2016 Seoul Lantern Festival takes inspiration from Han River

2016 서울 빛 초롱 축제 개막,... 역사담은 등불들 청계천 밝힌다! The annual Seoul Lantern Festival kicked off this evening. This year the event draws inspiration from the Hangang River... with lanterns depicting its history and its beauty. Lee Ji-won shows us what to expect from the biggest one held up to date in Cheonggyecheon Stream in Seoul A majestic dragon guards the Taebaek Mountain Range, the origin of the river running through the central part of the Korean Peninsula -- the Han. It is just one of the more than 70 lanterns lighting up the Cheonggyecheon stream in central Seoul on Friday as the 2016 Seoul Lantern Festival gets underway. The event this year features several historic lanterns that take the river as their theme -- from the Amsa Neolithic settlement site and the march of King Jeongjo... to a depiction of the bombing of the Hangang River Bridge in 1950 to stop the North Korean invasion at the start of the Korean War. "I really like the lantern behind me. It's reminiscent of the olden days in our country, which reminds me of the old neighborhood I used to live in when I was younger." "Well the lights are fabulous, they look stunning, and I love the stream, it's one of my favorite parts of the city." One of the most eye-catching pieces that's not to be missed... is the lantern called Hangang Story. It shows all 27 bridges crossing the river that bisects the Korean capital,... along with some of the city's best known cultural and historical... attractions and monuments. "I first came to the festival two years ago and loved it. So I came back with my mom,... to show her how beautiful it is. I think there isn't another festival like this in any other country." "My friends came over from Daejeon and Ansan, and we're enjoying it very much. Compared to the previous lantern festivals, there seem to be bigger lanterns . like the Great Stone Face." "Welcoming more than 2-point-5 million visitors from in and out of the country every year,... the 17-day Seoul Lantern Festival aims to top the list of staple events in Korea’s calendar. Lee Ji-won, Arirang News." Visit ‘Arirang News’ Official Pages Facebook(NEWS):   / newsarirang   Homepage: http://www.arirang.com Facebook:   / arirangtv   Twitter:   / arirangworld   Instagram:   / arirangworld