Seoul Window
In Korea, strawberries are a winter fruit. Come December, supermarket shelves turn red, and Seoul’s luxury hotels fill their lobby lounges with strawberry cakes, tarts and towers of fresh berries almost all at once. Locals have a nickname for this seasonal ritual, ddalbwi (short for “ddalgi buffet,” strawberry buffet), and it has become one of the defining sights of a Korean winter. Weekend seats vanish weeks ahead, and window tables can be booked out a month in advance.
The catch? The information is scattered everywhere. Every hotel has its own event name, run dates, opening days and time limits. This guide pulls last season’s (2025-26) real prices and conditions for each hotel into a single table, then looks at when the 2026-27 season is likely to open and how foreign travelers can actually get a booking.
The short answer
- Seoul's hotel strawberry buffet season runs from early December to late March or late April. As of October 7, the 2026-27 dates and prices are not announced yet.
- Last season (2025-26), adult prices ran from ₩78,000 (JW Marriott Dongdaemun, weekdays) to ₩150,000 (Lotte Hotel Seoul, December), and it costs more around Christmas (per press reports of hotel announcements).
- Going as a pair? A strawberry afternoon tea (₩77,000–135,000 for two) costs about half of the buffet. Book via Naver, CatchTable or the hotel website, and lock in weekends at least 2–3 weeks ahead.
When do Seoul hotel strawberry buffets open?
Most open in early December and wrap up somewhere between late March and late April. Just a few years ago many hotels kicked off in January, but nearly all of them have now pulled their opening forward to December (Newsis, December 2024). The goal is simple: catch the Christmas and year-end crowd too.
Take the 2025-26 season. Lotte Hotel Seoul, Lotte Hotel World and Grand Walkerhill Seoul opened on December 1, JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul and Seoul Dragon City on December 6, and Banyan Tree Seoul on December 5. On the later side, Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas started its course-style strawberry brunch on January 3, and Conrad Seoul’s character-themed strawberry buffet only opened in mid-January. Closing dates split into two camps as well: late March (Banyan Tree, Dragon City, JW Dongdaemun) and late April (Lotte Hotel Seoul, Lotte Hotel World, Walkerhill).
Why is strawberry a "winter fruit" in Korea?
According to the Rural Development Administration, Korean strawberries were a "spring fruit" harvested only in early spring as recently as 2005. Winter strawberries became possible once Seolhyang, a Korean variety developed in Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province in 2005, spread across the country. By 2020 Seolhyang covered about 88% of Korea's strawberry-growing area, and the share of Korean-bred varieties, just 9.2% in 2005, climbed to 96.3% by 2021. Today most strawberries are grown in greenhouses, and from December through May you can taste varieties such as Seolhyang, Geumsil, Kingsberry and Manyeonseol.
Have the 2026-27 strawberry buffet dates been announced?
Not yet. As of October 7, 2026, no Seoul hotel has officially announced, and no outlet has reported, its 2026-27 strawberry buffet. If last season is any guide, the first news arrived on October 23 (Lotte Hotel World’s pre-sale of character-themed room packages), and the main buffet announcements came in late November (Lotte Hotel Seoul, November 26). In the 2024-25 season, Seoul Dragon City also sold a 15%-off early-bird deal from November 18 to December 1.
So if you’re planning a December trip, the realistic strategy is to start watching hotel announcements from mid-November. Everything below is based on the 2025-26 season, and you can expect this year’s prices to be about the same or slightly higher. In fact, prices have barely dropped in any year over the past six.
How much is a strawberry buffet at each Seoul hotel? (2025-26 season)
Between ₩78,000 and ₩150,000 per adult. The priciest was Lotte Hotel Seoul (₩150,000 in December) and the cheapest was JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square (₩78,000 on weekdays). Even at the same hotel, the “festive” period after December 20 or Christmas Day itself often costs ₩10,000–15,000 more.
