New Year’s Eve in Korea is celebrated just as much as in the West and can be spent with family, friends, or your better half. Actually, the real Korean New Year is not on January 1, but coincides with the first day of the lunar calendar (which in 2025 falls on January 29) and is called Seollal (์ค๋ ). Koreans love celebrating both holidays, the beginning of the Solar New Year (์ํด, saehae) and the Korean New Year. Let us see together in this article how to spend New Year’s Eve in Korea.
How to celebrate the New Year’s Eve in Korea?
Activities in the city
Many Koreans decide to spend New Year’s Eve (์ฐ๋ง, yeonmal) dining with family, especially if they have chosen to spend Christmas differently. Contrary to the Western culture, it is more common to spend Christmas among friends and New Year’s Eve with family rather than the other way around. In any case, this is not a rule and there are many activities that can be done with friends.
One of the typical events that are organised to celebrate the New Year is the fireworks display. If you are in Seoul to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Korea, don’t miss the fireworks that have been organised at Lotte Tower for the past few years. You can expect stunning colorful lights to explode from the tower for a breathtaking show.
Besides Lotte Tower, visitors can also watch fireworks at COEX and on the Han River every year to celebrate the New Year. COEX is a large complex located in Gangnam that includes a huge shopping mall. The world-famous Starfield Library, SM Town record company museum, and COEX Aquarium are also situated here.
But more than the fireworks, another event to celebrate New Year’s Eveย in Korea is the ringing of the Bosingak bell (๋ณด์ ๊ฐ), not far from Seoul’s central Gyeongbokgung Palace. Every year at the stroke of midnight, this traditional bell is rung 33 times and the event is also broadcast on TV.
In Seoul’s more โinโ neighborhoods, such as Gangnam and Itaewon, one can instead attend many end-of-year parties at popular nightclubs. Hongdae is also a popular destination, especially among younger people.
Finally, a popular destination for couples to celebrate New Year’s Eveย in Korea is amusement parks. The most popular ones are Lotte World and Everland, in the Seoul metropolitan area, and E-World in Daegu. Indeed, going to the amusement park is considered an activity for couples, so they have the opportunity to spend a little different time together. It is therefore a romantic way to start the New Year together.
Out-of-town trips
Another popular activity to spend New Year’s Eve in Korea is to go to watch the sunrise over the sea. Many people take the train so as to travel at night and arrive at the sea just before sunrise, just in time to admire the sunrise. Whether as a couple or with friends, top destinations include Jeongdongjin.
Jeongdongjin beach is located on the east coast of Korea, near Gangneung, an area that can be reached from Seoul in a couple of hours by train. If we exclude Jeju Island, Jeongdongjin beach has one of the most breathtaking seas and scenic landscapes in Korea hence, is one of the most popular destinations to celebrate the New Year.
Seongsan Ilchubong located in Jeju Island is also a fantastic landmark to watch the sunrise on New Year’s Eveย in Korea. The name “Seongsan Ilchulbong” translates to “Castle Mountain” and “Sunrise Peak”, referring to the stunning sunrise views from the peak, which is one of the main attractions for visitors.
If you’re in Busan, don’t miss the drone show countdown at Gwangalli Beach at midnight on December 31! The drone show countdown is one of the most exciting and modern ways to ring in the New Year in South Korea. The event has become a highlight of Busan’s New Year celebrations, offering a unique spectacle that blends technology, art, and tradition. To find out more on event information, click here.
What to eat?
On New Year’s Eve in Korea, the dish enjoyed by Koreans is tteok soup (๋ก๊ตญ, tteokguk), which is a sliced rice cake soup. Chunks of egg, meat, and seaweed are often added as well. Eating this dish is said to bring good luck for the coming year and make one a year older.
That’s right because age is calculated differently in Korea than in other countries. Instead of calculating the actual time of life, they calculate the calendar years in which one has lived. Simply put, when a child is born in December after one month he or she will already be two years old. Solar New Year is therefore also the day when all Koreans become โolder.โ However, as of 2023, Korea has officially adopted the international age system.
Some enjoy jeon (์ , Korean Pancakes) as well.ย Jeon refers to a variety of savory pancakes, often made with seafood, vegetables, or meat. Some popular types include kimchi jeon and haemul jeon (seafood pancake). Jeon is often considered a symbol of abundance, wealth, and good fortune. The dishโs round shape, which resembles a coin is thought to represent the idea of completing a cycle and bringing prosperity in the new year.
These foods are also widely enjoyed during Seollal so it is not uncommon to see similar dishes being prepared or consumed during both the Korean New Year and Solar New Year. Check out our article on the different types of foods enjoyed in Seollal.
Here we share the 3 ways to celebrate New Year’s Eveย in Korea. Share with us some of your favorite activities to do during the New Year’s Eveย in Korea when you visit!
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