With temperatures hovering around 35 degrees Celsius day after day, Seoul's autonomous districts are opening water play facilities and ground-level fountains across the city to help residents beat the heat.
Families with young children are expected to flock to the sites, which are free or low-cost and located in parks and along streams close to home — no vacation trip required.
Jungnang-gu District Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi said the district is operating a range of water facilities so residents can safely enjoy water activities close to home during the summer heat.
Seoul Jungnang Water Park will run from Wednesday through Aug. 16, while the water play facilities at Sinnae Park and Bongsudae Park held a special opening Saturday and Sunday before beginning regular operations Friday through Aug. 16.
The children's water playground at Jungnang Camping Forest operates on weekends and public holidays from June 6 through Aug. 30, with three sessions daily — at noon and at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. — each lasting 40 minutes.
Ground-level fountains at 13 parks across the district will run through Aug. 31, operating four times a day. The fountains are expected to offer a refreshing respite and serve as cooling spots within the city.
Admission to Seoul Jungnang Water Park is free for toddlers, while age-based fees apply for children, teenagers and adults. The water play facilities at Sinnae Park, Bongsudae Park and the Jungnang Camping Forest children's playground are all free of charge.
Gwangjin-gu District Mayor Kim Gyeong-ho is also rolling out water play facilities and ground-level fountains to give residents a cool urban retreat close to home during the heat wave.
A total of nine facilities are in operation this year — four water play areas and five ground-level fountains.
The Ttukseom Han River Park pool and water play area opened first on June 19, followed by the Jungnangcheon water play area on June 23 and the Guui Park water play area on July 1. A fourth site — a children's water play area in front of the open stage at Children's Grand Park — is set to open Saturday, bringing the total number of outdoor water play areas to four.
Five ground-level fountains — at Gwangjin Sunnaru, Gwangjin Square, Konkuk University Fountain Square, Yakchowon Small Park and Naru Art Center — also operate two to three times daily, providing residents with a cool place to rest.
Dobong-gu District Mayor Kim Dong-uk is operating five free water play facilities — three park-style children's water play areas and two sites along the Jungnangcheon stream — so children can safely enjoy water activities nearby.
The three park-style facilities are located at Darakwon Sports Park, Dooly Museum and Banghak Sagye Square, and all run through Aug. 31.
Darakwon Sports Park operates four sessions on weekdays and six on weekends and public holidays; Dooly Museum runs two sessions on weekdays and four on weekends and public holidays; and Banghak Sagye Square offers three sessions on weekdays and six on weekends and public holidays. All facilities follow a 40-minute session and a 20-minute break.
The two Jungnangcheon water play areas are located in front of Seowon Apartment in Dobong-dong and downstream of Nokcheon Bridge in Changdong. Each covers about 800 square meters and is equipped with various play structures, operating six sessions a day free of charge through Aug. 23.
"As the heat wave shows no sign of letting up, we will do our utmost to manage water quality and safety at our facilities so residents can enjoy a safe and comfortable summer," a Seoul district official said. "We encourage everyone to make full use of these urban water play spaces, which serve as cooling shelters during the hottest days."
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