(TAN): The annual Seoul Lantern Festival started from October 30 across four special tourism zones hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, reported Yonhap News Agency.
The lantern festival usually takes place along Cheonggye Stream in downtown Seoul. This year it was moved to four neighborhoods — Jamsil, Itaewon, Dongdaemun and Myeongdong — that saw a sharp decline in tourism this year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said in a press release.
“We hope that through this event, our citizens who are exhausted from COVID-19 will receive comfort and that businesses in the special tourism zones will overcome this difficult time,” Joo Yong-tae, a city official overseeing tourism, was quoted as saying by the media.
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The festival, spanning for over two-and-a-half months, will run in succession in Jamsil (October 30-November 6), Itaewon (November 4-December 31), Dongdaemun (November 6-15) and Myeongdong (November 13-January 15).
Each zone will showcase lanterns made from traditional mulberry paper and featuring the neighborhood’s distinct characteristics.
As per media reports, Jamsil will decorate a walking trail with lanterns shaped like maple and gingko leaves. Itaewon will feature lanterns resembling the main characters of the popular webtoon “Itaewon Class.” Dongdaemun’s display will revolve around the themes of shopping and its historical gate, Heunginjimun.
Myeongdong will exhibit a large Christmas tree lantern, as well as “Merli,” a character based on Singapore’s mythical creature Merlion, in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Singapore.
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The city government has reportedly decided to dispatch 53 officials to the four sites to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus during the festival. Spreading out the festival across four venues is also a crowd control measure by the government.
The yearly festival at Cheonggye Stream, has been drawing more than 2.5 million visitors since 2009.
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