"Experience Various Traditional Games at the Park During Seol Holiday"

Various Experience Events Organized

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] In Seoul's parks, various folk games and experiential programs have been prepared to fully embrace the festive atmosphere of the Lunar New Year holiday in the Year of the Rabbit, Gyemyo-nyeon. Especially, the ‘Traditional Play Yard’ held in several parks allows anyone to easily participate by visiting the parks, making it perfect for families to enjoy the Lunar New Year.

In addition, major parks in Seoul such as ▲Maeheon Citizen's Forest ▲Gildong Ecological Park ▲Boramae Park operate various programs throughout the Lunar New Year holiday, offering diverse planned exhibitions, self-guided tours, and citizen tours to residents staying in Seoul and visitors during the holiday period.

Gyemyo-nyeon New Year, a bountiful Lunar New Year outing with ‘Folk Game Experience Events’ in Seoul

▲Seoul Forest Park ▲Namsan Park ▲Children’s Grand Park ▲World Cup Park ▲Culture Depot ▲Buk Seoul Dream Forest ▲Seoul Botanical Garden operate traditional play yards where citizens can enjoy folk games such as Yutnori, Tuho, Jegichagi, and top spinning to celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday.

At Seoul Forest Park, during the Lunar New Year holiday, a traditional play yard is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the plaza in front of the Seoul Forest Visitor Center building, where anyone can freely participate. Namsan Park offers a special permanent program for citizens visiting the park with their families. First, at Namsan Octagonal Plaza, a folk game yard featuring Yutnori, Tuho throwing, Jegichagi, and other traditional games that are indispensable during the holiday is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for free participation.

In the front yard of Changnyeong Wigungjaesa in Buk Seoul Dream Forest, the “Lunar New Year Traditional Play Yard” is held. With a hanok (traditional Korean house) as the backdrop, visitors can enjoy large-scale Yutnori, Tuho, top spinning, and Jegichagi. The event runs from the 21st to the 23rd, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. At Seoul Botanical Garden, various experiences including traditional games are prepared in the North Lounge (indoor) and Sunken Plaza (outdoor) spaces, which can be enjoyed freely without prior reservation.

Non-face-to-face park exploration with QR code forest missions and quizzes at Maeheon Citizen's Forest and Gildong Ecological Park

If you prefer to enjoy non-face-to-face programs quietly with your family rather than group games, head to Maeheon Citizen's Forest and Gildong Ecological Park. Especially at Maeheon Citizen's Forest, a non-face-to-face experiential program called Forest Self-Exploration is offered, where participants solve quizzes about flora, fauna, and the park while following a mission map, including programs like ‘Unlock the Secrets of Nature’ and ‘Let's Walk Around the Park Together!’

At Maeheon Citizen's Forest, mission maps are available in front of the management office, and anyone can participate voluntarily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily except Sundays, with a limit of 30 participants on a first-come, first-served basis.

At Gildong Ecological Park, visitors watch fun and diverse videos embedded in QR codes and solve quizzes to receive small gifts at the Visitor Center. The program operates daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. except Mondays, and anyone can participate after making a reservation on the Seoul Public Service Reservation website. The number of participants is limited to 30 on a first-come, first-served basis, and participation is free.

Citizen tours and exhibition programs with guides

If you prefer exhibitions over participatory programs, consider Culture Depot, and if you want to see sculpture exhibitions while walking, World Cup Park is a good choice. Culture Depot offers exhibitions sharing memories of history and urban life through walks and explorations. At World Cup Park, visitors can make New Year wishes while viewing a giant rabbit sculpture made of silver grass and participate in citizen tours with guides.

At Culture Depot T5 Story Hall, the planned exhibition ‘Walking Through Memories’ operates from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. If you are curious about the hidden stories of Culture Depot, you can also join the citizen tours with guides held every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

At World Cup Park, a rabbit sculpture made from silver grass byproducts, the Firefly Ecology Center, a non-face-to-face exhibition commentary program, and a wish-writing zone on wooden medals and the Gyemyo-nyeon rabbit sculpture are also available.

Children’s Grand Park’s Warm Sharing Lunar New Year Event for the Vulnerable

Children’s Grand Park holds the ‘Children’s Grand Park Warm Sharing Lunar New Year Event’ to practice companionship with the vulnerable during the Lunar New Year holiday. On the 23rd, the day after Lunar New Year, the first 500 seniors and foreign workers visiting the park will receive free rice cake soup.

A traditional play experience zone featuring six types of folk games such as large Yutnori, Tuho, and Neolttwigi, open to anyone on-site, will be held for three days from the 22nd to the 24th.

Yoo Young-bong, Director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Green City Leisure Bureau, said, “As time spent together has become more precious after COVID-19, we hope families spend a healthy and joyful Lunar New Year in the Gyemyo-nyeon New Year and have prepared various leisure culture programs.” He added, “Please look forward to more events that bring happiness and the beautiful scenery of Seoul’s parks.”