🍓 Seoul hotel strawberry buffets compared — 2025-26 season (per adult, based on press reports citing hotel announcements and official hotel shops)
| Hotel (venue) | Dates | Open days | Adult price | Child | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotte Hotel Seoul (Peninsula Lounge) | 2025.12.1 – 2026.4.30 | December: Thu–Sun | ₩150,000 (December) | ₩80,000 | Thu & Fri 18:30 / weekends 3 sittings |
| Banyan Tree Seoul (Granum Dining Lounge) | 2025.12.5 – 2026.3.29 | Fri, Sat, Sun & holidays | ₩135,000 (Dec 20–31: ₩149,000) | ₩80,000 | 4 sittings, 2 hours each |
| Lotte Hotel World (The Lounge & Bar) | 12.1 – 1.11 / 3.1 – 4.30 | March–April: Fri & weekends | ₩115,000 → ₩120,000 | ₩75,000 | March–April: Fri 1 sitting, Sat 3, Sun 2 |
| Seoul Dragon City (In Style) | 2025.12.6 – 2026.3.29 | Fri, Sat, Sun & holidays | ₩110,000 (Dec 24–25: ₩125,000) | ₩60,000 | 3 sittings |
| Grand InterContinental Parnas (Lobby Lounge) | 2026.1.3 – 3.29 | Sat & Sun | ₩135,000 (course + dessert buffet) | — | 11:00–13:00 |
| JW Marriott Dongdaemun (The Lounge) | 2025.12.6 – 2026.3.31 | Daily | Weekdays ₩78,000 / weekends ₩88,000 | ₩39,000–44,000 | 2 hours; 2 slots weekdays, 3 slots weekends |
| Le Méridien Seoul Myeongdong (Lumière) | 2025.12.6 – 2026.3.31 | Daily, dinner | Weekdays ₩79,500 / weekends ₩84,500 | From ₩39,750 | 18:00–21:00 |
On paper it’s just a list of numbers, but in person each hotel has a surprisingly different personality. Here’s what each one is really selling.
Lotte Hotel Seoul — “Must Be Strawberry”
Right next to Myeongdong, this is the seasonal promotion at the Peninsula Lounge on Lotte Hotel Seoul’s first floor. December ran as a year-end special buffet, and from January to April it switched to a hotel-character concept. December pricing was ₩150,000 for adults and ₩80,000 for children. Thursdays and Fridays had a single 18:30 dinner slot, while weekends and holidays ran three sittings at 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00. There are about 30 strawberry desserts, plus 10 hot dishes like grilled lamb chops, carved flat-iron steak and XO-sauce kimchi fried rice, so it’s closer to a “strawberry-themed dinner” than a dessert buffet. The hotel says revenue from the event has grown by double digits every year. Single-person vouchers were sold on its official online shop (Lotte Hotel eShop).
Banyan Tree Club & Spa Seoul — “Berry Berry Berry”
Tucked into the foot of Namsan, Banyan Tree uses jumbo Kingsberry strawberries shipped straight up from Nonsan, South Chungcheong Province, at its Granum Dining Lounge. Last season was its eighth edition, and the pink petal-shaped plates made with ceramics brand Mujagi became a social-media hit. Adults pay ₩135,000 (₩149,000 from December 20 to 31). There are four two-hour sittings, at 12:00, 14:30, 17:00 and 19:30. Bookings for the following month reportedly open at midnight on the 1st of each month (per Esquire), so popular dates disappear the moment they go live. In the 2024-25 season, there were even reports that December was fully booked by late November.
Lotte Hotel World — character strawberry buffet
Right next to Lotte World in Jamsil, this one is an easy win with kids. Last season it ran twice: a SpongeBob collaboration from December 1 to January 11 (₩115,000 for adults, ₩130,000 at Christmas), then, after a short break, a Hello Kitty collaboration from March 1 to April 30 (₩120,000 for adults, ₩75,000 for children, with a free Hello Kitty keyring), as reported by CBS NoCut News for the Hello Kitty run. Its 2024-25 My Melody collaboration was reportedly close to sold out.
