SEOUL, May 04 (AJP) - Seoul transformed into a massive public garden as the 2026 Seoul International Garden Show opened Friday in the Seoul Forest and Seongsu, the western district of hipsters and foreign tourists. The exhibition is scheduled to run through October 27.
The event spans approximately 90,000 square meters and features 167 distinct gardens, making it the largest horticultural show in the history of the capital. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the project serves as a centerpiece for the "Garden City Seoul" initiative.
The show includes "Garden Under the Flowing Forest" by French landscape architect Henri Bava, located on the eastern side of the Seoul Forest lawn. South Korean designer Lee Nam-jin contributed "Garden of Waiting," which was installed in the Seongsu Handmade Shoe Park.
Major South Korean construction firms and public agencies participated in the development of the site. Gardens sponsored by Daewoo Engineering and Construction, GS Engineering and Construction, HDC, Hoban Construction, Kyeryong Construction, and SH Corporation are featured throughout the Seoul Forest lawn area.
The exhibition also includes a collaborative installation by Pokémon Korea titled "Pokémon Secret Forest." This experience-based exhibition will operate until June 21 with no admission fee.
Opening day drew over 40,000 visitors to Seoul Forest and the Seongsu station area, forcing officials to temporarily suspend operations in certain sections to manage the flow of people. By 3:00 p.m. on Friday, the population in the Seongsu-dong area reached approximately 50,000 people, reaching the "crowded" alert level.
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