Superior Safety with 'Gas Devices' Instead of Hot Air Balloons
Up to 30 Passengers... 25,000 KRW per Adult
Seoul City "Continuously Discovering Diverse Content"
In July, a massive tethered gas balloon with a diameter of 22 meters in the shape of the moon will rise over Yeouido. The official name of this balloon, which will become a landmark for Seoul's night tourism, is 'Seouldal (SEOULDAL)'.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Foundation announced on the 28th that the 'Seouldal Opening Ceremony' will be held on July 6 at Yeouido Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu. Trial operations will begin on that day, with official paid rides starting on August 23.
Seoul City will officially launch the operation of 'Seouldal (SEOULDAL)', a crescent-shaped gas appliance with a floating design, starting this August. [Photo by Seoul City]
The name of the balloon was created by combining the pure Korean words 'Seoul' and 'dal' (moon) so that domestic and international tourists can experience the balloon and intuitively understand its features while feeling the charm of Seoul during the day and night.
In particular, 'Seouldal' is a tethered gas balloon that uses the buoyancy of helium to fly vertically. Unlike hot air balloons, it uses non-flammable gas, making it superior in terms of safety. Additionally, the balloon body is connected to the ground by cables, greatly reducing the risk of drifting outside the designated flight area. Similar tethered gas balloons are operated internationally at places such as Sz?chenyi Thermal Bath in Budapest (Hungary), Disneyland Paris (France), and Disney World Orlando (USA), demonstrating its recognized safety worldwide.
Separately, Seoul has manufactured and installed the gas balloon in compliance with international safety regulations from Europe and the United States. To ensure users can feel more secure, safety certification by the Korea Aviation Safety Technology Institute under the domestic 'Aviation Safety Act' is also underway.
'Seouldal' can accommodate up to 30 passengers per ride and operates daily from noon to 10 p.m., except Mondays when regular facility inspections are conducted. The fare is 25,000 KRW for adults (ages 19-64) and 20,000 KRW for children (36 months to 18 years old). Gil Gi-yeon, CEO of the Seoul Tourism Foundation, which operates 'Seouldal,' said, "It will offer a special urban experience in line with the global trend of preferring unique experiential content," adding, "We will continuously cooperate with the industry to establish it as a global tourist attraction."
Kim Young-hwan, Director of the Seoul Tourism and Sports Bureau, also expressed confidence, saying, "Just as people visit observation decks at tourist sites to get a panoramic view of the city’s appearance and atmosphere, tourists visiting Seoul will now be able to view this beautiful city’s day and night from 'Seouldal'." Meanwhile, Seoul will hold a free ride experience for citizens visiting the opening ceremony, themed 'Summer Picnic with Seouldal,' through an on-site lottery. This is to provide citizens with a ride experience and collect feedback for improvements.
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