Festivals, sights across Korea

The Haeundae Light Festival returns for its 12th edition, illuminating Haeundae and the nearby Gunam-ro area in Busan with a vibrant display of winter lights. Running until Jan. 18, the festival invites visitors to experience “Stellar Haeundae." The event features large-scale light sculptures, immersive media art installations, hands-on programs and evening events.

Along the beach, a galaxy-inspired pathway uses shimmering light formations to create the sensation of walking through a starlit Milky Way. Waves of light projected over the sand and shoreline blend with Haeundae’s natural landscape, transforming the city’s iconic beach into an otherworldly universe. Festival programs operate from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., with the full light displays daily from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Everland opens its annual winter celebration Friday with Christmas Fantasy, a park-wide festival running through Dec. 31. Visitors can enjoy a Christmas parade featuring Santa, Rudolph and festive floats, along with a new nighttime "'KPop Demon Hunters' Sing-along Fireworks Show” created with Netflix.

Daily photo sessions with Santa, elves and Everland mascots add to the family-friendly fun, while the Grand Stage presents two showings of the holiday musical “Very Merry Santa Village.” The Alpine Village reopens as Snow Oz Park, offering a rotating 360-degree photo booth and winter-themed installations. From mid-December, snow-play areas and sledding courses open alongside a winter food street serving hotteok, roasted sweet potatoes and fish cakes.

The K-Food Festival Knock-Knock is taking place at Sejongno Park near Gwanghwamun Square through Dec. 31. The event runs every Friday to Sunday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., with free admission for all visitors.

The festival highlights a range of Korean cuisine through an expanded lineup of 25 participating food trucks. It also broadens its offerings to 15 categories of Korean dishes, providing both residents and international tourists with a broader selection of K-food. By increasing vendor participation, the event aims to give more small business owners a platform to showcase their menus. Its central location and accessible format make the K-Food Festival Knock-Knock a convenient stop for those looking to explore Korean food culture in Seoul.

The Hampyeong Winter Light Festival runs through Jan. 11, across the Hampyeong Expo Park area in South Jeolla Province. The free-admission festival features illuminated installations and nighttime landscaping, creating a seasonal attraction for both residents and visitors.

This year’s program includes a light maze, tree decorating, glow-bracelet making and Santa costume experiences. Music and performance programs, including a Christmas marching band, carol busking and theater events, add to the festive atmosphere. Visitors can also view large-scale media art by artist Lee Lee-nam, alongside exhibitions at the Hampyeong County Museum of Art, the butterfly and insect specimen hall and various plant pavilions. Food trucks, snack vendors, a character pop-up store and local specialty booths round out the event, offering a range of shopping and dining options within the park.

The Gwangalli Marvelous Drone Light Show is Korea’s first permanent drone show, staged every Saturday evening along Busan’s Gwangalli Beach. The 12-minute show is presented twice per night, with schedules varying by season: 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. from October to February, and 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. from March to September.

Using about 1,000 drones for its regular performances — and up to 2,500 drones for special occasions such as New Year’s countdowns, Seollal and Chuseok — the show creates large-scale images and animations across the night sky. The display is synchronized with the backdrop of Gwangandae Bridge, offering visitors panoramic views from anywhere along the beach. The program includes regular and special themed performances, as well as public participation events such as “best-cut” voting and proposal contests. Admission is free, but weather conditions may affect scheduling.