Seoul in December (2026): Weather, Christmas Lights, Winter Festivals and New Year's Eve
December is when Seoul switches on. Department stores wrap their buildings in light shows, a lantern festival fills the Cheonggyecheon stream, Gwanghwamun Square turns into a winter market, and the year ends with the bell at Bosingak and a countdown in Myeongdong. It is also properly cold: this is the month when Seoul’s average low drops below freezing.
This guide covers the weather in real numbers, what to wear, and what is on in Seoul in December 2026. Because some events announce their dates late, we have marked which dates are confirmed for 2026 and which are based on last year, so you can tell what is safe to plan around.
• Average high 4.2°C (40°F), average low −3.4°C (26°F)
• Dry: about 23 mm of precipitation over roughly 4 days, and about 6 days with some snow
• Sunset around 5:15 p.m., sunrise after 7:30 a.m.
• Christmas Day (Friday, December 25, 2026) is a public holiday; New Year’s Day (Friday, January 1, 2027) too
How cold is it really?
The averages (Korea Meteorological Administration, 1991–2020) look manageable, but they hide two things. First, December gets colder through the month: the first week often still feels like late autumn, while the last week can bring the first real cold wave, with mornings around −10°C. Second, Seoul’s winter wind is dry and sharp, so it feels colder than the thermometer says, especially along the Han River and on open squares like Gwanghwamun.
The good news is that December is one of the driest, clearest months. Snow does fall, about six days in an average December, but usually lightly; heavy snow that stays on the ground is more typical of January.
What to wear
- A padded or down coat, ideally knee-length. Long padded coats are what most Seoul residents wear, for good reason.
- Layers underneath: a thermal base layer and a sweater. Shops, cafes and the subway are heated, so you will want to take the coat off indoors.
- Hat, gloves and a scarf, especially for evening light shows, which mean standing still outside after dark.
- Warm, waterproof shoes with some grip; pavements can ice over after snow.
- Heat packs (핫팩) from any convenience store, cheap and very effective in coat pockets.
- Lip balm and hand cream: the air is very dry. Olive Young sells everything you forgot; see our Olive Young guide.
What is on in December 2026
| Event | Where | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinsegae Christmas light show | Shinsegae Department Store main branch, near Myeongdong | From November 6, 2026, through the holiday season | Confirmed for 2026 |
| Seoul Winter Festa | Gwanghwamun Square, Cheonggyecheon and other downtown sites | In 2025: December 12 to January 4 | 2026 dates not yet announced |
| Seoul Lantern Festival | Along the Cheonggyecheon stream | In 2025: part of Winter Festa | 2026 dates not yet announced |
| Gwanghwamun Christmas market | Gwanghwamun Square | In 2025: December 12 to 31 | 2026 dates not yet announced |
| New Year’s Eve bell ringing | Bosingak pavilion, Jongno | Midnight, December 31 | Held every year; 2026 details not yet announced |
| New Year countdown | Myeongdong Square | Held on December 31, 2025 | 2026 not yet announced |
Status as of November 2, 2026. We will update this table as dates are announced; if you are reading close to your trip, check the Seoul city tourism site for the latest.
Christmas lights around Myeongdong
The busiest Christmas spot in Seoul is the junction outside the Shinsegae Department Store main branch, where the whole facade becomes a giant screen. For 2026 Shinsegae has said it will unveil its Christmas film on November 6: a bear carrying wish letters by balloon to complete a Christmas tree. The Lotte Department Store across the road and Myeongdong Cathedral nearby also decorate, so the area makes an easy evening walk. Go on a weekday if you can; on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day the crowds are enormous, and police often manage the pedestrian flow.
Combine it with dinner and street food in Myeongdong itself; our Myeongdong guide has the details.
Seoul Winter Festa and the lantern festival
Seoul Winter Festa is the city’s umbrella winter festival. In 2025 it opened on December 12 in Gwanghwamun Square and ran until January 4, with events at six downtown sites over 24 days. The highlights were the Seoul Lantern Festival, a walk of illuminated sculptures along the Cheonggyecheon stream (in 2025 it also spread to the Ui-cheon stream in northern Seoul), the Gwanghwamun market with food stalls and Christmas gifts, and light shows on the buildings around the square.
The 2026 dates had not been announced at the time of writing, but the festival has followed the same mid-December-to-early-January pattern, so a trip in the second half of December is likely to overlap with it. Everything is free and outdoors, and best after dark, which in December means from about 5:30 p.m. The nearest subway stations are Gwanghwamun (line 5) and City Hall (lines 1 and 2).
New Year’s Eve
Seoul’s traditional New Year moment is the ringing of the great bell at Bosingak in Jongno, struck 33 times at midnight. Huge crowds gather in the streets around it, so arrive well before 11 p.m. if you want to be close, and expect road closures and changed bus routes. In 2025 there was also a global countdown event at Myeongdong Square. Seoul’s subway usually runs extra late services on New Year’s Eve; check the announcements in the last week of December.
Other good things to do in December
- Ice skating. Outdoor rinks open in winter; Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall has hosted one in past winters.
- Skiing. Resorts in Gangwon and Gyeonggi provinces usually open in late November or December, many with shuttle buses from Seoul.
- Winter street food. Hotteok (sweet filled pancakes), bungeoppang (fish-shaped waffles with red bean) and fish-cake soup are at their best now. See our street food guide.
- A jjimjilbang. A Korean bathhouse is the best way to warm up after a cold day.
- Palaces in the snow. If it snows, go to Gyeongbokgung or Changdeokgung early the next morning. Winter closing times are earlier; check our Seoul neighbourhood guide for closing days.
Planning tips for December
- Book Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners early. Popular restaurants fill up, and some offer only set menus on those nights.
- Hotels cost more over Christmas and New Year’s. Early December is quieter and cheaper, and the lights are already up.
- Plan your days around the short daylight. Do outdoor sights in the late morning and early afternoon, and keep evenings for lights, markets and food.
- Use the subway. Roads around Gwanghwamun, Jongno and Myeongdong are slow or closed on festival nights. Our subway guide covers fares and transfers.
- For the season before, see Seoul in November.
- For January and February, ski resorts and ice festivals, see our Korea in winter guide.
Climate figures: Korea Meteorological Administration 1991–2020 normals for Seoul. Shinsegae 2026 light show: Yonhap News report, October 30, 2026. Seoul Winter Festa, Seoul Lantern Festival and Gwanghwamun market 2025 dates: Seoul Metropolitan Government (mediahub.seoul.go.kr). Myeongdong countdown 2025: Seoul Shinmun, December 18, 2025. 2026 dates for Seoul city events had not been announced as of November 2, 2026; check before you travel.
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