It's Christmas time, and doesn't everybody know it.
The Seoul city government is hosting the Seoul Light Festival at the heart of Gwanghwamun Plaza. The city's subway corporation has installed 116 Christmas trees at every station from lines one to four. The city of Daejeon has Christmas buses roaming through the end of the month, sporting flashy lights, decorations and drivers dressed up as Santa Claus. There is no need for travel -- just a stroll around art galleries and museums is good enough to demonstrate that Christmas has indeed arrived.
Art exhibitions 
This year's theme for
Feelux Lighting Museum (Korean only) is “Dreaming of Christmas.” Eight domestic light artists have come together to showcase Christmas lights with the help of LED, optic fiber and other lighting effects. The Dreaming Tree Experience Program offers children the opportunity to create mini-versions of Christmas trees using PVC materials. The Candle Village at the permanent exhibition room is decorated with fairy tale characters like toy soldiers, penguins, polar bears, the house of Mrs. Santa, and photo zones.
The exhibition will run through Dec. 31 (closed Christmas Day). Admission is 3,000 won for adults and 2,000 won for kids. The experience program is an additional 13,000 won. For more information, call 070-7780-8109. Free Interpretation Service: 1330 (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese) or Seoul Dasan Call Center: 120
Deer by Kim Myeong-beom at Avenuel Gallery
The exhibition “Romantic Holiday” at Avenuel Gallery of Lotte Department Store in downtown Seoul features the work of six artists under the theme of Christmas. One of them is Kim Myeong-beom, whose “Deer” is reminiscent of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. Kim Gye-hyeon's three-meter-high Christmas tree is made of blocks, and Kim Da-young's giant light bulb is filled with flowers and characters.
The items will be displayed until Dec. 28. Call 02-726-4428 for more information. Free Interpretation Service: 1330 (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese) or Seoul Dasan Call Center: 120
The Christmas Post Office Exhibition (Korean only) is at the art and design gallery of Topohaus in Seoul's Insa-dong district. The event showcases 12 adorable Christmas illustrations by the four-member art group Polaroid.
The escapade of merry-go-round horses at Christmas by Shin Ji-won and cats, dogs and other animals taking Rudolph's place for gift delivery by Jeon Seul-gi are among the warm and funny illustrations showcased there. Each painting underlines the dreams and hopes for the season.
The exhibit will run through Dec. 31. Admission is free. Call 02-734-7555 for more information. Free Interpretation Service: 1330 (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese) or Seoul Dasan Call Center: 120
CH-R-I-ST-MAS-Potentiality at Urban Art Gallery
at in Seoul's Sinsa-dong district is displaying
CH-R-I-ST-MAS-Potentiality. A selection of delightful artworks is featured in the forms of chocolate, candy, cake, dolls and other seasonal decorations “seemingly” suitable for Christmas.
CH-R-I-ST-MAS stands for CHannel, Remind, Irony, STory, and MASk, and the work reflects human desire and materialism in the display. Admission is free. Call 02-511-2931. Free Interpretation Service: 1330 (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese) or Seoul Dasan Call Center: 120
Teeth of J by Kim Seok-hoon at J Exhibition
Last but not least -- it's HIS birthday after all – the J-Exhibition is running at Gallery 101 Space of Superior Hotel at Seoul's Samseong-dong through Jan. 9. With J standing for Jesus, the exhibition will display some 20 types of crosses and explain the diverse meanings behind them.
The displays include “Teeth of J,” a cross shaped like a tooth, and “Piano,” whose cross is made of a piano keyboard with a sharp thorn added. The revenues from the exhibition will go to charity.
Go to the hotel's
website (Korean only) and click the flash screen Gallery 101 Space for photo samples. The hotel is 50 meter from Samseong subway station on the No. 2 line. Go out exit. 4 nearby the Grand Intercontinental Hotel. Admission is free. For more information, call 02-591-3344. Free Interpretation Service: 1330 (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese) or Seoul Dasan Call Center: 120
By Kim Hee-sung
Korea.net Staff Writer