What is the name of South Korea’s New Year’s Eve bell-ringing ceremony at Seoul’s Bosingak pavilion?

South Korea’s New Year’s Eve bell-ringing ceremony at Seoul’s Bosingak pavilion is the Bosingak bell-ringing ceremony.

Bosingak is a historic bell pavilion in Jongno, central Seoul. On New Year’s Eve, a large public ceremony centers on striking the Bosingak bell at midnight. The event is attended by large crowds and is also broadcast to audiences across South Korea.

The ceremony’s modern public form developed during the twentieth century, while the bell itself is connected with Seoul’s older timekeeping and civic traditions. The midnight ringing marks the transition into the new calendar year and is commonly accompanied by speeches, performances, and a countdown.

Bosingak is sometimes confused with Seoul’s other major cultural landmarks, including Jongmyo Shrine and Namsan Seoul Tower. Those sites may feature New Year programming, but the famous midnight bell ceremony is specifically associated with the Bosingak pavilion.