Seoul Forest was alleged to really feel like a mild spring escape: gardens, strolling paths, picture spots, and Pokémon hiding among the many timber. As a substitute, opening day confirmed simply how highly effective nostalgia may be when a beloved childhood model meets a real-world vacation spot.
Pokémon Secret Forest opened Could 1 as a part of the 2026 Seoul Worldwide Backyard Present, a large public occasion operating by way of October 27 throughout Seoul Forest and close by areas. Seoul says this yr’s present is its largest and longest but, with 167 gardens, 90,000 sq. meters of backyard area, and a ten km route connecting Seoul Forest, Seongsu-dong, and surrounding neighborhoods. Pokémon Secret Forest is scheduled individually by way of June 21.
That blend was irresistible. Households, followers, collectors, and informal guests poured into the world on Korea’s Labor Day vacation. What might have been a quiet backyard go to rapidly changed into a reminder that Pokémon is not only a sport or cartoon. For many individuals, it’s childhood, household reminiscences, and a purpose to get outdoors.
The joyful rush additionally grew to become a security difficulty. Korean media reported that crowds packed Seongsu-dong and Seoul Forest, with Seoul estimating about 40,000 individuals round Seongsu Cafe Road by midday. Authorities obtained crowd-safety experiences, police and firefighters have been despatched to the world, and organizers paused components of Pokémon Mega Festa (city-wide occasion), the Pokémon GO Seoul Stamp Rally (one of many mega festa places) specifically. No accidents have been reported
Kyunghyang Shinmun (in Korean) reported that greater than 50 crowd-safety experiences have been filed, about 100 police personnel and 30 firefighters have been deployed, and the organizer stopped the occasion after requests from native authorities and police. It additionally says Pokémon Korea introduced that the occasion was quickly suspended for security causes attributable to heavy crowds.
It was a vastly in style public occasion that seems to have overwhelmed the opening-day crowd plan.
The excellent news is that the bigger backyard present continues for months, and Pokémon Secret Forest is scheduled to stay open by way of June 21. For guests, the lesson is straightforward: this can be one in all Seoul’s most charming spring sights, however it’s in all probability not a spot to go to at peak crowd hours.
