Did You Perform Sebae Well?... Explore Seoul's Cultural and Arts Programs

Special Events at Traditional Culture Experiences and Museums
Available Without Closure Throughout the Holiday Period

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] To celebrate the Year of the Rabbit in Gyemyo and the Lunar New Year's Day during the Seol holiday, Seoul City has prepared a variety of cultural and artistic programs that can be enjoyed as joyfully as a 'kkangchung-kkangchung' (hopping) rabbit.

At Seoul's representative traditional cultural experience spaces ▲Namsangol Hanok Village ▲Unhyeongung Palace ▲Donuimun Museum Village, traditional seasonal customs experience events will be held. Seoul's leading museums ▲Seoul Museum of History ▲Hansung Baekje Museum ▲Seoul Uri Sori Museum will host traditional performances, craft experiences, and events for citizens visiting during the holiday. Meanwhile, Seoul's major cultural and artistic institutions ▲Seoul Museum of Art ▲Sejong Center for the Performing Arts will operate without closing throughout the holiday period.

Additionally, in front of Seoul City Hall, ▲Seoul Plaza Ice Rink and ▲Gwanghwamun Plaza Light Festival will be held throughout the Seol holiday, providing diverse sights and activities for citizens staying in Seoul and visitors to the city during the holiday.

New Year of the Gyemyo Rabbit, Receiving the Wise Rabbit's Energy through ‘Seasonal Customs Events’

First, Seoul's representative traditional cultural experience spaces (Namsangol Hanok Village, Unhyeongung Palace, Donuimun Museum Village) will hold events where visitors can directly experience various traditional seasonal customs passed down through generations.

Namsangol Hanok Village (Jung-gu, Toegye-ro) will hold the '2023 Namsangol Seol Festival ' event from the 21st to the 24th, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Citizens can participate in traditional craft experiences such as 'bow making' and 'yakshik (traditional rice cake) making' in the 'Exciting Traditional Experience (paid)' program, and enjoy traditional games like tuho and yutnori in traditional houses through the 'Enjoy Seollal to the Fullest (free)' program. Additionally, on the 22nd and 23rd, twice daily (22nd at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. / 23rd at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.), traditional performances will be held in the 'Goraegorae Stage (free)'. Traditional performances including street parades, yeonhui (traditional plays), and folk songs, reflecting the joyful customs of ancestors during the holidays, will be held twice daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on the 22nd, and at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on the 23rd.

Unhyeongung Palace (Jongno-gu, Samil-daero) will host the 'Seol Folk Festival' from the 21st to the 24th. Especially on the 22nd at 12:30 p.m., the 'Rice Cake Soup Sharing Yard' event will be held, reviving the old tradition of sharing warm kindness with neighbors. This sharing event is particularly meaningful as it is the first to resume since COVID-19. In addition, the 'Experience Yard (paid)' offers programs such as making traditional spinning tops, hanji (traditional Korean paper) socks, and baessidaenggi (traditional hair ribbons). The 'Traditional Games Yard (free)' set up in front of Unhyeongung Palace allows visitors to experience traditional folk games like jegichagi, yutnori, and tuho. Both the 'Experience Yard' and 'Traditional Games Yard' operate daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. During the holiday, the 'Traditional Arts Performance Yard (free)' at Irodang in Unhyeongung Palace will host a one-hour performance of 'Seollal Blessing and Fortune Wishing Jisinbalgi' from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the 22nd and 23rd.

Donuimun Museum Village (Jongno-gu, Songwol-gil) will hold Seol holiday events from the 20th to the 24th. First, seven traditional cultural experience programs, including 'maejakgwa (traditional rice cookie) making' and 'bokjumeoni (luck pouch) making,' will be offered as hanok experience programs. At Seodaemun Inn, a special exhibition titled 'Catch the Rabbit!' wishing for health and prosperity in the Year of the Rabbit will be held. Related programs include a 'coloring experience' where visitors can color rabbits and a '2023 New Year's wish writing' experience. At the Seoul 100 Years Story Hall, a 'New Year's Greeting Card Writing' program will be held on the 21st and 22nd. Throughout the holiday, visitors can participate in a 'Stamp Tour' themed 'Rabbits Appearing in the Village,' exploring various parts of the village, and a 'Docent Tour' with expert explanations. Additionally, on Donuimun Museum Village's Instagram, a 'Hanbok Wearing Kkangchong!' event will be held, where citizens wearing hanbok and visiting the village can enjoy taking commemorative photos.

Enjoy Exhibitions and Seol Holiday Events at Seoul's Leading Museums!

Second, Seoul's leading museums, Seoul Museum of History and Hansung Baekje Museum, will hold Seollal celebrations for citizens visiting on the 21st. Seoul Uri Sori Museum will hold a special performance on January 21 (Saturday) and provide educational materials and gifts free of charge to visitors during the holiday.

