the KNTO's website here.

December 17- February 6, 2011 Boseong Tea Fields Festival of Lights: This Christmas light display will feature numerous slights over the enormous tea fields as well as a giant Christmas tree and themed exhibits. Located in Jeollanam-do Province this trip will take some planning ahead of time.

December 25th Chuncheon Hallyu Tourist Train opens: Christmas day marks the opening of a 10 month tourist train  from Seoul Station to Chuncheon twice a week every Saturday and Sunday. Yes, this means the train will only operate until September 25, 2011 which means it will run only 80 times total! In conjunction with this opening KTX is offering combined tours of the area. For more information visit the KNTO's website here.

If you have any questions or comments about "Whats happening in December, yes there's even a 
Santa-con!" please leave them in the comment box below or email goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Buying a Christmas tree in Korea

    Just because your living in Korea doesn't mean that you can't celebrate Christmas! Simply having a Christmas tree in your Korean apartment will make your days much more cheery throughout the holiday season. And since most of us are spending Christmas without our families, decorating will help fight off the holiday blues. Plan a Christmas tree decoration party with your friends. Listening to holiday music and sipping hot coco is the perfect way to bring Christmas to Seoul.
    If your looking for a real Christmas tree this year good luck. It might be too early, but after searching online for two hours I simply gave up. Costco has full sized fake Christmas Trees for around 80,000 won and up. They are beautiful trees and are about six feet tall, but remember that you have to store the monster in your tiny apartment after Christmas or try to sell the thing on G-market which has proven difficult for many foreigners.
    If your only staying in Korea for a year, Daiso is your best option. They have three sizes: minier 2,000 won, mini, 3,000 won, and big mini 5,000 won. You just can't go wrong with a Christmas tree that costs $3! I recommend the mini tree for small surfaces, it fit perfectly on my digital piano. Daiso has tons of ornaments which all cost about 1,000 won for a box. And don't worry there is tinsel, stars, bells, ribbons, stockings, and even Santa Clause costumes. Yes everyone, Santa Clause costumes at Daiso are only $5,000. If your having a holiday party make sure to arrive in style as the big jolly man. If your less gutsy just grab a pair of reindeer antlers or a giant red ribbon for your hair.

If you have any questions or comments about "Buying a Christmas tree in Korea" please leave them in the comment box below or send them to goneseoulsearching@gmail.com

  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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Seoul Food Girl: Celebrating Thanksgiving in Seoul

Unfortunately we can't bake turkeys in our washing machines!

This article can also be found at www.seoulfoodgirl.com
    
    Most of us would love to go to Costco in Seoul and pick up a huge turkey for Thanksgiving, the only problem is that we don't have ovens. If your like any other expat living in Seoul with a washing machine in your kitchen instead of an oven don't worry. There are plenty of restaurants here that have Thanksgiving dinners for the big day. If you work a night shift and can't make one of these dinners don't worry; there are also a few options to celebrate on Saturday.

$$$$$ Fancy Feasts- no kimchi stuffed turkey guaranteed

1. Hilton Seoul Hotel’s Alpine Deli
This buffet offers turkey with herb stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, apple strudel, and more. This is not only for Thanksgiving, it runs through December 31st. The cost is a steep W165,000 plus 10% service charge which will run you about W195,000. A 2 days notice is required so email grandseoul@hilton.com or call 02-2287-8271 to make your reservation.

$$$ Mid range pricing - there might be some kimchi on your table (jk!)

1. Hilton Seoul Hotel’s Buffet Restaurant
  This Thanksgiving dinner includes a glass of champagne and a glass of wine. The buffet begins at  6 pm and costs W70,000. There is a 2 day notice required so email grandseoul@hilton.com or call 02-2287-8271 to make a reservation.

