Puma’s 10K race ‘Ignites’ Seoul

Ten thousand runners raced from Hongdae to Yeouido Park on Sunday, passing landmarks and trendy spots.

The run, jointly organized by Puma and Herald Corp., publisher of The Korea Herald, and sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, kicked off at 5 p.m. in Hongdae.

Popular celebrities, including Hyeri of Girl’s Day, Korean-Japanese singer Kangnam, actress Park Ha-sun, model Yoo Seung-ok and singer Jang Jae-in, joined the race.

Participants ran along the Hangang River and crossed Seogang Bridge, which links the city’s Mapo and Yeouido areas. They passed the National Assembly Hall along the way to Saetgang Ecological Park, a botanical preservation area nestled in the heart of the city. The race ended in Yeouido Park, where an after-party featuring K-pop sensation Psy was held from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The 10-kilometer run was one of 10 Puma city races around the world, with others in New York, Miami, Istanbul and Cape Town. The global running events started in February in Tokyo to celebrate the launch of the “Ignite” running shoes, worn by the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt. 

According to Puma, the new running shoes offer “maximum energy return” that improves speed due to a new cushioning material in the heel.

The event is also a response to the rising popularity of jogging in Korea. Starting with Nike’s 10-kilometer and women’s races about five years ago, global sports brands Adidas and New Balance have organized running events every year to rebrand themselves as hip and cool all-around sports brands.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)