Each autumn the Seoul Lantern Festival turns the Cheonggyecheon stream, from Cheonggye Plaza near Gwanghwamun, into a glowing corridor of light. Organized by the Seoul Tourism Organization, it lines and floats hundreds of lanterns crafted from traditional hanji paper alongside modern LED sculptures, arranged in themed displays that change every year. After dusk the reflections shimmer on the water as crowds stroll the 1.2-kilometre route, and in recent years the lights have spilled over toward Gwanghwamun Square and the city's wider winter glow. Wrap up against the chill with a hot, syrup-filled hotteok from a nearby street cart as you wander.
