New Year’s Eve in Seoul 2026: Bosingak Bell, Countdowns and the First Sunrise
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At five minutes to midnight on December 31, the streets around Jonggak Station are full from wall to wall. People stamp their feet against the cold, phones go up, and the crowd starts counting down in Korean. Then the old bronze bell at Bosingak rings, slow and deep, thirty-three times.
That is the image most visitors have of New Year’s Eve in Seoul. What they often miss is the second half. For many Koreans, the real ritual is the next morning: watching the first sunrise of the year, on a hill in the city or on the east coast. This guide covers both, and how to get around in between.
Checked on October 23, 2026. Seoul has not announced its 2026/27 New Year’s programs yet; times below are from last year’s events. Check the official announcements in late December before you go.
The main countdowns at a glance
Bosingak: the bell ringing
The Bosingak bell ringing is the traditional New Year’s Eve event in Seoul. The bell pavilion stands at the corner of Jongno, right by Jonggak Station on Line 1. At midnight the bell is struck 33 times by invited citizens and public figures, and the ceremony is broadcast live on national TV.
For the 2026 new year, the Seoul city program ran from about 11 pm on December 31 to 12:20 am on January 1, with media performances around the strikes. Expect something similar this year.
What it is like on the ground: very crowded, very cold, and very well policed. Arrive by 10:30 pm if you want to see the pavilion itself; after that you will mostly see screens and the backs of heads. In past years, Line 1 trains skipped Jonggak Station for safety from 11 pm to 1 am, so plan to walk from Jongno 3-ga, Gwanghwamun or City Hall.
Other countdowns in Seoul
Seoul Light DDP at Dongdaemun Design Plaza turns the curved building into a giant screen in winter. Last year it was one of the city’s main countdown spots, with media art and fireworks from 11 pm. It is free, and easier with children than Bosingak.
Lotte World Adventure in Jamsil ran a countdown party from 10 pm to 10 minutes past midnight last year. It needs a park ticket, but you get rides, a parade and an indoor section if the weather is bad.
If you want a view instead of a crowd, the Seoul Sky observatory at the top of Lotte World Tower looks over the whole city. Check its opening hours for December 31 before you plan around it; special late openings are not guaranteed.
Getting home after midnight
This is where New Year’s Eve plans fall apart. Hundreds of thousands of people leave at once, taxis vanish, and the nearest stations are closed or packed.
Three things help. First, stay within walking distance of where you celebrate, or on a direct subway line. Second, walk 10 to 15 minutes away from the crowd before you look for a train or taxi. Third, check the subway notice in late December: in past years Seoul has run extra late trains on New Year’s Eve, but the details change each year.
Use Naver Map or KakaoMap for live routes; Google Maps does not give full directions in Korea. Our Naver Map guide shows how to set it up. You will need mobile data for all of this, and for taxi apps. A Korean eSIM with a local number also lets taxi and delivery apps text you.
The first sunrise of 2027
Koreans call it haedoji, the first sunrise. Families and friends climb hills in the dark, drink hot coffee from a flask and watch the sky go orange. It is quieter and, honestly, more moving than the midnight crowd.
In Seoul, the sun rose at about 7:47 am on January 1, 2026, and it will be close to that again. The east coast sees it about ten minutes earlier.
Sunrise in Seoul
You do not have to leave the city. Samseong Haemaji Park in Gangnam is a riverside spot with Lotte World Tower and the Han River in view; Gangnam district held a sunrise event there at 7 am last year. Achasan in the east and Namsan in the center are short climbs; start in the dark, bring a small light, and wear real shoes, because paths can be icy.
Sunrise on the east coast
The classic Korean sunrise trip is to Jeongdongjin, a tiny station by the sea on the east coast. People take a late train or bus from Seoul, sit in a cafe or on the beach until dawn, and come back the same day. Gangneung’s Gyeongpo Beach nearby is the bigger, easier version. Tickets for the night of December 31 sell out early, so book as soon as sales open. Our Gangneung guide covers the KTX and buses.
In Busan, Haeundae Beach is flat, central and on the subway. On Jeju, the crater of Seongsan Ilchulbong (“sunrise peak”) is the island’s sunrise spot; the walk to the rim takes 30 to 40 minutes.
Where to stay
For New Year’s Eve, location beats everything. Stay near Jongno, Myeongdong or City Hall to walk to Bosingak, or near Jamsil for Lotte World. Book early; hotel prices jump on December 31.
Budget
January 1 and the days after
January 1 is a public holiday in Korea, but it is not the big New Year. The main holiday is Seollal, the Lunar New Year, which falls on February 7 in 2027. On January 1 most shops, cafes and attractions in Seoul are open, the streets are calm, and it is a good day for palaces and markets. For the rest of the month, see our Korea in December guide and Seoul in winter guide.
Checklist
- Warm layers: it is often below freezing at midnight
- Arrive at Bosingak by 10:30 pm, or pick a quieter countdown
- Plan your walk home; Jonggak Station may be closed around midnight
- Check late subway service in the late-December notice
- Book Jeongdongjin or Gangneung trains for Dec 31 early
- Charge your phone; the cold drains batteries fast
FAQ
What do people do on New Year’s Eve in Seoul?
The big public event is the Bosingak bell ringing in Jongno at midnight. Others go to countdowns at DDP or Lotte World, or stay in and get up early to watch the first sunrise on January 1.
Is New Year’s Eve in Seoul crowded?
Very, around Bosingak. Expect shoulder-to-shoulder crowds from about 11 pm and heavy police control. DDP and the riverside parks are calmer.
Are there fireworks in Seoul on New Year’s Eve?
Last year DDP’s Seoul Light countdown included fireworks. Big fireworks are not guaranteed every year, so check the program in late December.
Does the Seoul subway run late on New Year’s Eve?
In past years Seoul added late trains on New Year’s Eve, and some stations near the events were closed for safety. The exact plan is announced in late December.
What time is sunrise on January 1 in Korea?
About 7:47 am in Seoul (January 1, 2026), and a little earlier on the east coast.
The short version
Ring in 2027 with the 33 strikes of the Bosingak bell, or pick a calmer countdown at DDP or Lotte World. Stay close, walk away from the crowd before looking for a ride, then set an alarm: the first sunrise, in Seoul or at Jeongdongjin, is the part Koreans remember.
