The Seoul Lantern Festival returns to the Cheonggyecheon Stream in autumn 2027, marking one of the capital’s most anticipated seasonal events. The festival transforms the 5.8-kilometre urban waterway through central Seoul into an illuminated corridor of themed lantern installations, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors over its two-week run.
When Does the Seoul Lantern Festival Take Place in 2027?
Exact 2027 dates will be confirmed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in mid-2027. Based on consistent scheduling across recent editions, the festival runs for approximately two weeks in late October and into early November - the window that has applied every year since the event’s current format was established.
Expected 2027 window: late October to mid-November
The festival opens at 17:00 each evening and closes at 23:00. Entry is free along the entire route.
Where Is the Festival?
The main lantern route runs along the Cheonggyecheon Stream from Cheonggye Plaza (청계광장) - the upper starting point near Gwanghwamun - downstream toward the Hawolgok Bridge area, covering approximately 1.5 kilometres of the most central section. The installations are arranged along both banks of the stream walkway.
The most efficient way to reach the festival:
- Gwanghwamun Station (Line 5) - exit 2, walk two blocks south to reach Cheonggye Plaza
- Jongno 3-ga Station (Lines 1, 3, 5) - exit 4, walk north to the stream
- Euljiro 1-ga Station (Line 2) - exit 3, direct access to the stream walkway
The Cheonggyecheon walkway runs below street level. Entrances are at multiple points along the route - any street-level signage for 청계천 (Cheonggyecheon) will lead you down.
What to Expect on the Ground
The festival is organised around a central theme announced each year, with large-scale installation pieces every 100-200 metres along the streamway. Installations in recent editions have included:
- Themed sculptural lanterns drawn from Korean folktales and historical subjects
- Interactive floating lanterns on the water surface
- Illuminated bridges crossing the stream at regular intervals
- A dedicated lantern-making participation area near the upper section
Evening crowds peak between 19:00 and 21:30. Arriving before 18:30 or after 21:00 significantly reduces congestion on the narrow walkway. The festival is fully free, though small fees apply for participation activities such as writing wishes on individual lanterns that are then floated.
Temperatures in late October in Seoul typically range from 5°C to 16°C in the evening. The streamway is open-air and exposed - bring a layer.
The Cheonggyecheon Stream Context
The Cheonggyecheon was covered over with concrete in the 1950s and 1960s as part of Seoul’s postwar urban expansion. The elevated highway above it was demolished and the stream restored between 2003 and 2005 in a project that removed a major traffic artery and re-exposed approximately 5.8 kilometres of waterway through the centre of the city. The stream now runs year-round as a pedestrian and recreational corridor. The lantern festival is the stream’s largest annual event and is used by the Seoul city government as a flagship cultural tourism programme.
Combining with Nearby Attractions
The Cheonggyecheon area is surrounded by several of Seoul’s major historical and cultural sites:
- Gyeongbokgung Palace - 15-minute walk north-west; the palace grounds are floodlit in the evening on select dates in autumn
- Bukchon Hanok Village - 20-minute walk north-east from Cheonggye Plaza
- Insadong - 10-minute walk north; galleries, craft shops and traditional tea houses
- Dongdaemun Design Plaza - 20-minute walk east along the stream walkway itself
Our Seoul city guide covers getting around the central districts on foot and by metro. If you’re planning a wider Korea trip around autumn events, the things to do section covers the main options, including autumn foliage sites active during the same period.
Planning Ahead
The Seoul Lantern Festival consistently attracts over a million visitors across its run. If you’re visiting Seoul specifically for the festival, mid-week evenings (Tuesday–Thursday) are noticeably quieter than weekends. Hotels in Myeongdong and Jongno offer the closest walking access to the stream.
Official dates and the full programme are typically announced by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in September each year at visitseoul.net. We will update this page once 2027 dates are confirmed.
For tours and cultural experiences in Seoul around the festival period, browse Seoul activities here.