'Seoul Wellness Travel Week' runs Saturday through Nov. 4

Bongeunsa, Pilgyeongjae, Boston Chamber among participating venues

Night walking meditation, hanji lantern exhibition among highlights

A view of Bongeunsa temple in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
A view of Bongeunsa temple in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

An urban wellness festival blending meditation, fine food and cultural arts will take place across Seoul this autumn. Visitors can quiet their minds through meditation at a centuries-old Buddhist temple or soak in Korean flavors and aesthetics at a traditional hanok.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced it will hold the "2026 Seoul Wellness Travel Week" starting Saturday at key venues in Gangnam-gu and at facilities selected for the Seoul Wellness Tourism 100. This year's festival is organized around three themes: rest and healing, traditional food culture, and music and the arts. Participating venues include Bongeunsa temple, Pilgyeongjae and Boston Chamber in Gangnam-gu, along with eight facilities from the Seoul Wellness Tourism 100.

Bongeunsa will host 15 programs over Saturday and Sunday, including singing bowl meditation, yoga, tea gatherings and restorative exercise. Saturday's lineup features a Seon meditation session led by the monk Geumgang and a night walking meditation along the temple's paths. Most programs cost 5,000 won ($3.60), while the Seon meditation session is free.

Pilgyeongjae, a traditional hanok, will display hanji lantern works by artist Kim Won-cheon free of charge from Monday through Nov. 4. On Nov. 4, Boston Chamber — a multipurpose cultural venue on Garosugil — will host a free outdoor "sound healing busking" performance combining harp and vocals.

Starting Monday, free night walking meditations guided by voice prompts via app or QR code will run daily from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Bongeunsa, Jogyesa and Hwagyesa temples.

From Thursday through Nov. 4, eight venues on the Seoul Wellness Tourism 100 list will offer special hands-on programs, including sensory-recovery experiences, Korean rice-cake tea sessions, traditional fermented food culture classes, five-element color tea therapy and a Korean tea blending class.

Some programs require advance reservations; detailed schedules and fees are available on the event's official website. "We hope citizens and tourists from home and abroad will recharge body and mind by experiencing Seoul's unique blend of rest, taste and culture — and discover a new side of the city," said Cho Seong-ho, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's tourism and sports bureau.


ken@heraldcorp.com