With the holidays approaching you may be wondering – what should I do during the winter in South Korea? There are many unique activities and traditions that you can observe while you are here during winter. You may struggle to find the things you are used to – you won’t find any turkey dinners or Christmas crackers, for example – so I advise you to go with the flow and have fun celebrating the winter holidays the Korean way! There are also many other non-holiday related activities to do and foods to eat which we’ve included too, so you can enjoy the winter season (from December-February) in Korea to the fullest.
Christmas in South Korea
Christmas is the first main holiday celebrated in Korea during the winter season (the others being New Year and Seollal, the Lunar New Year). While around 20% of Korean people identify as Christian, and therefore practise a typical Christian Christmas, secular holiday traditions and activities greatly vary from what you may be used to. Here are some things Koreans like to do during Christmas time in Korea.
Myeongdong
If you are searching for Christmas vibes in Seoul, then the main area to head to is Myeongdong. Here, you can find the streets decorated with Christmas lights and a large Christmas tree – and since it is the shopping hub of Seoul it is the perfect place to do some Christmas shopping. Myeongdong streets are lined with street food carts year round, which when paired with the festive scenery has a similar vibe to wandering around a Christmas market. There is also the Myeongdong Cathedral, where you can find a large nativity display and sometimes even carol singers, if you are missing your Christmas traditions.
The Shinsegae Light Show
After exploring Myeongdong, I recommend heading over to the Shinsegae Department Store near City Hall. Splashed across the walls of the building on giant LED screens is a 5-10 minute display of Christmas animations and messages set to holiday music that will be sure to get you in the spirit. In the lead up to Christmas, people crowd around this area at night to watch the display, and although it can get busy, it’s worth watching if you can. I recommend watching from across the street by standing in front of the National Bank of Korea. The window displays of the mall itself are also gorgeous to walk past and enjoy – imagine Christmas in New York, with displays of Christmas wreaths and nutcrackers and candy canes, but on a smaller scale. It’s a perfect backdrop to take some wintery pictures!
Commercial Christmas Displays
There are so many Christmas displays in shopping malls all around Seoul. Visit the Hyundai Department Store for an indoor Christmas Market experience, or Lotte Tower for a Christmassy outdoor display and carousel. While these displays are usually beautiful and worth taking a look at, they can get extremely busy, especially on weekends and the days leading up to Christmas Day! If you are planning to visit organised Christmas displays around Seoul, I recommend doing so on weekdays and in the morning or early afternoon to avoid long queues and busy crowds. The same goes for the Christmas parades and performances at amusement parks such as Lotte World and Everland.
Celebrating Christmas – the Korean way!
If you’re in Korea, I recommend celebrating Christmas the way Korean people do! In Korea, Christmas Day is a national holiday, but people will go to work as normal on the days surrounding it, including Christmas Eve and Boxing Day. Christmas Day is considered a couples holiday in Korea, similar to Valentine’s Day in western countries, so to truly celebrate Christmas the Korean way, go on a date or meet your friends rather than spending time with family! Many restaurants, bars, cafes, hotels, and entertainment establishments will have couple-focused events and deals on this day – but you may want to book these in advance.
There is no traditional food to eat on Christmas Day, but many people like to purchase a Christmas cake from their local bakery, which is a typical sponge cake covered in super light icing and decorated with Christmas imagery and messages.
There is no major gift giving culture in Korea for Christmas, apart from parents to their young children – children tend to stop believing in Santa Claus by the age of five or six here! Couples may also choose to give each other a Christmas gift, but cards and presents for friends, extended family, and co-workers does not tend to happen.
Winter in South Korea
See the First Snow
A tradition rather than an activity, it is seen as lucky to witness the first snowfall of the winter season. If you happen to witness it with your partner (or somebody you like) the belief is that you will have a long, healthy and happy relationship. Because of this belief, it can be a special day for couples, who may try and witness the first snow together, so if you suddenly see a surplus of couples walking around this could be a good indicator that the first snow is on its way!
Sledging in Ttukseom
Usually running from the start of December to the beginning of February, Ttukseom Hangang Park is home to a sledging hill, where you can slide down the icy hill on rubber rings – those rings are faster than they look and so much fun! There’s also a much smaller sledging and snow area for younger children, and a temporary food tent selling piping hot ramen and tteokbokki, the perfect snack after playing in the snow. The food can be more expensive, but the park entry is free – so it evens out in my opinion. You may even get to see the Han River frozen over if it’s cold enough!
Stay in a Pension
Winter is the perfect time to stay inside and get cosy, so if you’re looking for a more relaxed trip, try staying in a pension in the countryside! Pensions can come in all shapes and sizes, from large multi-storey homes to cosy apartments, but what makes them special is their natural locations, from the mountains to the sea. Pensions are similar to AirBnb’s in that you usually don’t have to check in like a hotel, and the building tends to come with an outdoor area with a grill for a Korean style BBQ. So turn up the underfloor heating (ondahl), put on some holiday movies, and watch the snowfall from your window.
Winter Sports
Korea is a mountainous country, so it’s pretty easy to find areas to go skiing and/or snowboarding. If ice skating is more your thing, visit the indoor ice rink at Lotte World (you can enter the ice rink separately from the amusement park area). It costs 20,000W including skates, but you must bring your own gloves or buy them from the vending machine inside. Make sure you know your Korean shoe size before you go! Sometimes there is a seasonal ice rink outside of Lotte Tower for a limited time in the winter too.
Winter Street Food
There are so many seasonal street foods in Korea but wintertime seems to have the most! The majority of these foods can only be eaten in winter so if you spot them, definitely give them a try!
Bunggeobang – Fish shaped bread filled with red bean paste or custard. These days you can often find other flavours including Nutella, apple jam or whipped cream to name a few.
Hotteok – Korean sweet pancakes, usually made with honey and seeds. Be careful when biting into these treats, as the scalding honey or liquid sugar can easily an eager eater – but the incredible flavour is worth it!
Baked sweet potatoes – Korean sweet potatoes are much sweeter than the UK variety I’m used to, with a soft yellow inside and purple skin. If there are no food carts around, you can often find these warm winter treats at convenience stores.
Roasted chestnuts – Nothing screams winter like chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Grab a bag for around 5000W!
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