Winter’s end with Luminarie and a seafood gem

Winter is drawing to a close, but its lingering, mysterious aura remains in Seoul, where tunnels of light offer a glowing escape, like a passage to another world. For a contrasting experience, a small, intimate seafood restaurant in Sindang, central Seoul, invites diners to savor the freshest seasonal flavors in a quiet corner of the city. The following are The Korea Herald's picks for this weekend.

Each February, the outdoor plaza at the foot of sky-piercing Lotte World Tower is given over to a dazzling spectacle. This year's edition of the Luminarie, a light festival tradition with roots in Italy, spreads across the tower's sprawling lawn square at three times last year's scale.

The centerpiece is a cross-shaped tunnel, 63 meters wide and 25 meters long, its barrel-vaulted ceiling packed with interlocking floral and geometric latticework. At the far end, a 17-meter dome radiates outward like a rose window stripped of glass as sixteen-meter towers anchor each corner.

Come dusk, 270,000 bulbs flood the assembly in gold and violet -- intricate enough to photograph from every angle and romantic enough to linger in longer than planned.

Lights come on daily at 5:30 p.m. through March 8. Admission is free.

Lotte World Tower

300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul

For many Korean drinkers, one of winter’s quiet pleasures is raising a glass of soju at a no-frills, old-school eatery. In neighborhoods like Sindang-dong — where traces of old Seoul still linger — pairing seasonal seafood with a simple drink can leave a lasting impression.

Maljilro is one such hidden spot.

The space is modest and somewhat narrow, with limited seating that accommodates only small groups. Tables range from two- to four-person settings, which means the restaurant doesn’t host large gatherings — but the upside is a calmer, less noisy atmosphere.

Here, the focus is clearly on the food rather than the drinks. Signature dishes include large yellowtail sashimi, assorted seafood platter and bigfin reef squid sashimi. Other offerings include herring sashimi, sweet shrimp with uni, and sweet shrimp sashimi. For uni lovers, a full plate of sea urchin is also available.

Most sashimi platters are served aged, accompanied by side dishes such as white kimchi, seasoned minari (water parsley) and ssamjang. Perilla leaves and seaweed are also provided, making it easy to wrap each bite in different combinations.

The drinks menu is simple: domestic-brand soju, house highball and Cass beer. The Maljilro highball, however, stands out — surprisingly well-balanced and reasonably priced at 7,000 won. For those looking to wrap up the night with something comforting, seafood ramyeon is a popular choice.

Maljilro is a two-minute walk from Exit 3 of Sindang Station in central Seoul and is open daily from 4 p.m. to midnight. Parking is not available, so public transportation is recommended.

Maljilro

15-29, Toegye-ro 86-gil, Jung-gu, Seoul