The Fusion of K-pop and Tradition: Nationwide Countdown Festivals to Ring in the New Year

To welcome 2025, Seoul’s Myeong-dong and Jeju’s Seongsan Ilchulbong are gearing up to host unique New Year’s festivals that are sure to attract visitors. While Seoul will host its first-ever countdown show, Jeju will present a festival blending tradition and nature through the Seongsan Sunrise Festival.

Seoul’s Jung-gu District will hold the ‘2025 Countdown Show LIGHT NOW’ on December 31 at 11 p.m. in front of the Shinsegae Department Store main branch. K-pop stars such as Park Jin-young and Jannabi are set to perform celebratory stages. Two venues, the Seoul Central Post Office Square and the fountain square beside Shinsegae, will serve as performance areas. A grand spectacle will connect Shinsegae’s large electronic billboard with 18 other screens across Myeong-dong to broadcast the countdown simultaneously, promising an immersive experience.

Following the designation of Myeong-dong’s free zone as ‘Myeong-dong Square’ last year, Jung-gu has implemented a Content Management System (CMS) to establish the area as a global tourist attraction. The CMS, a technology even New York’s Times Square has yet to achieve, enables simultaneous broadcasting of content across all screens in Myeong-dong. Jung-gu District Chief Kim Gil-seong sees this countdown show as the first step toward making Myeong-dong Square a world-renowned countdown destination, expressing his hope that “the message of hope sent from Myeong-dong will spread across the globe.”

Meanwhile, Jeju’s Seongsan Ilchulbong will host the 32nd Seongsan Sunrise Festival over two days, from December 31 to January 1. The festival, themed “Brilliant Seongsan Sunrise: Singing the New Hope of Yeongju,” will take place in the Seongsan Ilchulbong area. The first day kicks off with traditional music performances, followed by a youth festival and a pop star contest. Evening programs include New Year’s messages, a bonfire ceremony, fireworks, a countdown, and a dance session with audience participation.

On New Year’s Day, January 1, attendees can enjoy a sunrise ritual, a greeting event to welcome the new year, and a communal tasting of hope-filled rice cake soup. A climb to the peak of Seongsan Ilchulbong is limited to 900 pre-registered participants, while other visitors can walk along the nearby coastal paths to greet the new year. Additional experiences, such as a slow-mailbox letter station, a wish-kite making activity, and local food offerings, will also be available to enrich the festivities.