Seoul goes green for St. Patrick’s Day Festival

Irish Ambassador to Korea Michelle Winthrop, second from right, announces raffle winners during the St. Patrick’s Day festival at D-Cube City Plaza outside Sindorim Station in southwestern Seoul, March 15, 2025. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

It’s that time of year again — the ice melts, the sun sets later and the greens come out. It’s time once again for St. Patrick’s Day, including the big annual festival at D-Cube City Plaza in southwestern Seoul this Saturday.

Under this year’s theme of “Seoul’s Going Green,” the plaza will be transformed into a lively showcase of Irish heritage and contemporary culture, highlighting the deep and growing tie between Ireland and Korea.

“St. Patrick’s Day has been a staple in Seoul for many years now, and what makes it special is the feeling of Irish hospitality and community on display for all to see,” said Alan Leavy, chairman of the Irish Association of Korea (IAK), the main organizer. “It’s not just for Irish people. We really want it to be open to anyone who wants to come along, take part and enjoy themselves. St. Patrick’s Day is among the most widely celebrated national days in the world, and here in Seoul it’s a great day out for the whole family and a chance to experience a bit of Irish culture.”

A man naps in the sun during last year’s St. Patrick’s Day festival at D-Cube City Plaza outside Sindorim Station in southwestern Seoul, March 15, 2025. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

Running from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., the free, family-friendly outdoor festival is open to the public. An afternoon of events and activities is planned, including live music and dance performances, cultural exhibits and community booths, and activities for children including facepainting and prizes.

The best-dressed contest offers 200,000 won to the adult with the best attire, and LEGO sets for kids with the best outfits.

There will also be a raffle with a top prize of two round-trip air tickets to Dublin sponsored by Etihad Airways. The second place prize is an overnight stay with breakfast at the Conrad Seoul hotel, and third place is a 300,000 won voucher for Smith & Wollensky steakhouse.

The live performances will include the new Irish folk band Suffering Fools, the all-Korean Irish folk group Gan Ainm, the 8th Army Rock Band and expat bands Honey Jam Sam, Sotto Gamba and the 120s. There will also be a dance performance by Irish Dance Company Rince, and a music and dance performance by the Seoul Ceilí Band featuring 10 musicians on stage accompanying a troupe of dancers in front of the stage.

Red Dawg String Band performs during last year’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival at D-Cube City in southwestern Seoul, March 15, 2025. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

The event will be hosted by Daniel Ryan in English and Bethany McMonagle in Korean. There will be speeches by Kim Jun-min, vice president of Daesung, the operator of D-Cube City, as well as Irish Ambassador to Korea Michelle Winthrop.

For Winthrop, who has been Ireland’s ambassador to Korea since August 2022, this will be her last St. Patrick’s Day festival before leaving for greener pastures. This year, the IAK has extended invitations to ambassadors at other embassies and is delighted with the response, so attendees can expect to see a number of foreign dignitaries soaking in atmosphere.

“In my four years as the Irish ambassador to Korea, I have seen the St. Patrick’s Day festival go from strength to strength each year,” Winthrop said. “The family-friendly atmosphere is always great fun, the music is always wonderful and there are always some awesome prizes to be won in the raffle. It’s also a great way for members of the public to learn a bit more about Ireland — opportunities for traveling there, how to pick up Gaelic football, learning how to dance and understanding a bit more about the causes that matter to us — global hunger, and mental health. Please join me and the rest of the Irish community for a great day of craic agus ceol!”

After, the party will continue in Itaewon at The Craic House Bar and Restaurant, an Irish bar that is often described as the unofficial Irish Embassy. Starting at 7 p.m., there will be music performances by Radio Revolution, Soul Juice and Honey Jam Sam.

Follow @irishassockorea on Instagram for more information.