Lotus Lantern Festival, EVERYTHING You Need to Know

It’s spring in Korea which means one of the most colorful and visually stunning festivals of the season is just getting started. Of course, we mean the Lotus Lantern Festival which gets started on April w6th with a public exhibition of lanterns.

There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started.

What is the Lotus Lantern Festival?

The Lotus Lantern Festival (or Yeon Deung Hoe) is a festival in Korea celebrating Buddha’s birthday. The festival goes back over one thousand years as a hallmark of Buddhist culture in Korea. And Buddhist or not, it’s one of the most anticipated festivals of the year.

If you’re in Korea, it’s going to be impossible not to see signs of the festival everywhere. Streets in and around temples across the country are decorated with colorful lotus lanterns.

The celebration comes to a head with Buddha’s birthday when there are beautiful decorations, celebrations, and festivities at temples throughout Korea. Even if you’re in town for a few days, it’s worth exploring some of the bigger temples to get a taste of the holiday.

What is There to Do at the Lotus Lantern Festival?

There are multiple events that make up the Lotus Lantern festival from the Lantern Exhibition to the Lotus Lantern Parade. So, let’s go through them:

The Lantern Exhibition

• When: April 16 – May 6, 2025
• Where: Multiple Locations
  • Gwanghwamun Square (Naver Map, Google Maps)
  • Cheonggyecheon Stream (Naver Map, Google Maps)
  • Jogyesa Temple (Naver Map, Google Maps)
  • Bongeunsa Temple (Naver Map, Google Maps)

Every year, Seoul hosts two lantern festivals. The Seoul Lantern Festival winter and the Lotus Lantern Festival in the spring. And for each festival, the city hosts lantern exhibitions for everyone to enjoy. It’s a sight to see and one that everyone should check out.

The lotus lantern exhibition can be found in Gwanghwamun Square, the Cheonggyecheon Stream, Jogyesa Temple and Bongeunsa Temple. With one exception, the rest of the areas are in the Jong-ro area. Bongeunsa Temple is in Samsung-dong by the COEX mall.

Buddhist Cheer Rally (Eoulim Madang)

• When: April 26, 2025 (4:30 PM – 6:00 PM)
• Where: Dongguk University Stadium (Naver Map, Google Maps)

The Lotus Lantern Parade starts at Dongguk University Station before moving over to the Jong-ro street. There, thousands of attendees gather in a huge rally to celebrate the start of the festivities. For anyone looking for a front-seat experience, you can actually volunteer to walk in the parade. The entire experience starts with the rally before moving on into the parade.

The Lotus Lantern Parade

• When: April 26, 2025 (6 PM – 9:30 PM)
• Where: Jong-ro 5-ga Station (Naver Map, Google Maps)

The lotus lantern parade takes place on Jong-ro street, starting in Dongdaemun and reaches all the way to Jogyesa Temple. While it’s possible to see the parade from any point along the parade route, we’d recommend finding a spot closer to Dongdaemun where crowds tend to be less dense.

Cultural Performances and Events

• When: April 27, 2025 (12 PM – 6 PM)
• Where: Jogyesa Temple (Naver Map, Google Maps)

The Gongpyeong Stage will be set up in front of Jogyesa Temple for traditional performances and tents will be set up along the street for cultural experiences like making, lanterns, dolls and prayer bead bracelets. You can even try temple cuisine.

When is the Lotus Lantern Festival?

The festival leads up to Buddha’s Birthday (the eighth day of the fourth lunar month) which means its date changes every year. This year, it’s set to start on April 25 to the 27th with the Lantern Parade set for the 26th and multiple events set for the 27th.

The festival is preceded by an exhibition of lanterns which are showcased in Gwanghwamun Square, the Cheonggyecheon Stream, Jogyesa Temple and Bongeunsa Temple.