Seoul Dragon City — “Strawberry Studio”
Connected to Yongsan Station, Seoul Dragon City has run this event since 2019 at In Style, on the 7th floor of its ibis Styles Ambassador. It uses Seolhyang strawberries from Nonsan and serves 26 desserts alongside real food: pork back ribs, rosé bunmoja tteokbokki, birria tacos and made-to-order jjamppong. Adults pay ₩110,000. From late January it switched to “Season 2,” a collaboration with French cosmetics brand Sisley, with a dedicated photo time before each sitting (per Sports Kyunghyang). It runs three sittings, Friday to Sunday and on public holidays.
JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square Seoul — “Salon de Ddalgi”
Held in the lobby lounge of JW Marriott Dongdaemun, across from Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), this event celebrated its 11th year last season. It’s the only one on this list that opens every day, and it’s also the kindest on the wallet: ₩78,000 on weekdays and ₩88,000 on weekends (₩98,000 at Christmas). Some 20 strawberry desserts are served buffet-style, while savory dishes such as perilla-oil buckwheat makguksu and lobster mini burgers come to your table. Weekdays had two 2-hour slots starting at 13:30, weekends three 2-hour slots starting at 11:00, and booking through Naver got you 10% off (except December 24–25).
Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas — course + strawberry desserts
Parnas, next to COEX by Samseong Station, is counted among the very first hotels to launch a strawberry buffet, around 2007. Last season it skipped the buffet for a hybrid format called “Strawberry Gourmet Boutique.” From January 3 to March 29, on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 to 13:00, you got a welcome drink and a course of appetizer, soup, pasta and steak served at your table, with strawberry desserts as a buffet, for ₩135,000 per adult (per Daily Hankook). It also ran a separate “Strawberry Royal High Tea” (₩120,000 for two) daily from 14:00 to 17:00.
Is a strawberry afternoon tea a better deal than the buffet?
If you’re two people out for the atmosphere, afternoon tea makes far more sense. Once buffet prices climbed into the ₩130,000–150,000 range per person, the number of hotels offering a “strawberry afternoon tea” set for two jumped sharply (per News1, Maeil Business and the Korea Times). Strawberry desserts and savories arrive on a three-tier stand, so you get less food than at a buffet, but the total for two is often cheaper than one buffet ticket.
☕ Seoul hotel strawberry afternoon teas — 2025-26 season (set prices, based on press reports citing hotel announcements)
| Hotel | Price | Dates & hours | In a nutshell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Walkerhill Seoul (The Pavilion) | ₩135,000 for two | 2025.12.1 – 2026.4.30 | 14 items on 3 tiers, Nonsan Seolhyang grown under contract for the hotel |
| Grand InterContinental Parnas | ₩120,000 for two | Until 2026.3.31, daily 14:00–17:00 | ”Royal High Tea” |
| JW Marriott Hotel Seoul (Banpo) | ₩120,000 for two | Until 2026.3.30 | 5 savories including lobster canapés |
| Lotte Hotel Seoul | ₩110,000 for two | Weekdays, 4 sittings | Same lounge as the buffet |
| Banyan Tree Seoul | ₩110,000 for two | During the season | Served on Mujagi soban trays |
| Courtyard by Marriott Namdaemun | ₩90,000 for two | Until 2026.2.28 | Staff explain each day’s farm-origin strawberries; book 3 days ahead |
| Le Méridien Seoul Myeongdong | ₩89,000 for two | Until 2026.2.28, 14:00–17:00 | Includes a main dish (gnocchi, gambas) |
| Courtyard by Marriott Times Square | ₩77,000 for two | 12.1 – 2.28, 14:00–16:00 | Cheapest on this list |
Why are strawberry buffets so expensive now?
Prices have more than doubled in six years. Lotte Hotel Seoul’s strawberry buffet went from ₩59,000 in the 2019-20 season (per Dailian) to ₩150,000 in December of the 2025-26 season. Lotte Hotel World jumped from ₩55,000 to ₩115,000, and Banyan Tree from ₩65,000 to ₩135,000. JW Marriott Dongdaemun went the other way, freezing its price at the 2024-25 level and cementing its reputation as the “value ddalbwi.”
