Lantern festival to light up downtown Seoul this weekend ahead of Buddha's Birthday

Visitors look at colorful lanterns at Jogyesa Temple in central Seoul on May 24 2025 Yonhap — Visitors look at colorful lanterns at Jogyesa Temple in central Seoul on May 24, 2025. Yonhap

SEOUL, April 25 (AJP) - Colorful lanterns will illuminate the streets of Seoul over the weekend as the two-day festival kicks off ahead of Buddha's Birthday, which falls on May 5 this year.

About 20,000 Buddhist devotees and other revelers are expected to turn up for this year's festivities featuring lotus-shaped lanterns, including parades, various activities, and performances in downtown Seoul.

As lantern-bearing participants will gather for parades on Saturday and Sunday, traffic will be restricted in parts of the capital including the area near Jogyesa Temple, the headquarters of Korea's largest Buddhist sect.

A post-parade celebration is also planned at the Bosingak Bell Pavilion in the evening.

The lantern festival, known as Yeondeunghoe, was listed as a UNESCO intangible cultural heritage in 2020 in recognition of its historical values as a communal celebration. Once a religious ritual, it has now evolved into a seasonal festival open to all.

Park Sae-jin swatchsjp@ajunews.com

Lantern festival to light up downtown Seoul this weekend ahead of Buddha's Birthday

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