Christmas-themed trees exhibited at the Seoul Botanic Park / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a lineup of 89 seasonal programs to be held in 12 parks across the capital between this month and February next year.

These winter festivals and ecological events aim to provide people with opportunities to enjoy the Christmas and New Year seasons in urban and natural surroundings.

Starting Friday, a winter-themed light festival will illuminate the city center throughout Jan. 21 next year.

Sejong-daero Saramsup-gil, the tree-lined avenue that stretches approximately 1.55 kilometers from the Sejong-daero intersection to Sungyemun Gate and Seoul Station, will feature snowflake decorations and twinkling lights on trees and floors. Also, neighboring Gwanghwamun Square, Seoul Plaza and Cheonggye Stream are illuminated with the Seoul Lantern Festival, jointly hosted and organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization.

A poster for the exhibition "WINTERLIGHTS" at Seoul Forest from Dec. 15 to Jan. 7, 2024 / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Additionally, at Seoul Forest's family courtyard, in eastern Seoul's Seongdong District, a media exhibition “WINTERLIGHTS” will be held from Friday to Jan. 7 next year, featuring the Christmas-themed light and sound installation by German media artist Christopher Bauder. The exhibition will present 80,000 interactive LEDs and sound effects around 200 Christmas trees hanging upside down from the ceiling, creating a fantasy fairy-tale atmosphere.

For those interested in exploring urban forests and the wintering of flora and fauna, special programs are offered across parks in Seoul.

World Cup Park, located near Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo District, offers a migratory bird-watching and constellation observing program in December.

Boramae Park in southern Seoul will present carbon-neutral winter game programs, where children can make toys and experience Korean folk games, such as kite-flying and jegichagi, a game similar to hacky-sack.

Gyeongui Line Forest Park, an urban respite stretching 6.3 kilometers through western Seoul, and Gildong Ecological Park in southeastern Gangdong District will offer a guided tour of urban forests, where visitors can learn about trees and animals in the conserved ecosystem.

Seoul Forest Park and Namsan Park also present guided tours on their signature urban forest trails, which are home to several species of trees, flowers, birds and animals.

Visitors to Yongsan Family Park are invited to explore insects and crops living in the community gardens and clay molding activities.

Meanwhile, Christmas activities are offered at Seoul Botanic Park and Namsan Park, where visitors can make fresh Christmas wreaths and garlands out of pine branches and decoration pieces.

Christmas wreaths made by visitors to Seoul Botanic Park / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

To mark the zodiac year of Blue Dragon 2024, World Cup Park's Unicef Plaza will hold an exhibition of statues made of silver glass from Dec. to Feb. 18 next year.

The exhibition will feature a giant dragon family made by children who are born in the Year of the Dragon 2012 and reside in Seoul.

More detailed information and reservation for these events are available at parks.seoul.go.kr, the official website for Seoul city parks.