Seollal in Seoul | 9 Fabulous Things to do for Korean Lunar New Year 2024

Traveling to Seoul during Korean Lunar New Year? Don’t worry! Seollal in Seoul is actually one of the best times to explore the city, with peaceful streets, and a ton of special events and activities to enjoy.

In this guide, you’ll learn:

• when Lunar New Year in Seoul is celebrated
• the best things to do in Seoul for Seollal 2024
• about special discounted activities to take advantage of

When is Seollal in Seoul | 설날?

SEOLLAL: February 10th, 2024 | PUBLIC HOLIDAY DATES: February 9th – 11th, 2024

The exact date of Seollal varies every year, because it’s based on the Lunar Calendar. It’s usually in January or February, and coincides with the second new moon, after the winter solstice.

In the 2024 Year of the Wood Dragon, Korean Lunar New Year in Seoul falls on Saturday, February 10th with public holiday dates stretching from Friday, February 9th to Sunday, February 11th.

All Koreans have days off for this entire period of time, with many people tacking on a few extra days to the end or the beginning. Expect a mass exodus into and out of Seoul for Seollal, as people head back to their hometowns to reunite with their families.

It’s definitely a lot quieter in Seoul during Lunar New Year, with smaller, family-run restaurants and businesses shut down for the weekend. You won’t have trouble finding places to eat or shop though, with major malls, restaurant chains, and popular tourist sites mostly open to the public.

What is Seollal | 설날?

Along with Chuseok, Seollal is one of Seoul’s most significant traditional holidays, marking the first day of the Korean Lunar New Year.

The holiday is full of meaningful traditions, rites, and rituals. Most are performed to honour a family’s ancestors and prepare for a brand new year, but there’s also plenty of traditional games and fun too.

Check out my full guide to Seollal and its traditions if you’d like to learn more.

Seollal in Seoul

While Seollal itself is a centuries old celebration, full of important rites and sginificance, the days leading up to it are a buzz of activity… particularly in Seoul.

Traditional markets are packed with people shopping for food and gifts to take back to their hometowns. Trains and long distance buses have been fully booked for weeks in advance, and traffic on highways is at a literal standstill, as people head out of Seoul for Seollal.

It’s definitely the chaos before the calm though, because once all the preparations are complete, it’s very quiet. During Lunar New Year in Seoul, you’ll be surprised by eerily empty subways, unhurried sidewalks, and silent cafes.

READ NEXT: How to Get from Incheon Airport to Myeongdong

Things to do during Seollal in Seoul

If you’re traveling to South Korea or based in Seoul for Seollal, this is definitely one time when it’s nice to stay close to the city.

I’ve lived here for 13 years, and discovered plenty of excellent things to do during Seollal in Seoul. Read on to discover free, fun and unique options for what to do during Korean Lunar New Year 2024.

Despite LIVING in Seoul, I’ve booked a hotel in Myeongdong for major Korean holidays, so I could get to all the special events and attractions up in that area of the city more easily. I’ve done this for the Lotus Lantern Festival, and also for Chuseok.

It would definitely be worth the saved transit time and easy access to Korean Lunar New Year activities too… especially with kids.

READ NEXT: The 7 Best Areas to Stay in Seoul, with Hotel Recommendations and Local Travel Tips

Limited Edition Winter Tours in Korea

If you’ve got days off for Seollal in Seoul, it might be a great opportunity to participate in one of Korea’s special winter festivals or activities. These limited edition winter tours and activities are only available for 2 or 3 months of the year.

• Elysian Ski Resort + Nami Island + the Garden of Morning Calm Lighting Festival | December 11th, 2023 – February 23rd, 2024
• Alpaca World + Garden of Morning Calm Lighting Festival | December 9th, 2023 – March 11th, 2024
• Garden of Morning Calm Lighting Festival + Alpaca World OR Sledding + Strawberry Picking | December 10th, 2023 – March 12th, 2024
• Vivaldi Park Snowy Land Sledding Tour | December 10th, 2023 – February 29th, 2024
• Eobi Ice Valley, Nami Island, Alpaca World + Garden of Morning Calm  | December 26th, 2023 – February 29th, 2024
• Cheongyang Alps Village Ice Fountain Festival + Strawberry Picking | December 26th, 2023 – February 29th, 2024
• Pyeongchang Trout Fishing and Ice Festival Tour | January 2nd – 29th, 2024
• Sanjeong Lake Sledding Festival + Hantan Ice Canyon Walk | January 4th – February 10th, 2024
• Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Fishing Festival Tour from Seoul | January 6th – 28th, 2024
• Hwacheon Ice Fishing Festival + Garden of Morning Calm Starlight Festival | January 8th – 26th, 2024
• Ice Fishing and Snowflake Tour in Gangwondo | TBA for 2023 / 24
• Skiing, Snowboarding, and Sledding Tours across Korea | Various dates

Namsangol Hanok Village | 남산골한옥마을

Address: 28, Toegye-ro 34-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul | 서울특별시 중구 퇴계로34길 28 (필동2가)

Namsangol Hanok Village is located at the base of Namsan Mountain, and walking distance from Myeongdong. During Seollal in Seoul, crowds descend upon its beautiful grounds to watch outdoor performances, play traditional games and try out different activities.

Activities and performances run from 11AM to 5PM from February 9th to February 11th, 2024. It’s possible to just show up and sign up for paid hands-on activities like hanji mirror making on-site, but line-up as early as you can to get a spot (that’s what we did at Chuseok).

Gyeongbokgung Palace & Other Historical Sites

Major royal palaces like Gyeongbokgung and traditional tombs like Jongmyo Shrine will stay open for Lunar New Year in Seoul. Best of all, admission into all sites is free!

