[english.visitkorea.or.kr] When the Christmas season comes to Korea, cities are adorned with festive lights and the air is filled with Christmas carols. Starting as early as in the beginning of November, supermarkets, department stores, shopping malls and hotels set up unique decorations to maximize the Christmas spirit for customers. Korea’s major theme parks also plan out Christmas festivals starting in November and continuing into the new year. A highlight of these festivals are the parades, featuring all sorts of characters, performances and music shows, as well as dazzling Christmas trees ornate with fascinating Christmas lights. Check out some of the places and performances that can make your Christmas a romantic one to remember.

Photo: Model train village display at Millennium Seoul Hilton

Millennium Seoul Hilton Hotel



Every Christmas, visitors’ eyes are drawn to the model train village at Millennium Seoul Hilton; 2015 marks their 20th anniversary of this display. The model trains are not only beautiful to look at, they also serve as a charity fundraising project, with the money raised going to social welfare facilities. Located at the fountain area of the hotel's lower lobby (B1), the layout features a stunning display of trains amid a wintery landscape of mountains and small communities. Visitors will feel as if they are at Santa’s village, enjoying souvenirs and holiday snacks at the candy house and taking photos with Santa Claus. The event runs until January 17, 2016.













Grand Hyatt Incheon



Located in the lobby of the Grand Hyatt Incheon, a gigantic Christmas tree spangled with colorful LED lights illuminates the surrounding area and decorations throughout the hotel create a festive Christmas holiday atmosphere. The hotel holds the AWOO Doll Campaign jointly with UNICEF until December 27, 2015. The campaign, which the hotel has held for the past six years, exhibits dolls at the lobby restaurant in both the east and west towers. Guests can then “adopt” the doll of their choice for a donation fee starting from 30,000 won.

Photo: Lovely Christmas Story decoration at Lotte Department Store

Lotte Department Store - Main Branch & Lotte Young Plaza

This year's Christmas theme at Lotte Department Store is “Lovely Christmas Story,” featuring adorable polar bears wearing sparkling crowns. The bears hold gifts to send out heartfelt Christmas messages to the customers. With the building's exterior decorated in bright LED lights, the interior makes use of various ornaments to add a more cheerful Christmas ambiance to your shopping trip.

Photo: ‘Holly’ decorations and lighting fountain at Shinsegae Department Store – Main Branch

Shinsegae Department Store - Main Branch



Shinsegae Department Store has decorated for Christmas with a lighting display of holly, a thorny plant with red berries often used for Christmas decorations. The LED lights change brightness and colors in time with Christmas carols played throughout the store. Additionally, the department store’s signature fountain will showcase snowflakes both beautiful and bright until the end of 2015.













Galleria Department Store - Main Branch



Galleria Luxury Hall began decorating for Christmas from December 1 under the theme “Fly me to the Christmas.” Each year, Galleria attracts more and more attention with unique concepts for their Christmas tree. This year’s concept features Santa’s village with fireworks bursting in the sky.



Galleria’s Christmas tree gives off the feeling of watching a fireworks show, with fireworks designed in images of love, hope, gifting, family and sharing, the representative symbols of Christmas. Enjoy the thrill of Santa flying off in a hot air balloon to deliver presents to the village below, consisting of 63 uniquely designed houses.

Photo credit: Kyungbang Times Square

Times Square



A large Christmas Tree Zone is to be installed at the outdoor plaza of Kyungbang Times Square. Festive LED lights will adorn the garden in the shape of stairs inspired by a famous art piece of M.C. Escher, a Dutch surrealist artist. Located inside of the building, Christmas wish trains decorated with Santa teddy bears and a photo zone with Christmas trains await customers. Times Square is getting into the Christmas spirit by giving away free gifts to customers.

Photo: Christmas tree adorned with energy efficient LED lights in front of Seoul City Hall

Seoul Plaza



This year, the Christmas tree at Seoul Plaza lit up on November 28. The towering tree, decorated with energy-saving LED lights, illuminates the surrounding plaza. The lighting runs from 17:30 until 1:00 in the morning, which is an hour less than last year. Next to the giant tree, tiny trees can be lit up by electricity generated through pedaling on a bicycle, showing the importance of saving energy. These trees will hold the feelings of festivity and excitement in the air until January 12, 2016.














Myeong-dong Cathedral



Myeong-dong Cathedral is the largest Gothic-style building in Korea's modern architecture history. The cathedral is located in Myeong-dong, Seoul's trendiest shopping district. During the Christmas season, the area surrounding the cathedral shimmers brightly with decorations that portray a message of thanks and blessing.



An infant Jesus will be in the manger of Bethlehem outside of the cathedral and the baby will be put in the manger by the priests on the eve of Christmas in a ritual which is open to the public.


















Lotte World Christmas Festival



Lotte World will host holiday festivities from November 7 to December 27, 2015. During the Christmas Festival, the entire theme park is adorned like a Santa village straight out of a fairy tale, with festive Christmas trees, ornaments and a snowman photo zone.



To add to the holiday fun, a variety of Christmas performances and events are held every day of the festival and artificial snow will flutter down twice a day. Visitors can also join Santa Claus as he leads fairies through the park in the Happy Christmas Parade, dancing to a medley of Christmas carols. This year’s new “Christmas Character Parade” will make your holiday even more spectacular, featuring marching bands, an appearance by Roti and Rory decked out in Christmas costumes along with over 100 other characters enjoying a Christmas party. Families will especially enjoy the musical show and the ice rink band show!













Everland Christmas Fantasy



The Christmas Fantasy festival at Everland started on November 6, running for nearly two months. One of this season's highlights is the 26 meter tall romantic tower tree, boasting vibrant lights, which can be seen both inside and outside the park.



From the entrance, visitors will be guided into the park by the 500-meter-long Christmas Avenue. 120,000 LED lights brilliantly illuminate ‘Ever Milky Way’ and real fir trees on “Christmas Tree Street.” Artificial snow will fall during White Christmas Parade, where visitors can dance along to carols. Each night of the festival will be as bright as day thanks to the one million lights shining during the Moonlight Parade.













Seoulland Christmas Party



Seoulland has transformed into a Christmas Party wonderland from November 21 to December 27 with a variety of events fun for visitors of all ages. In the country cabin of Adventure Land, the family musical CATS will be staged along with a magic show. The popular Light Fantasy Show will take place at the Red Windmill area. The Christmas party is complete with special events throughout the park such as playing with Santa, finding Christmas gifts and a special exhibition of “Our Land, Dokdo Island.”