Which Seoul landmark hosts the Bosingak bell-ringing ceremony at midnight on New Year’s Eve?

Bosingak Pavilion hosts Seoul’s bell-ringing ceremony at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

Bosingak is a historic bell pavilion in Jongno, central Seoul. The bell associated with it was used during the Joseon period to announce the opening and closing of the city gates. The modern New Year ceremony reuses that historic symbol in a large civic celebration.

At midnight, officials, celebrities, and selected members of the public take turns striking the bell. The event is broadcast nationally and accompanied by performances and crowds in the surrounding streets.

The pavilion’s name is sometimes confused with the name of the bell itself or with Jongno, the district in which it stands. The current bell is a modern replacement: the earlier Joseon bell was damaged and eventually destroyed, while the present large bell was cast in the twentieth century. The ceremony is one of Seoul’s most recognizable year-end traditions.