Yeouinaru Station packed by afternoon

Competition for spots heats up despite 29 C heat

People wait near the event grounds at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul on Saturday morning ahead of the 2026 Seoul World Fireworks Festival. [Yonhap]
People wait near the event grounds at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul on Saturday morning ahead of the 2026 Seoul World Fireworks Festival. [Yonhap]

The area around Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul was packed with people from the morning Saturday as crowds staked out spots ahead of the 2026 World Fireworks Festival. Police and organizers expect about 530,000 visitors to attend the event.

Residents carrying picnic mats and food began streaming into Yeouinaru Station on Seoul Subway Line 5 around 11 a.m., and by 2 p.m. the station concourse had grown so congested that moving through it was difficult.

Competition for prime viewing spots at the Han River park began early. On the grass behind the paid seating area closest to the river, visitors had already laid out picnic mats wall to wall by morning, waiting for the fireworks to begin.

Organizers erected fences to manage crowd numbers by zone and checked photos that returning visitors had taken of their spots to verify their places. If the crowd grows further, visitors will be asked to photograph themselves sitting in their spots and show the image to staff.

Jo Min-ji, 27, arrived around 10:30 a.m. with her mother and younger sister from Jungnang-gu, Seoul. "We were lucky enough to run into someone leaving and grab their spot," she said. "It's my first time watching in person, and I'm excited to make good memories with my family."

Seoul's daytime high reached 29 degrees Celsius, turning the long wait into a battle against the heat. Those who could not find shade shielded themselves with parasols and arm sleeves, sipped ice water and endured the hours-long wait stretching into the evening.

Hwang Sun-rye, 71, who came with friends from Incheon, fanned herself under a parasol and said, "We all came out for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but it's so hot it's really tough." Foreign visitors were also spotted throughout the park.

Nearby vendors were equally busy capitalizing on the massive crowd. A staff member at a convenience store near Yeouinaru Station called out that it was "the last convenience store before the venue," drawing in customers, while shops along the path to the park set out kimbap, fried chicken and ice water to welcome visitors.

Police deployed officers in force at the Han River park, subway stations and other areas of heavy congestion. Vehicle traffic on Yeouido-ro between the southern end of Mapo Bridge and the 63 Building will be completely restricted from 3 p.m. to midnight. Wonhyo Bridge will also be closed to traffic in both directions from 9 a.m. Saturday through 3 a.m. Sunday.

Trains will pass through Yeouinaru Station without stopping from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Police and organizers said they will maintain on-site safety management after the event ends to handle the surge of people leaving all at once.


jookapooka@heraldcorp.com