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🇰🇷 South Korea /Culture & Society

The Battle for the Best Fireworks Spot Is Heating Up

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

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  • Visitors placed mats across Yeouido Han River Park a day before the 2026 Seoul World Fireworks Festival to reserve viewing spots.
  • Online posts offered prime locations for about 300,000 won, while some mats carried phone numbers and warnings that they had owners.
  • Organizers said unattended mats could remain until the eve event ended, but would be removed from 9:30 a.m. on the day of the main festival.

A day before the 2026 Seoul World Fireworks Festival, Yeouido Han River Park was crowded with empty mats marked with notes claiming ownership. Some messages read, “Don’t touch my spot,” “I’m just away buying food,” and “This mat has an owner.”

Don’t touch my spot.

· Unidentified visitorA handwritten warning placed on a mat reserving a viewing space.

Visitors began placing mats near Wonhyo Bridge the previous day to secure viewing positions. Online posts also offered prime spots for about 300,000 won. Some mats displayed the owner’s phone number, while others simply carried handwritten notices saying someone would return.

I’m just away buying food!

· Unidentified visitorA note explaining the temporary absence of a mat’s owner.

Banners around the park urged visitors not to claim unattended spaces, saying the festival should be enjoyed together. An event official said mats could be left in place until the free eve event on Thursday evening, but unattended mats would be removed from 9:30 a.m. on Friday, when the main event begins.

This mat has an owner.

· Unidentified visitorA handwritten notice used to claim a festival viewing spot.

Repeated announcements gave the same warning. Visitors whose mats were collected because no one was guarding them could retrieve them at the Yeouido information center.

The festival should be enjoyed together. Please refrain from claiming spaces where no one is present.

· Event bannerA park banner discouraged visitors from reserving unattended areas.
About this summary

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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