Seoul Lantern Festival 2026 on Cheonggyecheon

FESTIVAL · UPDATED OCT 29, 2026

When: Fri, Dec 11, 2026 – Sun, Jan 31, 2027
Hours: Every night, 6 PM – 11 PM
Where: Cheonggyecheon stream, Cheonggye Plaza → Samilgyo Bridge
Subway: Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5), Exit 5 · 3–5 min walk
Price: Free, no ticket (public stream path)

The Seoul Lantern Festival comes back to Cheonggyecheon stream for its 18th year, every night from Friday, December 11, 2026 to Sunday, January 31, 2027. Hanji paper lanterns and media art fill about 1.1 km of the stream from Cheonggye Plaza to Samilgyo Bridge, lit 6–11 PM, with no ticket needed.

Cheonggyecheon during the 2025 festival · Image: Seoul Tourism Organization

Getting there

BESTGwanghwamun Station (Line 5), Exit 5
Cheonggye Plaza, where the festival starts, is a 3–5 minute walk from Exit 5. Start here and walk downstream.
청계광장Google Maps
ALSOJonggak Station (Line 1), Exit 4 or 5
Comes up close to the middle of the route. Euljiro 1-ga Station (Line 2) is also nearby, per the festival's own FAQ.
ENDSamilgyo Bridge
The lit section ends at Samilgyo Bridge, about 1.1 km from Cheonggye Plaza. Climb any stairway back up to the street.
삼일교

How it works

1Walk down to the stream
There are no gates or tickets. Last year you could go down any stairway between Cheonggye Plaza and Samilgyo Bridge.
2Follow the water downstream
There's no set order. The festival's FAQ says most people start at Cheonggye Plaza and walk downstream; the whole route takes about 30–40 minutes.
3If it's packed
Last year, when the path got crowded, entry was limited to Cheonggye Plaza and the other stairways were exit-only.
LIGHTS6 PM to 11 PM
The lights come on at 6 PM and go off at 11 PM. You can see the pieces in daylight too, but they're meant for after dark.

Make it an evening (our route)

BEFOREGwanghwamun Square
Our tip: Cheonggye Plaza sits at the foot of Gwanghwamun Square, so walk up to the square and the palace gate first, then come back down to the stream as it gets dark.
WALKCheonggye Plaza to Samilgyo Bridge
The full lantern route, about 1.1 km along the water.
AFTERMyeongdong for a late dinner
Our tip: from Samilgyo Bridge, Myeongdong is a short walk south for food and shopping after the lights.

Say it in Korean (show this screen)

SAYWhere is Cheonggye Plaza?
cheong-gye-gwang-jang eo-di-ye-yo?
청계광장 어디예요?
SAYWhich exit for Cheonggyecheon?
cheong-gye-cheon myeot beon chul-gu-ye-yo?
청계천 몇 번 출구예요?
SAYIs it free?
mu-ryo-ye-yo?
무료예요?

Local tips

Dress warm: it's December and January by the water, and the festival FAQ warns the stairs can get slippery.
Last year's rule: it was only cancelled when heavy rain closed the stream or a heavy-snow advisory was issued. Check the festival's Instagram (@seoullanternfestival) on the day.
It ends at 11 PM, before the last subway and buses, so you can get home by train.
Our tip: weekday evenings are calmer than Fridays, weekends, Christmas and New Year's Eve.
The 2026 artworks and theme details haven't been shown yet; the photos here are from the 2025 festival.