Every summer, Lotte World Adventure has been known for its vibrant samba rhythms, but this year, it is embracing the chills of Korean-style horror, known as 'K-horror.' The park has cleverly integrated traditional narratives featuring ghostly figures like virgin ghosts and grim reapers into its attractions. Visitors can expect a unique way to enjoy the summer by encountering an unusual yokai commotion while riding the rides.
From June 26 to August 30, Lotte World Adventure will host its summer festival titled 'Unsealing: The Great Yokai Commotion.' The story begins at the park's folk museum, where the main character, Roti, accidentally touches a sealed jar, releasing the yokai trapped inside. Guests will not just be spectators; they will join Roti and Lori as 'yokai hunters' on a mission to find and seal the yokai hidden throughout the park.
Typically, summer theme parks evoke images of refreshing water activities and exotic festivals. Lotte World has traditionally marked the peak of summer with samba performances. However, this year, it has ingeniously incorporated familiar local elements such as grim reapers, virgin ghosts, goblins, and nine-tailed foxes. The park has brought the eerie yet endearing essence of Korean yokai stories into a modern amusement setting, blending horror with humor.
During the festival, the first-floor meeting plaza will transform into 'Yokai Village,' featuring eerie tiled houses. The 'Yokai Hunter Training Center' on the right side of the plaza will offer an interactive experience utilizing the latest artificial intelligence (AI) technology. Visitors can take photos that AI will instantly convert into yokai-themed images for personalized profile cards. There will also be a tarot analysis experience where guests can choose their desired powers and create 'enhancement talismans.'
An augmented reality (AR) stamp tour called 'Yokai Forbidden Book' will turn the entire park into a giant game board. After purchasing a booklet at Roti's Emporium, guests can scan QR codes with their smartphones to receive hints and find hidden yokai while completing missions and mini-games. This immersive experience encourages visitors to actively engage with the narrative. The training center activities and the yokai tour will require separate fees.
The festival also features a captivating day-and-night transformation. Every day at 8:20 p.m., the meeting plaza will host a new performance titled 'Pan-Yokai Play,' where yokai, responding to the prayers of the people, appear in the human world to create a lively play area, infused with a sophisticated K-pop style. Special photo opportunities with Roti as a grim reaper and Lori as a virgin ghost will take place at noon and 5:30 p.m.
Samba, a staple of summer, will continue to heat up the park daily. The 'Samba Carnival Parade' will dazzle the Adventure floor at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., followed by the refreshing 'Hot! Summer! Vacation!' parade at 3:30 p.m. The 'Samba Together' event at the Garden Stage at 5 p.m. (closed on Tuesdays) will complete a unique day of enjoying samba's heat during the day and the coolness of yokai at night.
For thrill-seekers, a designated area has been set up in Magic Island. The main bridge crossing Seokchon Lake will transform into 'Chosun Naru,' a path leading to the underworld, creating an eerie atmosphere with a sacred tree and crows. As night falls, the Magic Castle will shift from a fairy-tale ambiance to a chilling crimson hue.
Opposite the Magic Castle, the horror experience 'Madoshindang' will be available. This escape room content involves tracking the whereabouts of a missing shaman and journalists. The popular horror attraction 'Gwidam' returns with a setting where guests walk through a mansion overtaken by yokai. Both horror experiences will operate for a fee and will be open to visitors from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. until November 15.
The folk museum has undergone the most significant transformation for this festival. Once a relatively quiet exhibit within the theme park, it now serves as the narrative's starting point, rediscovering its value. The exhibition hall will feature a yokai jar photo zone, and yokai will surprise visitors by appearing in various spots to distribute wish talismans to those who answer quizzes correctly.
The first immersive horror performance in a museum setting, 'Stay Alive in Museum,' will also debut. As the audience engages in a struggle for survival, the story unfolds with the premise that a curse awakens during a special exhibition on the history of Korean curses, 'Joseon Yokai War.' This audience-participation play will have varying endings based on the audience's choices and will run every weekday and weekend at 7:30 p.m. until November 15, with tickets available on the official website.
To enhance the festival experience, Lotte World will offer unique food options such as 'Grim Reaper Roti Bread,' 'Virgin Ghost Lori Bread,' 'Protective Mugwort Waffles,' and 'Goblin Bat Hot Dogs.' Costume rentals for nine-tailed foxes and grim reapers from the Magic School costume shop, along with yokai makeup experiences, will further immerse visitors in the festival atmosphere. From June 22 for a week, live special offers will be available through Naver Brand Week, and discounts will be provided for reservations made via Naver during June. Additional online booking discounts for middle and high school students, university students, and partnerships with Samsung Card and SKT members will also be available to ease visitors' access.
Summer nights at the amusement park are inherently surreal. The lights are exaggerated, the music is loud, and people forget their daily lives. This year, Lotte World has cleverly introduced Korean narratives into this space. As the vibrant samba fades, the footsteps of eerie yokai will overlap, making the nights in Jamsil particularly long and chilling this summer.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.