Pokémon Occasion In Seoul Bought So Crowded, Police And Firefighters Have been Referred to as

Seoul Forest was speculated to really feel like a mild spring escape: gardens, strolling paths, picture spots, and Pokémon hiding among the many bushes. As an alternative, 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 May 1 as a part of the 2026 Seoul International Garden Show, an enormous public occasion operating by 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 June 21.

That blend was irresistible. Households, followers, collectors, and informal guests poured into the realm on Korea’s Labor Day vacation. What might have been a quiet backyard go to shortly become a reminder that Pokémon is now not only a recreation or cartoon. For many individuals, it’s childhood, household recollections, and a cause to get outdoors.

The glad rush additionally turned a security situation. Korean media reported that crowds packed Seongsu-dong and Seoul Forest, with Seoul estimating about 40,000 folks round Seongsu Cafe Avenue by midday. Authorities acquired crowd-safety experiences, police and firefighters have been despatched to the realm, and organizers paused elements 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 briefly suspended for security causes on account of heavy crowds.

It was a massively widespread 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 June 21. For guests, the lesson is easy: this can be considered one of Seoul’s most charming spring sights, however it’s most likely not a spot to go to at peak crowd hours.

Filed in Gaming. Learn extra about Pokemon and Seoul.