📈 Strawberry buffet price per adult over time (based on press reports, in KRW)
| Hotel | 2019-20 | 2022-23 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotte Hotel Seoul | 59,000 | 89,000 | 145,000 (December) | 150,000 (December) |
| Banyan Tree Seoul | 65,000 | 69,000 | 105,000 | 135,000 |
| Lotte Hotel World | 55,000 | 65,000 | 108,000 | 115,000 |
| Seoul Dragon City | — | 80,000 | 95,000 | 110,000 |
| JW Marriott Dongdaemun (weekdays) | — | — | 78,000 | 78,000 |
The Korean press points to demand for “entry-level luxury”: a way to experience a five-star hotel in a fairly short time at a predictable cost (Seoul Economic Daily). Some argue it isn’t just about ingredient costs, either. Herald Economy reported that hotel prices went up in December 2025 even though wholesale strawberry prices were lower than the year before. Still, demand hasn’t cracked, with headlines reporting “sold out every weekend, even at ₩150,000.”
How can foreign travelers book a Seoul strawberry buffet?
Book through Naver Booking, CatchTable or the hotel website, and if those don’t work, email the hotel directly. These are the booking channels hotels used last season.
- Naver Booking — Used by the most hotels. JW Marriott Dongdaemun and Courtyard Namdaemun gave 10% off and Banyan Tree 5% off for Naver bookings. The interface is in Korean, though, and the account and identity-verification steps can be a hurdle for foreigners.
- CatchTable — Used by Banyan Tree and others. An English version (CatchTable Global) has run since 2022, but whether a hotel's strawberry buffet shows up on the English version varies by hotel.
- Official hotel websites and online shops — Lotte Hotel sold single-person vouchers on its official eShop. With an English site available, this is the easiest route for foreigners.
- Phone and email — Venues like the Parnas lounge also took phone bookings. Reservation desks at luxury hotel restaurants almost always handle English.
- Travel platforms for foreigners — Trazy sold the JW Marriott Dongdaemun strawberry buffet as an English voucher. Just note that the seller's child-age rules and cancellation policy may differ from booking with the hotel directly, so read them carefully.
If Korean apps keep blocking you at the identity-verification step, read why foreigners get stuck on Korean app identity verification, and how to fix it first. If you need a local number, our eSIM vs. SIM vs. pocket Wi-Fi comparison will save you time.
Booking tips — timing lessons from last season
- Go for the early bird. Seoul Dragon City offered 15% off from November 18 to December 1 (2024); Parnas gave 10% off if you booked January dates on Naver between December 20 and 31; and Paradise City ran a 15% discount until January 4.
- Check the booking-open date. At places like Banyan Tree, which open the next month's bookings at midnight on the 1st, you need to log on right at that moment to land a weekend.
- After December 20, it gets pricier. Banyan Tree, Seoul Dragon City and Lotte Hotel World charged ₩10,000–15,000 more at "festive" rates around Christmas. If price matters, January to March works in your favor.
- Weekdays at a daily-open hotel are easiest. Banyan Tree, Dragon City and Lotte Hotel World open only Friday to Sunday, so competition is fierce. If you're free on a weekday, JW Marriott Dongdaemun, open every day, is the easiest to book and the easiest on your budget.
- Afternoon teas are mostly 100% reservation-only, so book at least 3 days ahead (per News1).
Can I bring kids to a strawberry buffet, and is there a time limit?
Most have a separate child rate, and seating is limited to about two hours. Last season child prices ranged from ₩39,000 (JW Dongdaemun, weekdays) to ₩80,000 (Lotte Hotel Seoul, Banyan Tree). The age cut-off differs by hotel: in the 2024-25 season, JW Marriott Dongdaemun counted 37 months to 13 years as children, while Lotte Hotel Seoul and Seoul Dragon City counted from 49 months. There were also reports that Seoul Dragon City only took child payments on site, so if kids are coming along, tell the hotel how many when you book.
