By Honorary Reporter Martina Marrandino from Italy

Photos = Martina Marrandino

Among winter festivals in Korea, the most beautiful is the Lighting Festival at the Garden of Morning Calm in Gapyeong-gun County, Gyeonggi-do Province. To run through March 19, the event is held at the garden, a magnificent arboretum about an hour north of Seoul that offers breathtaking views year-round. More than 30,000 LED displays cover 330,000 square m, making the event the country's largest light festival and the first to combine artificial light with a natural environment.

On Jan. 10, I visited the festival grounds in the afternoon to experience the beautiful scenery. At the entrance are several small stores and stalls selling snacks and a cafe to relax and enjoy the view.

The Garden of Morning Calm lit up for this year's Lighting Festival in Gapyeong-gun County, Gyeonggi-do Province.

Entering the festival was like stepping into a fairy tale. The green forest created a unique perfume worthy of a magical realm. The garden's vast size surprised me as it took more than an hour to get through everything. Other sections included Hakyung Garden, Hometown House Garden, Bonsai Garden, Moonlight Garden, Sky Path and Garden of Eden. Even with trees losing their floral colors in winter, the LED lights made the garden a colorful winter paradise.

I also noticed a range of themes such as animals, flowers and love while wandering through the garden, as well as photo zones and tunnels of sparkling lights.

While the garden is most beautiful at night, visiting during the day is also great. So if you're in Korea during winter, don't miss the Lighting Festival.

kalhong617@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.