Skating for 1,000 Won an Hour, Sledding for 6,000 Won a Day! Seoul Plaza Ice Rink and the Han River Sledding Hills 2026-27 [Awaiting Announcement] — Opened Dec 19 and Dec 31 in 2025-26, Book on Mondays, Sleds and Skates Included

The best-value winter fun in Seoul is probably these two: an hour of skating on Seoul Plaza in front of City Hall for 1,000 won, and a day of sledding on the Han River banks for 6,000 won. Both include the equipment, so you go empty-handed.

The rink runs from mid-December to early February and the sledding hills from the end of December to mid-February. In 2025-26 they opened on December 19 and December 31 respectively, with sledding until February 18. They’re a local winter staple, packed with Korean families over the school break.

As of September 2026, when this was written, the 2026-27 dates are not announced. The rink is usually announced in late November to early December and the sledding hills in mid-to-late December, so here is the 2025-26 record with dates, hours and prices, to be updated when the announcements land.

Booking (the rink opens next week’s slots on Mondays), discounts, how to get there, family tips, and how to fit it all into one day with the illuminations — it’s all here. Nowhere else in Seoul’s winter can a single 1,000-won coin buy you a ride.

1,000 Won an Hour, Skates and Helmet Included! The Seoul Plaza Ice Rink — Dec 19 to Feb 8 in 2025-26

✔ An outdoor rink that appears on the square in front of City Hall only in winter
The Seoul Plaza (서울광장) rink is built each winter on the lawn in front of Seoul City Hall, right outside City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2). In 2025-26 it opened on December 19 and ran to February 8. The price is 1,000 won per one-hour session, with skate and helmet rental included — an outdoor rink for 1,000 won an hour is the cheapest fun in Seoul’s winter.

It works in one-hour sessions. Booking is on the official site (seoulskate.kr), where slots for the following week open every Monday. Weekend evenings fill fast, so if you want a weekend session, book on Monday. There are walk-up slots, but advance booking is the sure way. Groups got 30% off with a phone booking, and seniors 65+, people with disabilities and basic-livelihood recipients 50% off.

The only thing to bring is gloves — and they’re mandatory. None are for rent, so if you forget them you can’t skate; 5,000-won gloves from Daiso are plenty. Seoul Plaza is walking distance from Gwanghwamun Square and Cheonggyecheon, so take the 7 or 8 pm session after the Winter Festa lights and you’ll cover Seoul’s whole winter in one evening.

Seoul Plaza ice rink and the Han River sledding hills [2025-26 record, awaiting the 2026-27 announcement]

Item	Seoul Plaza ice rink	Han River sledding hills (Ttukseom, Jamwon, Yeouido)
2025-26 dates	Dec 19–Feb 8	Dec 31–Feb 18
Hours	One-hour sessions	10:00–17:00 (Jamwon until 20:00 on weekends and through Jan 4)
Price	1,000 won an hour (skates and helmet included)	6,000 won a day (sled, snow playground and shows included)
Discounts	Groups 30%; seniors 65+, people with disabilities, basic-livelihood recipients 50%	Under 36 months free; seniors 65+, people with disabilities, national merit holders, multi-child cards 50%
Booking	Next week’s slots open every Monday at seoulskate.kr	Not needed (walk in)
Bring	Gloves (mandatory, none for rent)	Waterproof shoes and spare socks
Nearest station	City Hall Station, Lines 1 and 2	Jayang (Ttukseom Hangang Park) Station Exit 2, Line 7, among others

Read next: To warm up indoors afterward, see 『−3°C Outside, 25°C Inside! You Can Build a Whole Seoul Winter Day Indoors—The National Museum Is Free and Open Until 9 pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Aquarium Is 35,000 Won, the Observation Deck 33,000, the Jjimjilbang 14,000, and Here Is How to Chain Them on a Cold-Wave Day』.

Sledding for 6,000 Won a Day, Snow Playground Included! The Han River Sledding Hills — Dec 31 to Feb 18 in 2025-26

✔ Three parks — Ttukseom, Jamwon, Yeouido — 10 am to 5 pm, sleds lent free
The Han River sledding hills (한강 눈썰매장) are winter-only playgrounds built from artificial snow on the riverbanks. In 2025-26 the three sites at Ttukseom (뚝섬), Jamwon (잠원) and Yeouido (여의도) opened on December 31 and ran to February 18, daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Jamwon alone stayed open until 8 pm on weekends and daily through January 4.

Admission is 6,000 won and covers everything: sled rental, the snow playground, rest areas and character shows. Children under 36 months are free (bring proof of age), and seniors 65+, people with disabilities, national merit holders and multi-child card holders get 50% off. The three sites are themed on ‘Pororo and Friends’ — Pororo at Jamwon, Rogi at Yeouido, and Tayo with Pororo at Ttukseom. In 2024-25 the three drew 141,134 visitors, the most since they opened.