2. Suji’s
     Since Suji's is a well known restaurant catering to the expat scene in Itaewon of course there is a Thanksgiving buffet. There will be fresh green salad, seafood chowder soup, roasted turkey, gravy, cranberry sauce, cornbread sausage stuffing, herb stuffing, grilled mixed vegetables, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and a glass of wine or apple cider. There are two sittings, one at 5:30 – 7:30 pm, and another at 8 – 11 pm. The price is average for adults, about W45,000 – W50,000, and children get a cheaper meal ticket at W25,000 – W30,000 (excluding tax). There is a non-refundable cash deposit (20%) to be paid if you have over 5 people at your table. Reservations are required 02-797-3698 and keep in mind that Suji's is always crowded as it is, so expect a very crowded and less intimate Thanksgiving celebration.

3. Beer O’Clock

  Spend the night in Sinchon at a foreign owned bar watching football games while you eat turkey! This is a more low key Thanksgiving which includes dinner, 2 draft beers, and dessert.  The restaurant opens at 5 pm, and dinner starts at 7 pm and lasts until 2 am. The price is a reasonable W40,000 and tickets can be purchased at the bar. Visit their website http://www.beeroclock.ca/ or call 02-333-9733. 

Saturday Nov. 27th Thanksgiving feasts

1. Big Rock Brewery in Gangnam
  This Thanksgiving feast is popular among the younger expat scene. There will be deep fried turkey with stuffing and all you can eat buffet. The first session starts from 5 – 6:30 pm for a low price of W35,000. The second session starts from 7:30 – 9:30 pm for a more expensive price of W50,000; however this includes all you can eat/drink food and beer. Past attendees have stated that by the end of the night there is all you can drink bottles of wine! Make a reservation by sending an email to info@bigrockbeer.co.kr or calling 02-539-6650. 



2. Thankgiving Day Potluck Dinner with Ongo Food
O’ngo Culinary School located in Insadong will have a potluck Thanksgiving Dinner on Saturday Nov. 27th from 3-7 pm. There will be all-you-can-eat turkey and side-dishes. At only W30,000 a person, this is by far the best priced feast in Seoul and if if you bring a homemade dish you can save W10,000. RSVP at dan@ongofood.com  or call 02-3446-1607. Check out their Meetup group to see who else will be going at the Seoul Eats Meetup page.

If you have any questions or comments about "Seoul Food Girl: Celebrating Thanksgiving in Seoul" please leave them in the comment box below or send an email to goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.



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Lantern Festival in Seoul

 

     

    There is so much excitement in the air as the Seoul Lantern Festival and the G20 are taking place in downtown Seoul for the next two weeks. Even more exciting is that the Seoul Lantern Festival marks the 50 day count down to the 2010-2012 Visit Korea Celebrations. The Seoul Lantern Festival is one event that is a must in the month of November. If you can’t make this event, you have to make the Lotus Festival in May which is even more popular. The festival takes place from Nov. 11 to Nov 22; and all of my students have told me that this years lanterns are better than ever.

    I have never experienced such organized chaos in my life. Yes there are thousands of people trying to get an up-close glimpse of the traditional and modern lanterns which are standing on platforms in the Cheonggyecheon Stream. But there is so much security and organization that by the time you get down to the stream you actually have room to breathe as you walk up close to the lanterns. There is a line which begins at the middle of City Hall. Luckily it moves the entire time, and only took me about thirty minutes on Sunday night. Just deal with the adjumas (grandmas) poking you in the back and before you know it you will be free again.

   My favorite lanterns were the ones towards the beginning of City Hall, and the end of the event. There is everything from traditional lotus flowers, to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and The Statue of Liberty.

    This is definitely one event that you need to dress warm for. Expect to be outside for anywhere from 2 to 4 hours. Bring a cup of coffee and your I-pod and you will be even happier while strolling down the stream’s sidewalk or standing in line. And don’t forget your camera to capture all of the beauty!

    To see events and times happening at the Seoul Lantern Festival visit The Official Site of Korea Tourism Organization. To get there simply take the subway to exit #5 of Gwanghwamun Station (line 5) or take exit #2 at Euljiro 1(il)-ga Sation from line 2.

If you have any questions or comments about The Lantern Festival in Seoul please leave them in the comment box below or email them to goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.


  Gone Seoul Searching by Marie Webb is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at goneseoulsearching@gmail.com.

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