Seoul Summer Beach invites people to splash in Seoul’s center

Seoul City’s signature summer festival “Seoul Summer Beach” has returned to Gwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul, with a larger swimming zone than last year and new facilities to help beat the heat.

The second edition of the festival began its 17-day operation Friday afternoon with an opening ceremony, according to its operator the Seoul Tourism Organization.

Seoul Summer Beach consists of a water zone, Gwanghwa Waterpark, and a zone in front of the Statue of King Sejong the Great called Summer Vacation Zone, where some parasols, shades and beanbags are installed.

Gwanghwa Waterpark includes two 7.5-meter-high waterslides and a 40-meter-long pool.

The first festival, which took place at the same venue last year, enjoyed broad love from citizens, hitting 680,000 visits. This year, the STO said it doubled the scale of the installations at Gangwha Waterpark.

The waterpark is open to all ages on a first-come-first-served basis for five sessions a day – 1 p.m.-2:20 p.m., 2:30 p.m.-3:50 p.m., 4:00 p.m.-5:10 p.m., 5:40 p.m.-6:50 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Each session allows up to 800 people to enter.

Only those wearing swimming suits and caps can enter the pools, and children must be taller than 110 centimeters to ride the slides.

Water quality is checked and maintained every break, and more than 30 safety agents are dispatched during the festival.