'Hello Summer Party' opens Friday; park collaborates with global IP Sanrio Characters

Caribbean Bay's outdoor wave pool [Everland]
Caribbean Bay's outdoor wave pool [Everland]

Caribbean Bay, the water park at Everland, announced Tuesday it will hold "Hello Summer Party," a summer festival in collaboration with globally popular IP Sanrio Characters, from Friday through Sept. 6.

Samsung C&T's resort division, which operates Caribbean Bay, said it has moved to run all water facilities at full capacity through June 20 in response to an early heat wave this year and forecasts of record-breaking temperatures, while also preparing Sanrio Characters-themed attractions for guests.

Sanrio Characters — home to Hello Kitty and a wide roster of other characters — has built a cross-generational fandom and collaborated with numerous brands at home and abroad. The tie-up with Caribbean Bay marks the franchise's first collaboration with a domestic water park, drawing attention as a pairing of South Korea's largest water park and a globally recognized character IP.

Caribbean Bay has transformed the park from its main entrance through its castle walls, food town and locker areas into a Sanrio Characters theme zone, with character sculptures and illustrations showcasing eight characters: Hello Kitty, My Melody, Kuromi, Cinnamoroll, Pompompurin, Pochacco, Hangyodon and Bad Badtz-Maru.

At the central island of the wave pool, the park has set up a main photo spot featuring Hello Kitty dressed as a lifeguard captain, alongside other characters surfing and splashing in the water.

Throughout the festival, a "Sanrio Characters Food Town" will operate around the wave pool, bringing together themed restaurants reflecting each character's personality and a lineup of collaboration food and drink offerings.

The outdoor wave pool will host a Water Music Pool Party from July 3 through Aug. 17, where guests can enjoy K-pop, EDM, hip-hop and more curated by popular DJs while cooling off in the water.

The event has drawn enthusiastic crowds in past years with performances by popular singers and idol groups. This year's artist lineup has already been announced, featuring fromis_9, Alpha Drive One, NCT WISH, LUCY, Kim Ha-on and Now I'm Young.

Meanwhile, Everland will also unveil a new water experience zone designed to beat the summer heat.

A week before Everland's summer festival opens, a new water play zone called "Water Pang Pang Adventure" — spanning approximately 830 square meters in the Alpine area — will open first on Friday.

Also launching early this year, a special "2 Park" event allowing guests to visit both Caribbean Bay and Everland in a single day will begin Friday. Caribbean Bay visitors can enter Everland free of charge after 5 p.m. Starting July 3, guests can move from Caribbean Bay to Everland at any time during Everland's operating hours.

"We hope everyone enjoys the coolest and most exciting summer through the diverse offerings of Hello Summer Party with Sanrio Characters this summer — from a special vacation experience to the Water Music Pool Party," a Caribbean Bay official said.


jeongwan@heraldcorp.com