Mats weighed down with soju bottles and luggage as early birds stake out prime viewing spots
Empty chicken boxes and untouched radishes used as decoys to fake occupancy
Online services offer paid spot-holding gigs for 30,000–100,000 won, AI-generated 'best view' maps
![A picnic mat staked out on the lawn of Yeouido Hangang Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on Friday morning. A note reading "Don't touch my spot, [expletive]" is attached to the unoccupied mat. (Jeon Sae-nal)](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/09/04/9/news-p.v1.20260904.910712ade703449a856d56d053f575fc_P1.png)
With the Seoul International Fireworks Festival set for Saturday, the annual battle for prime viewing spots along the Han River has erupted in full force. Spot-squatting — laying claim to a coveted patch of ground well before the event — is rampant again this year, while online services have emerged offering paid stand-ins to hold spots or AI-powered maps to identify the best vantage points.
A reporter visited Yeouido Hangang Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, around 9 a.m. Friday, the day before the festival. The riverside lawn near Yeouinaru Station, widely regarded as one of the best viewing areas, was already blanketed with picnic mats.
Rocks, soju bottles and rolling suitcases had been placed on top of the mats to keep them from blowing away, and some were taped directly to the ground. Notes attached to the mats bore messages such as "Spot taken," "This seat has an owner" and "Don't touch my spot, [expletive]." Some people had written their phone numbers on the notes with instructions to call if they were away.
Other tactics were also on display: camping chairs and folding seats were set up around small tables, with empty chicken boxes or an unopened radish left on top to give the impression that someone had just stepped away.
When the reporter counted roughly 100 mats in the area, only about eight were actually occupied. The rest had been laid out early by people intent on securing a good view before the crowds arrived.
Seoul's Han River authority moves to clear unauthorized mats over two days
The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Future Han River Headquarters stepped in to collect items left without authorization. Around 9:30 a.m. Friday, an official from the agency stood beneath the south end of Wonhyo Bridge with a megaphone and announced that leaving or occupying space along the river without a permit is prohibited under the River Act and strictly banned under the Seoul Hangang Park ordinance.
The official warned that items deemed abandoned or left unattended from 9:30 a.m. onward would be collected, and that the city would not be liable for any loss or damage to belongings during the removal process.
Staff then split into two teams, logging the location and number of each unauthorized item, photographing the scene and proceeding with collection. About 10 workers took part in the operation Friday, and the agency said a follow-up sweep would be conducted Saturday.
During the collection, a man was spotted sprinting toward the workers. He pulled his bag and other belongings out of the collection bags the workers were filling, declared "That's my stuff" and walked away.
Online market: AI 'best spot' maps and paid spot-holding gigs
Some people are paying others to secure prime spots for them. Posts seeking someone to "hold a spot at the fireworks festival" are easy to find on secondhand trading platforms, with offers of around 30,000 to 100,000 won per job. The arrangement caters to those who cannot be at the park in person early enough to claim a good position themselves.
Online services dedicated to finding the best viewing spots have also appeared. Websites shared on social media score potential viewing locations based on factors such as distance from the launch point, how much surrounding buildings obstruct the sightline, and how easily a person can exit after the show. Some services go further, offering a simulated preview of what the fireworks would actually look like from a given spot.
The competition for good spots has spilled into the secondhand market more broadly. Not just event tickets, but Han River-view balcony access, private party spaces and hotel stays are reportedly changing hands at premiums ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of won.
Nearby apartment complexes have also gone on alert ahead of the festival. One complex bordering the park, which draws large crowds every year during the event, said it would deploy special security staffing Friday.
A representative of the complex's security firm said guards would be on duty from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday to block entry by outsiders and unregistered vehicles. "Even former residents sometimes sneak in to watch the fireworks from the rooftop, so today we're barring even registered vehicles from entering," the representative said, adding that last year someone kicked down a locked rooftop door to get in despite it being secured.
Meanwhile, this year's Seoul International Fireworks Festival will span two days — Friday and Saturday — with an eve-of-festival event held Friday night for the first time, ahead of the main show Saturday.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency will close Yeouido-ro to all traffic from 3 p.m. Saturday to midnight, covering the stretch from the south end of Mapo Bridge to the 63 Building. Wonhyo Bridge will also be closed to traffic in both directions from 9 a.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Sunday for fireworks installation and dismantling work.
Police will also tow vehicles illegally parked on Han River bridges and expressways. After the event ends, one additional lane each on Mapo Bridge and Hangang Bridge will be closed to create extra pedestrian space.
newday@heraldcorp.com
