 |
As the winter months carry forward, Seoul continues to transform itself in myriad ways. The city’s 26 bridges crossing the Han River are all decorated in colorful fashion with a dazzling array of bright lights. Department store have even followed suit and adorned the sides of their buildings with similar brilliant lighting to add to the festive season and attract customers.
N Seoul Tower, positioning itself as one of landmarks in Seoul, is also playing part, welcoming people with a magnificent electric lighting show from 6 p.m. everyday. So come take part in the excitement, as Seoul’s nocturnal attractions are now more splendid and dynamic than ever before.
[Find out more!] When Night Falls -Seoul's Nocturnal Attractions |
| NO. 1 Landmark of Seoul “N Seoul Tower” |
 |
What a sight to see – No Seoul Tower covered in waving flames! From down below, it looks as if the 265-meter tower is transformed into a huge fiery flame from atop Namsan Mountain. Produced by French illumination artist Alexsandre Olinka this beautiful lighting fixture, titled “Electronic Fire”, first opened to the public on New Year’s Day in 2008 as part of a joint project called “Mount Namsan Museum of Lights”. Rightfully so, it is one of Seoul’s representative nocturnal attractions.
 It goes without saying that N Seoul Tower is impossibly attractive at night. Filled with a 4.5-meter Santa Clause, a lighting fixture that lights 6 different beautiful lightings designed under the theme of ‘flower of Seoul’, a ‘reed of light’ display upon which the glow of fireflies in garden on the first floor gently burns, and a ‘shower of light” where visitors can choose their own color varieties, the event is spectacular. |
[Related Article]
- N Seoul Tower
- Enjoy a Tour of Mt. Namsan for Free
- City Sightseeing Tours! Seoul’s Best One-day Tours
Location : San 1-3 2-ga Yongsan-dong Yongsan-gu Seoul (Take Seoul Metro Line No. 3 to Chungmuro Station and go out Exit 2 (in front of Daehan Theater), or to Dondae Ipgu Station and go out Exit 6. And then take a bus No. 02 and get off at Mount Namsan N Tower.)
For Inquiries : +82-2-3455-9254 (Korean, English)
Duration of lighting : November 26, 2007 ~ (undecided)
Hours of Lighting : 17:30~24:30 |
| |
| NO. 2 Illumination Art of Hangang River Bridges Enjoyable on the Ferry |
 |
While on a ferry cruise along the Hangang River, people can watch and take in the gorgeous feast of lights from the glow of the surrounding skyscrapers in the heart of Seoul standing along the river and the lighting show of Hangang River bridges that stand along the river. If you would love to enjoy the freedom of a traveler and the hidden beauty of Hangang River, do not hesitate to run to Hangang River by night. |
 |
[Related Article]
- An Evening on the Han River
- Hangang River Ferry Cruise
For Inquiries : +82-1330 (English, Chinese, Japanese)
Days of operation : 365 days (Open throughout the year)
Hours of operation : 11:30~21:00 (8 times daily)
Fare: 9,900 won~14,600 won
Note: Unless it is a peak season, you don’t need to make a reservation for a ride. |
| |
No. 3 Lightings of Trees Standing on the 2km Roadside Between Gwanghwamun and
Namdaemun Gate |
 |
 On the night of December 6, 2007, the 345 trees lining the 2km roadside between Gwanghwamun Gate and Namdaemun Gate were brightened with colorful light bulbs. On any long, chilly winter evening, it is a great idea to take a walk following the lights coming out from trees lining a street. If you start at Gwanghwamun Gate and keep walking, you will find yourself in Cheonggyecheon Stream where a festival of lights called ‘Luce Vista Festival’ is taking place early December till early January every year. It would be fair to say that the festival is the essence of Seoul tour, so do not miss it if you are visiting Seoul during that period. However, even when the festival is over, it is too early to get disappointed. You still have millions of things to look around in Cheonggyecheon area, including the beautiful lightings of little bridges lining the stream.
This year, In particular, environmentally friendly 10-watt light bulbs are being used in the festival, unlike previous festivals where 15-watt light bulbs were used as have been regularly used in Champ-Elysees Street, so that people can enjoy brilliantly lit walkways without worrying about potentially harmful damage to the environment. |
[Related Article]
- Korea Lights Up Brightly and Festively
Location : Gwanghwamun Gate ~ City Hall ~ Namdaemun Gate (Take Seoul Metro Line No. 3 to Gyeongbokgung Station and go out Exit 5, and then walk for 5 minutes. Alternatively, take Line No. 5 to Gwanghwamun Station and go out Exit 2, and then walk for 5 minutes.)
Duration of lighting : December 6, 2007 ~ February 10, 2008
Lighting hours : From sunset till 2 o’clock next morning
|
| |
| No. 4 Department Stores in Seoul that Shows the Perfection of Illumination Art |
 |
Department stores in the city of Seoul, whose appearances are fabulous enough to be called landmarks of Seoul, are competitively boasting of their glamorous lighting pieces. They have invested up to several billion won in the lighting facilities to make them larger than ever, thereby providing tourists a variety of things to look around.
 The most outstanding among these department stores are Shinsegae Department Store Main Store near Myeong-dong, Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong, Gangnam, and Lotte Department Store. The lighting fixture of Shinsegae Department Store Main Store has been praised as the most beautiful one among those of all the department stores in Seoul. It is famous for the fact that the lighting was conceived by a French lighting company that worked on the lighting design and exterior decorative features of the Eiffel Tower and the Lyons Cathedral in France. There are roughly three hundred thousand mini light bulbs hanging on the wall of the main building, which gives people the impression that white snow is falling down over the entire building.
Lotte Department Store Main Store, 10 minutes walk from Shinsegae Department Store, is proud of their super-size Christmas tree and ‘Lotte European Christmas Village’ set in front of the main building. Tourists will no doubt fall easily in love at the mere sight of these decorations.
Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong-dong is the most overwhelming in terms of fanciness. They set five full-size igloos and a polar bear doll on the plaza to create the atmosphere of a fairy tale country. As night falls, they transmit a lighting show using holography and LED lighting on the wall of the Myeongpumgwan (means ‘building of designer shops’) decorated with 43,330 pieces of glass. |
|
● Shinsegae Department Store in Namdaemun
Location : 1-ga Chungmuro Jung-gu Seoul (Take Seoul Metro Line No. 4 to Hoihyeon Station and go out Exit 7, and then walk for 5 minutes.)
Duration of lighting : November 16, 2007 ~ February 10, 2008
Hours of lighting : 17:30~23:00
Show time : 16 different show at 15-minutes interval
● Lotte Department Store in Myeong-dong
Location: 1 Sogong-dong Jung-gu Seoul (Take Seoul Metro Line No. 2 to Eulgiro Ipgu Station and go out Exit 2.)
Duration of lighting : November 16, 2007~ (undecided)
Hours of lighting : 17:30~20:00
For Inquiries : +82-2-771-2500 (Korean, English, Japanese)
● Galleria Department Store in Apgujeong-dong
Location : 515 Apgujeong-dong Gangnam-gu Seoul (Take Seoul Metro Line No. 3 to Apgujeong Station and go out Exit 1, and then cross the road to take a bus (361/362/472/143) for 2 stops.)
Duration of lighting : All through the year
Hours of lighting : 17:00~22:00
For inquiries : +82-2-3449-4114 (Korean, English, Japanese) |
| Written & Photographed by Reporter Hong Mi-Kyung | |