Here are three that you might find tempting if you are visiting Seoul over Christmas and/or the New Year.

1. Seoul Plaza Ice Skating Rink

Every year towards the end of December, Seoul Plaza, the square in front of Seoul City Hall, in Jung-gu, is transformed into a large open-air ice rink.

A government initiative that started in 2004, it is now an iconic winter public landmark similar to the Rockefeller Center skating rink that pops up every winter in Manhattan, New York City.

Skating in the middle of Seoul with the backdrop of the wave-shaped Seoul City Hall and Deoksugung Palace costs only 1,000 Korean won (US$0.77) per hour, and the entrance fee includes skate, helmet and knee pad rental. And, yes, the rink has been featured in K-dramas, if you need another reason to visit.

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The proximity of the rink to tourist favourites such as the Myeongdong shopping precinct, Gyeongbokgung Palace and the Cheonggyecheon stream makes it ideal for travellers with plans to explore the capital during the rest of the day.

There are in fact two rinks, one for adults and one for children, and lessons are offered throughout the day, along with a space to store your belongings and an area for spectators.

This winter’s dates are not out yet, but in 2022/23, the rink operated between December 20 and February 9, and opened at 10am every day, while closing at 9.30pm between Monday and Thursday and 11pm from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays.

Furthermore, Seoul’s Lantern Festival will be held in the same square. Featuring traditional lanterns in a variety of shapes and sizes, it will run from December 15 to January 21, between 6pm and 10pm (closes on January 1).

2. Grand Hyatt Seoul Ice Rink

During the winter, the five-star Grand Hyatt hotel, in Itaewon, turns its outdoor swimming pool into a romantically lit ice-skating rink.

You do not have to be a guest of the hotel to use the rink, but it is more expensive than others and a prior booking is necessary.

In 2022, entrance fees for adults cost 51,000 won (US$39) and 68,000 won for weekdays and weekends, respectively; that included skate shoe rental for two hours. The fee was higher on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

The pricing and opening hours for this year have yet to be announced, but 2022’s fees were 15 per cent higher than those of the year before.

Despite the price hike, the hotel recorded an increased number of visitors, so another jump in fees is expected.

3. Lotte World Ice Rink

Lotte World is an all-inclusive shopping mall located in Songpa-gu that also houses an aquarium, a cinema, a concert hall, an indoor amusement park – and the biggest indoor ice rink in the city.

You could easily spend a whole day in the mall and this rink is ideal for those who would rather avoid the icy temperatures outside.

The rink is open from 11am every day and closes at 8.50pm from Sunday to Thursday and 9.20pm on Friday and Saturday.

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For adults and students of middle and high school age, entering for three hours and renting skates costs 19,000 won on weekdays and 21,000 won on weekends and public holidays. For children, it is 17,000 won and 18,000 won, respectively.

Across Seoul, extensive Christmas decorations and lights will go up in the coming weeks, and the most eagerly awaited are those that will adorn the Shinsegae department store, the oldest in Korea.

In 2021, the store, which has been in operation in Myeongdong since 1930, used 1.4 million LED lights to create a facade that borrowed the circus theme from the ollywood movie The Greatest Showman.

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This year, the department store has installed 3.75 million LED lights “to take visitors to a fantasy world”. A three-minute video will start playing at 5.30pm every day.

The best spot to enjoy the display is from Exit No 1 of the Hoehyeon Underground Shopping Centre.