A poster announcing vehicle restrictions for the Bomun Night Run. [North Gyeongsang Province Cultural Tourism Corporation]
A poster announcing vehicle restrictions for the Bomun Night Run. [North Gyeongsang Province Cultural Tourism Corporation]

The North Gyeongsang Province Cultural Tourism Corporation will host the "Bomun Night Run with Wally" at the Bomun Tourism Complex in Gyeongju on Oct. 31.

About 5,000 participants are expected to take part in the event, co-organized by North Gyeongsang Province and Gyeongju City. Runners will wear the signature striped shirt and socks of Wally, the globally popular character, as they make their way through the Bomun Tourism Complex.

The event opens at 3 p.m. at a helipad across from Gyeongju Expo Grand Park, next to the Bodeok-dong Community Service Center, with the running portion beginning at 6 p.m.

All courses are confined within the Bomun Tourism Complex and will be offered in two categories: a 10-kilometer run and a 5-kilometer slow run.

Traffic restrictions will be in effect on sections of Gyeongnam-ro and Bomun-ro inside the complex from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the day of the event.

Roads in central Gyeongju will not be affected. Organizers plan to reduce the number of two-way restricted sections and secure detour routes to minimize inconvenience to residents.

The assembly area will feature promotional and experience booths run by businesses in the tourism complex, as well as food trucks. Additional events will include a message wall marking the first anniversary of the APEC Summit and a prize draw.

All finishers will receive a completion package that includes a medal, and the top three male and female finishers in the 10-kilometer category will be recognized in an awards ceremony.

The event will close with a drone show featuring 1,000 drones and a fireworks display of some 3,000 shells lighting up the night sky.

A baggage storage area, changing rooms and a medical booth will also be available. Shuttle buses will run from Gyeongju Station and Gyeongju Intercity Bus Terminal to the venue and back, and two dedicated parking lots will be provided for participants.

Further details are available on the official website and through the event operations office.

Kim Nam-il, president of the North Gyeongsang Province Cultural Tourism Corporation, said the organization would prioritize participant safety and minimizing disruption to residents, and would do its best to use the event as a springboard for boosting nighttime tourism at the Bomun Tourism Complex.


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com