Lotus Lantern Festival starting on Friday

The Lotus Lantern Festival will be held on May 18---20 in the area around Jogyesa Temple and Jongno. The Lotus Lantern Festival, held to mark Buddha's birthday (May 24 this year), is one of Seoul's most popular festivals. Each year, thousands of Koreans and foreigners gather around Seoul's Jongno area to watch a nighttime parade of huge, beautifully constructed lanterns. The parade begins at Dongdaemun Stadium and ends at Jogyesa Temple and there are countless programs prepared --- lantern-making, Zen lessons, traditional Korean music and dance, street festivals and much, much more. If you're got an interest in Korean Buddhist culture, this is the one festival you won't want to miss. For more information, call (02) 2011-1747 or visit www.llf.or.kr. For directions to Jogyesa, click here.