Gwanghwamun Ice Skating Rink
KOREA TIMES
12-17-2009 21:40
 Many people brave the cold Tuesday to skate on the Gwanghwamun ice rink, which opened on Dec. 11. / Korea Times Photos by Shim Hyun-chul |
By Shim Hyun-chul
The streets sparkle with seasonal decorations and lights, and the air rings with Christmas carols and Salvation Army bells.
Gwanghwamun Plaza’s silver-smooth ice skating rinks complete the holiday spirit. The biting weather can turn any pedestrian’s nose red like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, but children and adults alike seem to forget the cold while imitating Kim Yu-na’s spins on ice.
The public ice rink, which previously opened annually near Seoul City Hall, has moved to Gwanghwamun this year, with three rinks spanning a total of over 6,900 square meters between the statue of King Sejong and plaza’s flower bed.
The smallest of the three rinks, measuring 400 square meters, acts as a 25-meter-long sleigh course between the large (1,250 square meters) and medium-sized (600 square meters) rinks. The small rink is ideal for young children who cannot skate well.
The large rink is undergoing reconstruction after the plaza’s recent hosting of the Seoul Snow Jam competition and is slated to open on Dec. 21.
Visitors, particularly those who forget to bring cameras, can take photographs and send them as SMS messages at booths located around the rink.
The rinks will be open through Feb. 15, 2010. They are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays and until 11 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
The 1,000 won admission includes helmet and skate rentals. Gloves are required in order to enter.
Booking reservations a week prior to your visit is recommended, and can be done online at www.seoulskate.or.kr, but tickets can also be purchased at the site. Skating lessons are also available. For more information, visit the Web site or call (02)3210-1267~8.