As for time, JW Dongdaemun and Banyan Tree give you 2 hours, and Lotte Hotel Seoul’s Thursday and Friday dinners ran 18:30–20:30. Two hours sounds generous, but between photos and queues it flies by. For how to work a Seoul hotel buffet properly, we’ve collected advice from hotel buffet managers in our hotel buffet manager tips.
When did hotel strawberry buffets start in Korea?
Around 2007. One report credits Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas with first using the name “strawberry dessert buffet” (iNews24), while another calls Walkerhill the first hotel in Korea to do it (Harper’s Bazaar Korea), so the most accurate way to put it is that “two hotels introduced it around 2007.” JW Marriott Dongdaemun (2015) and Seoul Dragon City (2019) joined later, and today collaborating with character, fashion and beauty brands is practically the formula. SpongeBob, Hello Kitty, Kuromi & My Melody, Sisley, even Pantone: the strawberry buffet has gone beyond dessert to become something closer to a “winter-only pop-up.”
More ways to enjoy strawberry season
If a hotel buffet feels like too much, strawberries from supermarkets and markets are plenty of fun on their own. We cover Korean fruit prices and seasons in our Korea fruit prices and seasons guide, and winter-only eats from bungeoppang to oysters in Korean winter seasonal foods. For Seoul hotel buffets outside strawberry season, see our Seoul hotel buffets compared, and for other ways to enjoy a hotel by day, try hotel day-use, spas and afternoon tea. Spending the holidays in Seoul? Pair this with Seoul Christmas 2026.
Sources
- Hotel buffet and strawberry buffet price hikes — Newsis (2025.11.28)
- 2026 hotel strawberry buffet roundup — Etoday (2025.12.04)
- Lotte Hotel Seoul "2026 Must Be Strawberry" — Hankyung (2025.11.26)
- Must be Strawberry single-person voucher — Lotte Hotel eShop (official)
- Lotte Hotel strawberry buffet — NewDaily (2025.12.09)
- JW Marriott Dongdaemun "Salon de Ddalgi" — Newsis (2025.12.06)
- Banyan Tree Seoul "Berry Berry Berry" — Newsis (2025.12.27)
- 2026 Seoul strawberry buffet list — Esquire Korea (2026.01.12)
- 2026 Seoul hotel strawberry buffets — The Trip Pick
- Lotte Hotel World Hello Kitty strawberry buffet — CBS NoCut News (2026.02.20)
- Seoul Dragon City Strawberry Studio Season 2 — Sports Kyunghyang (2026.01.26)
- Parnas Strawberry Gourmet Boutique — Daily Hankook (2025.12.19)
- Conrad Seoul strawberry buffet — Korea JoongAng Daily (2026.01.09)
- Hotel strawberry afternoon teas — NewDaily (2025.12.24)
- Afternoon tea instead of a strawberry buffet — Financial News / News1 (2025.12.28)
- Hotels roll out winter strawberry afternoon tea — Korea Times (2025.12.24)
- Seoul hotel strawberry afternoon teas under ₩100,000 — Travie (2025.12.23)
- Sold out even at ₩150,000: hotel strawberry buffets — Seoul Economic Daily (2026.01)
- Strawberry prices fell, hotel desserts went up — Herald Economy (2025.12.07)
- Strawberry buffet openings move up to December — Newsis (2024.12.15)
- 2024-25 season strawberry buffet prices — Newsis (2024.11.29)
- 2024-25 strawberry buffet bookings and early-bird deals — Allure Korea (2024.11.29)
- 2019-20 Lotte Hotel strawberry buffet — Dailian (2019.11.21)
- The original strawberry buffet and rising prices — iNews24 (2019)
- Luxury hotel strawberry desserts — Harper's Bazaar Korea (2024.01.19)
- Korean-bred strawberry varieties — Rural Development Administration webzine (2022.02)
- The story of Seolhyang — Rural Development Administration webzine (2020.02)
- Catch Table launches English version — Korea JoongAng Daily (2022.11.09)
- JW Marriott Dongdaemun Strawberry Buffet — Trazy