The ninth candlelight rally, which will be taking place on Christmas Eve, is expected to be full of yuletide cheer.

The Youth Campaign for the Resignation of Park Geun-hye announced on Dec. 23 that it was planning to hand out 300 gift sets stuffed with picture books, winter caps and “step down” stickers shaped like animals to children who were at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul around 4 pm on Dec. 24. The group has already recruited 300 “young Santas” for this purpose. Last week, the young Santas sang carols and handed out presents to children while saying, “Our gift to you is democracy.”

“The reason that so many people are taking to the streets despite the cold weather is because they don’t want this kind of thing to happen again. In that sense, I think we’re giving the gift of democracy to the next generation. I hope that the kids will feel like they’re being given the future in a fun atmosphere,” said Choi Gyeong-eun, 24, who served as a Santa last week and will do so again this week.

This candlelight rally will bring more singers to the stage than any previous one. The organizers of the rally made this decision since it’s taking place on Christmas Eve. During the “Step Down Show,” which be held on the north stage at Gwanghwamun Square at 4 pm, there will be performances by singer Maya (“Azalea,” “Shout Myself”), rock star Lee Han-cheol (“Superstar”), and the rock band Every Single Day (“Echo,” the theme song from the drama “I Can Hear Your Voice”). All these acts will bring excitement to the stage with their rocking tunes.

The main event will kick off at 5 pm with a performance by folk group Jatanpung (“Me to You”). After the march concludes, performances by folk singer Yeon Yeong-seok, operatic pop singer Louis Choi and the Seoul Jazz Big Band will set the Christmas mood. Yeon Yeong-seok is the singer who made a splash early in the candlelight rallies by revamping the Christmas carol “Feliz Navidad” as “Geun-hye Won’t Do” (the two titles rhyme in Korean). In a similar manner, there will be six groups that take the stage to sing songs with lyrics that have been altered for the occasion.

“Since the event is being held on Christmas Eve, I hope that protesters who come out will feel as if the meek and the righteous are being born again instead of this corrupt and unjust world. It would be great if people could bring creative items that symbolize Park leaving office right away,” said the rally organizers’ joint situation room.

At 2:30 pm on the same day, artists will be holding a project called “attack the bus barricade.” Artists from the tent encampment at Gwanghwamun and the Gwanghwamun Art Movement are planning to hang up a large canvas in front of the police bus barricade on the left side of the north end of Gwanghwamun Square, facing the main government office, and allow protesters to draw pictures and graffiti inspired by the theme “the candles will not go out.”

“The idea is for [the canvas] to express our attitudes about the current government, since it will cover up the intimidating police bus barricade facing the demonstrators and also stand in front of the government office,” said Kim Jin-gwon, 60, a printmaker who is the director of the Gwanghwamun Art Movement, when asked about the project.

Quite a few preliminary events and afterparties will be held, including a debate hosted by celebrity Kim Je-dong at 1:30 pm and the “plaza singing contest” at the tent encampment on Gwanghwamun Square at 9 pm. The organizers are planning to begin the main event for the ninth nationwide rally at 5 pm under the official title “keep going until the end: the day of action to force Park Geun-hye to resign, to quickly impeach her and to eliminate social problems.” At 9 pm, protesters will march toward the Blue House, the Prime Minister’s residence and the Constitutional Court, where a number of assemblies and performances will take place.

The organizers are planning to call on the Constitutional Court to quickly conclude its impeachment hearing and to impeach Park and to call on Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn (who is serving as acting president) to step down.

By Park Su-ji and Ku Dool-rae, staff reporters

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