Seoul: Events

During the Lunar New Year , in January or February, you can expect not only Seoul but the whole country to grind to a halt. It's probably a good opportunity to head off to the Korean Folk Village (near Suwon) or the Seoul Nori Madang to view the special performances of traditional dances or wedding services. Buddha's Birthday , or Feast of the Lanterns, is on the eighth day of the fourth moon, and falls around April or May in the Western calendar. There's an evening lantern parade from Yeouido Plaza to Jogyesa, starting around 18:30 .

Two other festivals worth looking for are the Seokjeondaeje , staged twice a year (first day of the second and eighth moons) at the Confucian Shrine at Sungkyunkwan University in northern Seoul. A traditional court orchestra performs and full costume rituals are enacted. Similarly, full costume parades are held at the Jyongmyo Daeje , the Royal Shrine Rites in the Jangmyo Shrine on the first Sunday in May.