Why Seoul Fills with Lanterns Every Spring – Buddha’s Birthday in Korea
If you visit Seoul in spring, you may suddenly notice thousands of colorful lanterns hanging above the streets. This is part of Buddha’s Birthday in Korea, one of the most beautiful spring traditions in the country. In this post, I want to gently introduce the atmosphere of Korea’s Yeondeunghoe (Lotus Lantern Festival), the meaning behind the lanterns, and why this season feels special to many Koreans.
If you visit Seoul in May, you may wonder why colorful lanterns suddenly appear across the city. These lanterns are part of Buddha’s Birthday, celebrated on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month in Korea. During this season, temples fill with lanterns, and Seoul hosts the famous Yeondeunghoe (Lotus Lantern Festival), a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage event.
1. Lanterns That Change the Mood of Seoul
As Buddha’s Birthday approaches, colorful lanterns begin appearing all across Korea.
Around Jongno, Jogyesa Temple, and Cheonggyecheon Stream in Seoul, the atmosphere of the streets slowly begins to change. During the daytime, the lanterns feel bright and cheerful, almost like part of the spring scenery itself. But once the sun goes down, the atmosphere changes completely. The lantern colors become much more vivid, and even busy streets like Jongno begin to feel a little different than usual.
When traditional lanterns hang between tall office buildings, Seoul suddenly feels softer somehow. I often see reviews from first-time visitors saying they were surprised by how naturally traditional spaces still exist inside such a modern city. Maybe the lantern season is one of the best examples of that feeling.
Jongno is one of the few places in Seoul where old palaces, temples, office buildings, cafés, and busy streets all exist together in the same neighborhood. On spring nights filled with lanterns, people seem to walk a little more slowly under the lights. Honestly, even in Seoul, it is not easy to experience this kind of traditional atmosphere anymore.
2. Yeondeunghoe Is More Than Just a Festival
Korea’s lantern tradition is officially known as Yeondeunghoe (Lotus Lantern Festival), and it was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2020.
During the festival, a huge lantern parade moves through Jongno. Thousands of people walk together through downtown Seoul carrying glowing lanterns. Since Jongno is usually crowded with traffic and busy buildings, seeing the streets completely filled with lanterns feels almost unreal sometimes. Even the square office buildings start looking strangely romantic. There are moments when you suddenly think, “Wait… is this really Seoul?”
One interesting thing is that many people who attend are not actually Buddhist. Some come to enjoy the lanterns, some visit for the spring atmosphere, and others simply enjoy experiencing traditional Korean culture.
This is a bit of an old memory now, but when I was in high school, our school once held a lantern parade event where students wore Hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) and walked through the city carrying lanterns together. I still vividly remember myself with a short bob haircut, wearing a pink Jeogori (traditional Korean jacket), taking photos with friends on the school playground.
Even students who were not Buddhist joined naturally without much hesitation. Looking back now, the lanterns felt less like a religious event and more like a spring festival shared with friends.
Even today, whenever lanterns begin appearing along the streets and trees, I find myself thinking, “Ah, Buddha’s Birthday must be getting close.” For many Koreans, the lanterns have become part of the feeling of spring itself.
3. The Meaning Behind the Lanterns
The Korean word Yeondeung (燃燈) literally means “lighting a lantern.”
In Buddhism, lanterns are not simply decorations. They often symbolize wisdom, comfort, and hope. That is why the lantern tradition in Korea carries a meaning beyond simple street decorations.
If you visit a temple during this season, you may notice lanterns with people’s names attached underneath. Some people hang lanterns while praying for their family’s health, while others quietly spend time reflecting beneath the lanterns.
For a long time in Korea, lighting lanterns has been treated less like decoration and more like a symbolic way of making wishes or sending sincere hopes into the world. If you watch Korean historical dramas, you may have seen scenes like this before.
Today, the lanterns are no longer meaningful only in a religious sense. For many people, they have also become symbols of comfort, peace, and small personal wishes.
4. Old Temples Still Living Inside Modern Seoul
Inspired by spring lantern nights in Seoul
Many visitors are surprised that old Buddhist temples still exist naturally in the middle of Seoul.
Places like Jogyesa Temple sit between office buildings and busy roads, but the atmosphere changes the moment you step inside. Although people sometimes imagine Buddhist events as being very serious or formal, the actual atmosphere often feels warm and peaceful.
During Buddha’s Birthday season, some temples even offer free tea or simple Bibimbap (Korean mixed rice bowl meals) to visitors. Many foreigners also experience temple food for the first time during this season.
Maybe that is why people often say, “Seoul feels like a very modern city, but tradition still quietly lives inside everyday life.”
⚡ Festival Highlights
- Lantern Lighting Ceremony — Wednesday, April 22, 2026 / Gwanghwamun Square
- Lantern Parade (Yeondeunghoe) — Saturday, May 16, 2026
Heunginjimun → Jongno → Jogyesa Temple - Traditional Lantern Exhibition — Throughout May
Jogyesa Temple, Bongeunsa Temple, Cheonggyecheon Stream - Traditional Culture Festival — Sunday, May 17, 2026
Traditional performances and cultural experiences near Jogyesa Temple - Buddha’s Birthday Ceremony — Sunday, May 24, 2026
Held at temples across Korea
You can check festival schedules, parade routes, traffic control notices, and multilingual visitor information on the official Yeondeunghoe website.
Official Yeondeunghoe Website →
5. Things Visitors Should Know
The official festival website supports multiple languages including English, Japanese, Chinese, French, German, and Spanish, making it easier for international visitors to find information.
However, some pop-up notices and traffic control announcements are still mostly written in Korean. Since parts of Jongno become heavily crowded during the lantern parade, checking transportation routes in advance can be very helpful.
Final Thoughts
Buddha’s Birthday in Korea feels a little different from what many people might expect from a religious holiday.
For some people, it is a day of faith. For others, it is simply a peaceful spring night spent walking beneath lantern lights with family or friends.
If you happen to visit Seoul in mid-May, I think walking through Jongno and Jogyesa Temple at night beneath the lanterns could become one of the most memorable spring experiences in Korea.