Seoul Museum of History (Jongno-gu, Saemunan-ro) will hold the '2023 Seol Celebration' from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the museum plaza (outdoor). First, 'Traditional Samulnori & Gi Play and Jukbangul Play' will be held twice at 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. Citizens and the samulnori group will come together with splendid skills and lively rhythms to wish for abundance, gratitude, and happiness in the coming year. Additionally, 20 family teams visiting the museum can participate in the 'Horseback Archery Contest,' held twice at 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., with special Seol gifts awarded to the top teams. There will also be a 'Folk Games Yard' where visitors can experience traditional games such as horseback archery, yutnori, jegichagi, and tuho throwing, and a 'Crafting Yard' offering activities like making the 2023 museum artifact calendar, rabbit-themed New Year's cards, and natural hand warmers, providing diverse sights and fun.

Hansung Baekje Museum (Songpa-gu, Wiryesong-daero) will hold the '2023 Seollal Museum Grand Festival' from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the museum plaza and lobby. The performance yard at the plaza will feature pungmul (traditional percussion music) and lion dance performances at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., each lasting 30 minutes. The lobby and auditorium front will have participation and play yards where visitors can enjoy making mini lotus lanterns, traditional wooden spinning tops, bokjori (traditional rice winnowing baskets), and bokjumeoni, along with traditional game experiences.

Seoul Uri Sori Museum (Jongno-gu, Yulgok-ro) will hold the 'Shall We Play at Uri Sori Museum?' event from the 21st to the 24th. On the 21st at 2 p.m., a 'Sound Concert Bringing New Year's Blessings' featuring daegeum (bamboo flute) player Song Kyungho will be held at the museum's Numaru. Additionally, educational materials titled 'Farm Tools and Our Sounds,' wishing for a bountiful new year, will be distributed free to all visitors. During the holiday, the first 50 visitors who participate in the Instagram hashtag event at Seoul Uri Sori Museum will receive eco-bags as gifts.

Art Museums and Performance Halls Open Throughout the Seol Holiday

Third, Seoul's representative cultural and artistic facilities, Seoul Museum of Art and Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, will remain open without closing during the Seol holiday, satisfying citizens' cultural cravings who want to enjoy cultural life during the holiday.

During the holiday, Seoul Museum of Art's Seosomun Main Building (Jung-gu, Deoksugung-gil) will host the exhibitions 'Kiki Smith: Free Fall' and 'Kang Seokho: Three Minutes of Happiness.' At Seoul Museum of Art Namseoul (Gwanak-gu, Nambusunhwan-ro), the pre-program exhibition 'Station' for the 12th Seoul Mediacity Biennale will be held. At Seoul Museum of Art Bukseoul (Nowon-gu, Dongil-ro), the exhibition 'Do Ho Suh and Children: Artland' will be on display. All exhibitions are free to visit.

Sejong Center for the Performing Arts (Jongno-gu, Sejong-daero) will hold the 'Celebrities' Favorite Bag & Shoes' exhibition at the Sejong Center Art Gallery and the musical 'Cats' Korean tour at the Grand Theater. The M Theater will present the play 'Misery.'

Seoul Plaza Ice Rink & Seoul Light Lantern Festival and Gwanghwamun Plaza Market Welcoming Citizens Throughout the Seol Holiday

Fourth, Seoul Plaza Ice Rink and Seoul Light Lantern Festival & Gwanghwamun Plaza Market have been newly decorated with the theme of welcoming the New Year to greet citizens.

Seoul Plaza Ice Rink will operate from the 21st to the 24th during the Seol holiday with the concept 'Black Rabbit's Hanyang Play,' offering various programs such as wish trees, photo standees, traditional game experiences, and yutnori fortune-telling. All programs run from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Seoul Light Lantern Festival & Gwanghwamun Plaza Market will welcome citizens with a New Year's atmosphere led by Lucky Rabbit . The Gwanghwamun Plaza Market will feature a photo zone using New Year's greeting phrases and sell items such as dried persimmons and bokjumeoni cookies. From the 21st to the 24th, between 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m., free traditional game experiences and events will be held, adding joy for citizens visiting Gwanghwamun Plaza during the Seol holiday. Traditional games such as jegichagi, tuho, ring toss, ttakji (Korean paper card game), and large-scale yutnori will be prepared on-site. Participants with excellent scores will receive generous prizes. Additionally, from 5:30 p.m., when the light lanterns are lit, a social media (SNS) photo certification event will take place. Visitors who take photos of the Bok Tokki at Gwanghwamun Plaza and the large bokjumeoni inside the Gwanghwamun Plaza Market and upload them to their SNS, then verify at the comprehensive information desk next to the King Sejong statue, will receive a Seoul tourism landmark snow globe as a gift, limited to the first 100 citizens.

Choi Kyungjoo, Director of Seoul City's Culture Headquarters, said, "To celebrate the Lunar New Year of the Gyemyo Year, we have prepared a variety of cultural and artistic programs that everyone, regardless of age or gender, can enjoy," and added, "We hope everyone welcomes a vigorous year like a rabbit hopping energetically together with the Seol holiday events prepared by Seoul City."