This fall, enjoy a night out in Seoul

Seoul is staying open later this fall, extending nighttime access to City Hall observatories, museums and Han River parks as part of a broader push to encourage residents and tourists to explore the city after dark.

In August, the city set a goal of increasing nighttime spending by 5 trillion won ($3.65 billion) and attracting 30 million foreign tourists over the next five years. The initiative comes as the number of foreign visitors to Seoul rose 21 percent on-year in the first half of 2026.

Here are some ways to enjoy Seoul after dark this fall.

Starting Friday, visitors can enjoy panoramic nighttime views of central Seoul from three observation spots around Seoul City Hall.

The Sky Observatory and Jeongdong Observatory will remain open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, with no admission fee or reservation required. The rooftop garden of the Seoul Metropolitan Library will stay open until 9 p.m. on weekdays.

Located on the eighth and ninth floors of City Hall’s main building, the Sky Observatory offers views stretching from Deoksugung and Gwanghwamun to Sungnyemun Gate. The Jeongdong Observatory overlooks the palace and the historic Jeong-dong neighborhood.

An hourlong guided night tour of Seoul City Hall will also be offered every Friday and Saturday starting Sept. 18. Online reservations open Sept. 15.

Seoul Light DDP 2026 Fall will transform Dongdaemun Design Plaza’s 222-meter curved facade into a giant canvas of light, video and music from Sept. 3-13.

Running nightly from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. with free admission, the festival will reinterpret Korean cultural icons, including Paik Nam-june’s video art and Yoo Young-kuk’s abstract mountain paintings.

For the first time, live music will accompany the facade’s visuals, creating a different display for each performance. Electronic band Idiotape will open the festival Sept. 3, followed by DJ sets from Sion, Hypnosis Therapy and Soulscape on selected nights.

Visitors can also explore a K-food zone at the DDP and use the “DDPxDongdaemun Super Pass,” which connects the festival with about 140 restaurants, cafes, shops and cultural venues across Sindang-dong, Jangchung-dong and Gwanghui-dong. The program offers six themed walking routes and special discounts.

Visitors can spend longer evenings along the Han River this month, with the city extending the permitted use of shade tents at all 11 Han River parks from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The number of designated shade-tent areas has increased from 16 to 20, while food delivery zones have expanded from six locations at three parks to 17 locations across all 11 parks.

The expansion follows the city’s “Han River Night Camping” program, which offered overnight camping at Yeouido and Ttukseom Han River parks throughout August.

To accommodate more nighttime visitors, the city will install additional lighting and surveillance cameras and step up nighttime patrols and waste collection.

Eight city-run museums and cultural facilities will remain open until 9 p.m. five days a week under the new Seoul Museum Night program.

The extended hours will be introduced gradually beginning this month and tested through November before the program becomes permanent in 2027.

Participating venues, including the Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul Museum of Craft Art, Seoul Museum of History and Seoul Baekje Museum, will offer evening programs such as family history tours and curator-led talks.

Currently on view at the Seoul Museum of Art’s main branch near Seoul City Hall is “Yoo Young-kuk: Mountains Are Within Me,” the largest retrospective to date of the pioneering Korean abstract artist. Marking the 110th anniversary of his birth, the exhibition runs through Oct. 25.