Ttukseom has a large adult slope and a separate zone for ages 3–6, with a maintenance break from 1 to 2 pm. Between runs you’re free in the snow playground; the food stalls sell cup noodles, sandwiches and street snacks, and there’s coat storage near the entrance. Get there from Exit 2 of Jayang (Ttukseom Hangang Park) Station on Line 7. Seoul’s own report put it well: ‘no need to go far — the day flies by’.

Skate at Night, Sled by Day! Combining the Two in One Day, and Tips for Families

✔ Sledding on the Han by day, skating and lights at City Hall by night
The recommended combination is sledding by day and skating by night. The sledding hills run 10 am–5 pm, and a clear morning is the quietest time with the best snow. From Ttukseom, take Line 7 to Konkuk University (건대입구) for lunch, then Line 2 to City Hall, and you’re in time for the 6 pm Gwanghwamun lights and a 7 or 8 pm skating session.

Three notes for families: (1) the sledding hills have a zone for ages 3–6, but judge the big slope with a parent alongside; (2) the rink includes a helmet, but gloves are a must; (3) both are outdoors, so plan around December’s 0.2°C average with stick-on warmers and waterproof shoes. Shoes get wet in the snow at the sledding hills, so a spare pair of socks makes the afternoon much easier.

The busiest times are weekends during the Korean school winter break (late December to February) and the Seollal holiday (Feb 6–9 in 2027). Weekday mornings at the sledding hills and weekday evenings at the rink are quiet. The rink ends in early February and the sledding hills in mid-February, so a trip in the second half of February will miss them; the 2026-27 closing dates will be updated too.

When Are the 2026-27 Dates Announced? The Usual Pattern and This Article’s Update Plan

✔ The rink in late November to early December, the sledding hills in mid-to-late December
As of September 2026 the 2026-27 dates are not out. The usual pattern is that the Seoul Plaza rink is announced in late November to early December as part of the Seoul Winter Festa, and the Han River sledding hills by Seoul’s Future Han River Headquarters in mid-to-late December — the 2025-26 announcement came in a December 30 report saying ‘opens December 31’.

What rarely changes is the price and the system. Skating at 1,000 won an hour with skates and helmet has held for years, and the 6,000-won sledding fee was the same as in 2024-25. Opening dates drift between mid- and late December depending on the year, and closing dates between early and mid-February. This article is built so that only the dates need swapping once they’re announced.

Where to check: for the rink, the official booking site (seoulskate.kr) and the city’s ‘Exciting Seoul Winter’ page; for the sledding hills, the Future Han River Headquarters page (hangang.seoul.go.kr). If you’re planning December, come back to this article at the end of November and in mid-December — it will be updated as soon as the dates are out.

Where to Go? Map and Summary — Seoul Plaza and Ttukseom Hangang Park

In short, Seoul’s cheap winter fun is ‘skating in front of City Hall for 1,000 won an hour, booked on Monday; sledding on the Han for 6,000 won a day, 10 am to 5 pm’. Seoul Plaza doesn’t reach this site’s bar (★4.5 or higher with 100+ reviews), so it’s listed with that noted. Ratings are Google Maps as of September 17, 2026; the 2026-27 dates will be updated once announced.

• Ttukseom Hangang Park sledding hill (뚝섬한강공원 눈썰매장) — Google ★4.5 (129 reviews) · Jayang-dong, Gwangjin-gu · Exit 2 of Jayang (Ttukseom Hangang Park) Station, Line 7 · Dec 31–Feb 18 in 2025-26, 10:00–17:00 · 6,000 won (sled and snow playground included)
• Seoul Plaza ice rink (서울광장 스케이트장) — Google ★4.3 (3,470 reviews, below the bar) · 110 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu · direct from City Hall Station (Lines 1 and 2) · Dec 19–Feb 8 in 2025-26 · 1,000 won an hour (skates and helmet included) · next week’s slots open Mondays at seoulskate.kr

FAQ

How much is the Seoul Plaza ice rink?

1,000 won per one-hour session, with skate and helmet rental included. Groups get 30% off and seniors 65+, people with disabilities and others 50% off. Gloves are mandatory and not for rent.

How do I book the rink?

Slots for the following week open every Monday on the official site (seoulskate.kr). Weekend evenings fill fast, so book on Monday. There are walk-up slots, but booking ahead is the sure way.

How much is the Han River sledding, and what’s included?

Admission is 6,000 won and includes sled rental, the snow playground, rest areas and character shows. Children under 36 months are free, and seniors 65+, people with disabilities, national merit holders and multi-child card holders get 50% off.

When and how late are the sledding hills open?

In 2025-26 they ran December 31 to February 18, daily 10 am–5 pm. Jamwon stayed open until 8 pm on weekends and daily through January 4. The 2026-27 dates are announced in mid-to-late December.

Which sledding hill is easiest to reach?

Ttukseom Hangang Park is a walk from Exit 2 of Jayang (Ttukseom Hangang Park) Station on Line 7, with a large adult slope and a separate zone for ages 3–6. It pauses for maintenance from 1 to 2 pm.