Seoul: a city of festivals

THE ORIGINAL ESSAY

Korea is a country of traditions, and one of its dearest is the tradition of holding festivals. Blessed with four distinct seasons, Korea has held various festivals to celebrate each season throughout its history. The various festivals seem to come daily and arrive in constant color. Various festivals celebrate family ties, the anniversary of the birth of Buddha, the harvest moon, the practice of royal ancestral rites, and more.

Seoul is home to over ten million people and the city has become more and more cosmopolitan in recent years showcasing its multiculturalism in its celebration of diverse festivals. The vivid scene of the millions who gathered in front of the Seoul City Hall during the 2002 World Cup finals gives testament to the festival instincts of Koreans and their gracious welcoming attitude towards visitors. Now each season of the year, the moving spectacle is reproduced in front of city hall as part of the Hi Seoul Festival.

This festival unites Korea’s traditions with its future welcoming young and old, family and friends, residents and visitors alike. Creating a virtual playground of festivals throughout the city, the Hi Seoul Festival involves the whole city. Bringing drama, film, song, and dance to the tens of thousands who participate, it signals the birth of Seoul as a global festival city.

Unique events abound, such as a fireworks display, a boat-lantern parade, a tightrope walking competition, an international food tasting, a Hallyu (Korean wave) concert, and the Seoul world DJ festival. Korean traditional folk dance and musicals performances, a reenactment of the coronation ceremony of King Sejong, a folk exorcism performance, and even a chance to play the folk games of the eight provinces, allow onlookers to travel back in time to a quieter, more peaceful era.

What Korea lacks in global recognition for its festivals, it makes up for in its tradition of festivals that are intimately associated with daily life. Now, Korea is holding events throughout the year ranging from traditional ones including Jongmyo Daeje (royal shrine ritual) and Dano* of Namsangol to new ones such as the Fringe Festival** and Seoul Performing Arts Festival. As such, you will easily encounter a festival in Seoul no matter when you visit. Seoul truly is a city of festivals.

* A Korean holiday that falls on the 5th day of the fifth month of the lunar Korean calendar when women traditionally washed their hair in water boiled with calamus plants and people enjoyed folk games, mask dances, etc. ** A festival of independent artists, which started in 1998.

From Peter’s supplied Seoul guidebook introduction, chapter 20. Original observations and historical framing are retained. PDF line-break and spacing repairs are recorded separately from factual updates. Guidebook photography and venue directories are not republished.