Gyeongbokgung promises to be a hub of activity come Seollal in Seoul. If you haven’t had a chance to stop into one of these majestic places yet, this is the perfect time to go to experience cultural performances, traditional folk games, and other fun activities.

Cheong Wa Dae | 청와대

Address: 1 , Cheongwadae-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul | 서울특별시 종로구 청와대로 1 청와대

The Presidential Residence, Cheong Wa Dae, was returned to the public on Chuseok last year. It’s commonly known as the Blue House, due to the 150,000 unique blue tiles that make up the beautiful curving rooftop of the Main Office.

Cheong Wa Dae is worth a visit under any circumstances, but during Seollal in Seoul, head there around 3PM for a free 40 minute performance of samulnori and lion dance.

There are 1,000 tickets available daily for foreign passport holders at Cheong Wa Dae, without reservation – 500 in the morning, and 500 in the afternoon. Make sure you bring ID.

READ NEXT: Visiting Korea in January | Weather, Festivals and Best Things to Do

National Folk Museum of Korea | 국립민속박물관

Address: 30 Samcheong-ro, Jongno-gu | 서울 종로구 삼청로 37

Located on the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Folk Museum of Korea is one of the best places to learn about the daily lives of Koreans, from the Paleolithic Age to the 20th Century.

With a historically valuable and massive collection of over 310,000 relics and art pieces, you could easily spend hours and hours there. Be sure to stop into the excellent interactive Children’s Museum while there.

For Seollal in Seoul, check out their special exhibition dedicated to the Year of the Rabbit, or venture outside for Lunar New Year events and activities.

Korean Folk Village | 한국민속촌

Address: 90 Minsokchon-ro, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do | 경기도 용인시 기흥구 민속촌로 90 (보라동)

Made up of authentic Joseon Era houses that have been relocated from all over the country, the Korean Folk Village covers a vast 990,000㎡ space in Yongin. During Seollal in Seoul, there are traditional art performances, and a wide variety of special activities to take part in.

You could easily spend an entire day at the Korean Folk Village, exploring its multiple museums, watching folk performances, seeing K-drama shooting sites, and even riding amusement park rides.

National Gugak Center

The National Gugak Center is one of those places in Seoul that’s vastly under-visited by international travelers to South Korea. From dance to music to singing, this gorgeous space showcases the best of Korean folk arts in all its forms… at a ridiculously low price.

If you want to check out the Saturday Gugak Concert for Seollal in Seoul, be sure to reserve tickets far in advance. Regardless, there’s sure to be lots going on in the area.

I’ve spent many an afternoon in this part of town, visiting both the Seoul Arts Center next door, and the excellent Gugak Center Museum, which is free, interactive, and perfect for families. Totally worth a visit.

Namsan and North Seoul Tower

A lot of places are closed during Korean Lunar New Year, but not Namsan and N Seoul Tower. It’s always worth heading up Seoul’s mountain in the middle of the city, for expansive views and fresh air.

During Seollal in Seoul, look out for outdoor performances and activities, hang a love lock as a souvenir, or watch the sunset. Namsan is undoubtedly one of the best places to see the glittering city come to life at night.

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Seollal in Seoul | Special Promotions

During Lunar New Year in Seoul, special promotions and discounts are offered at different attractions around the city. It’s a great time to take advantage of these offers, since many of them are aimed at non-Koreans, who don’t have the same family responsibilities for the holidays.

Seollal in Seoul is also a perfect time to visit popular places and attractions in the city, peacefully without the crazy crowds and long line-ups. Check out some options here.

Theme Parks

With 35 million Koreans on the road home for Lunar New Year, theme parks like Lotte World, Everland, and Seoul Land can be a little quieter than normal. Best of all, there are Seollal activities, parades, and light shows to enjoy at a discounted price.

Lotte World Adventure

Lotte World Adventure is one of the easiest theme parks to access in Seoul, accessible by subway at Jamsil Station. There are both indoor and outdoor areas at Lotte World, so it’s easy to stay warm even during the depths of winter in Korea.

Everland | 에버랜드

Address: 199, Everland-ro, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do | 경기도 용인시 처인구 포곡읍 에버랜드로 199 (포곡읍)

Everland is a massive theme park located in Yongin. Queues for rides at Everland can be as long as a few hours on regular days, but during Seollal in Seoul, you can basically walk onto ride after ride, without waiting longer than 10 minutes.

Be sure to check out extreme rides like the T-Express wooden rollercoaster, which has a top speed of 104-km/hour. Everland is mostly outdoors though, so I’d say this theme park is better for older kids and adults.

Check their website for special discounts, or book a hassle-free tour that includes transport, tickets, and visits to other attractions in the area..

Skiing, Snowboarding, and Sledding Resorts

Lunar New Year in Seoul usually falls in January or February. With the most snowfall of the year, these months also happen to be the best for skiing, snowboarding and sledding in Korea.

Head to the ski resorts near Seoul for faster queues at ski lifts, and more time on the slopes.

If skiing or snowboarding isn’t your thing, head to Vivaldi Park Snowyland for a super fun day of sledding and snow play.

Other Attractions

Here are other attractions and day trips worth seeing that will remain open during Seollal in Seoul. Some even have extra discounts for Korean Lunar New Year.

• Lotte World Tower Seoul Sky Observatory | Discounted Tickets
• Lotte World Aquarium | Discounted Tickets
• Coex Aquarium | Discounted Tickets
• Seoul Eland Cruise with Ashley Marine Buffet
• Zoolung Zoolung Indoor Zoo
• Day tour to the DMZ – Demilitarized Zone
• Nanta Show
• Painters Show

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Korean Lunar New Year is a big deal! What do you have planned for Seollal in Seoul?