The World's Largest Ferris Wheel in Seoul... Oh Launches 'Great Sunset Hangang' Project

"Hangang Sunset" as a Tourist Attraction
Creation of a Floating Art Stage with a Capacity of 30,000
Considering Candidate Sites such as Banpo, Yeouido, and Jamsil

Singapore Flyer panorama. (Source=visitingsingapore.com)

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyemin] The Seoul Metropolitan Government is launching the ‘Great Sunset Hangang’ project, which will create the world’s largest Ferris wheel and a waterside performance hall capable of accommodating 30,000 people along the Hangang River.

According to Seoul City on the 8th, Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced this mid- to long-term tourism project plan on the afternoon of the 1st (local time) during his visit to Gardens by the Bay, a representative sunset spot in Singapore.

The core of this project is to establish sunset attractions along the so-called ‘Sunset Hangang Line,’ which zigzags across Gangnam and Gangbuk, connecting Sangam, Yeouido, Yongsan, Nodeul Island, Banpo, Ttukseom, and Jamsil.

First, the world’s largest Ferris wheel, the ‘Seoul Eye,’ will be constructed. Planned to be 165 meters tall and capable of carrying up to 780 passengers simultaneously, it will surpass the size of the world’s largest ‘Singapore Flyer.’ Mayor Oh is currently reviewing multiple candidate sites, including the Sangam-dong area, the Sempio Remicon site in Seongsu-dong, and conveniently accessible locations such as the Banpo Hangang district and Jamsil.

Waterside performance halls will also be built in various locations. Based on Singapore’s ‘Float @ Marina Bay,’ which features a floating stage and waterfront seating, the project plans to accommodate a flexible seating arrangement ranging from 3,000 to a maximum of 30,000 seats to host diverse performances such as K-pop concerts, musicals, operas, and sports events. Mayor Oh stated, "We are considering establishing this in the Banpo Hangang district or Yeouido."

On Nodeul Island, which is being restructured with the goal of becoming a ‘Global Art Island,’ a roofed ‘Sunset Landmark’ will be created. The city plans to build a structure that offers a 360-degree view of the sunset, similar to Seville’s Metropol Parasol and Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay Supertree. This will be linked to the formulation of the ‘Global Art Island Master Plan’ for Nodeul Island, and the city is also considering conducting domestic or international design competitions.

Additionally, the Jamsu Bridge, which has been filled with cars, will be transformed into a ‘car-free bridge’ every Sunday for two months starting from the 28th, turning it into a festival space where busking and food trucks can operate. The city plans to gradually convert it into a pedestrian bridge after an adaptation period. Furthermore, when private buildings are constructed along the Hangang River, incentives such as floor area ratio bonuses will be provided if shared viewing spaces are offered or separate pathways connecting to the Hangang are created. Universal design principles will also be applied to ensure accessibility for the disabled and other vulnerable groups.

Mayor Oh said, "This project is a mid- to long-term plan looking ahead from as short as four years to over ten years. We will establish attractive sunset hubs as strategic points for the era of 30 million Seoul tourists."