Starting in April, Everland in Yongin, south of Seoul, will stage a large-scale nightly finale built around its fireworks expertise accumulated over more than 30 years. The park said the show, titled ‘Guardians of Light,’ is not a simple fireworks display but an outdoor multimedia production combining art and technology, with characters flying overhead, laser effects and fireworks.
Yang Jung-woong, a leading South Korean director who led cultural performances for the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit and the opening ceremony of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, is directing. Artists including K-Herz, the Prague Metropolitan Orchestra and singer 10CM are participating in the production at Four Seasons Garden. Everland said the show combines fireworks, what it calls a world-first flight of large-object drones, K-pop and a story aimed at both children and adults.
A rescue mission and a laser battle
Everland said the revamped night finale begins at 9:20 p.m., when a “Darknight” spell sets the stage for the story. The park’s ‘Lenny and Friends’ characters have been reintroduced as the “Guardians of Light,” embarking on an about 20-minute adventure to protect Evergarden.
The show’s setting draws on science fiction and a steampunk look. The characters set out to save a friend, “Jack,” who has been corrupted by magic, and fight a laser battle on a planet of darkness and chaos. As the guardians overcome the crisis, hope returns and the story ends with fireworks.
Yang, described in the release as an “alchemist who breaks boundaries,” is combining thousands of fireworks with large-object drones, 3D visuals, dynamic sound, laser mapping and special effects. Everland said the scale is designed to heighten tension and immersion.
Other participating directors include Lee Eom-ji (art), K-Herz (music) and Yoon Jae-ho (laser art). The soundtrack blends genres, including a theme recorded live in the Czech Republic by the Prague Metropolitan Orchestra, along with K-pop, EDM and musical theater music. Everland said vocals by 10CM’s Kwon Jung-yeol add to the experience for audiences across ages and nationalities.
At a March 26 news conference at Everland, Yang said the concept is “sparkly steampunk.” “We dressed the characters in steampunk-style costumes and gave them interesting props like laser guns,” he said. “Steampunk is usually mechanical and rough. But for this show, we tried a new genre that fits Everland.”
Yang, who drew global attention with a drone show using about 1,200 drones at the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics opening ceremony, is now presenting what Everland called South Korea’s first large-object drone flight. Everland said five large drones will carry an object of its summer-season character “Bambam Man” in a group-flight performance.
“Drones are always my favorite,” Yang said, adding that he placed a 150-centimeter “Bambam Man” object on a large drone. “Light comes out of Bambam Man’s eyes and collar,” he said, adding that five character drones will perform a short but intense group flight to K-Herz’s electronic music alongside Yoon’s laser art.
Everland said a massive screen measuring 62 meters wide and 10 meters high will run 3D visuals, while garden lighting created in collaboration with British installation artist Bruce Munro will add atmosphere. The park said audiences will watch fireworks as music from the 82-member Czech Metropolitan Orchestra plays.
Everland said the production is also aimed at strengthening its in-house intellectual property. Yang said it is an attempt to build a foundation that could later expand into animation and to create a story world that helps “Lenny and Friends” become more widely known.
Jung Se-won, head of Everland’s Entertainment Group, said Everland is the only place in South Korea that has continued nightly fireworks since 1996, nearly 30 years. He said the new show carries on that heritage while putting the lion-themed character brand Lenny and Friends at the center.
An indoor circus aimed at families
At Everland’s large indoor venue, the Grand Stage, the park is also launching ‘Wings of Memory,’ which it described as South Korea’s only world-class circus production. The show was created through about 18 months of collaboration with Canadian circus company Cirque Eloize, which includes many producers who previously worked with Cirque du Soleil.
Based in Quebec and active for more than 30 years, Cirque Eloize has staged more than 7,000 performances in about 700 cities across 50 countries, Everland said.
The 40-minute show is performed twice daily in a dedicated indoor theater with about 1,000 seats. Everland said it blends stunts, acrobatics, dance, video, music and special effects. The story follows a girl, Eel, traveling through a mysterious forest with a swan, meeting spirits and a boy and building friendships. Everland said it added new stage devices, including a flying swan puppet and a moving boat, to deepen immersion.
Cirque Eloize said it combines dance, visual elements and circus in every production. “They are disciplines you can see in other circuses, but we are different in that we put the story at the center and build the acts around it,” the company said.
Jung said that in South Korea, audiences typically experience “art circus” only when Cirque du Soleil tours the country. He said Everland planned ‘Wings of Memory’ so people can see high-level circus in Yongin regardless of whether Cirque du Soleil visits.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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