All Premium Fireworks Seats Sell Out in Just One Hour
Praised as "Better Value" Compared to Hotels and Restaurants
In anticipation of the "2025 Seoul World Fireworks Festival" to be held at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul on September 27, all Han River view seats available for reservation at the Starbucks Yeouido Hangang Park branch sold out instantly. Despite the high price, with a minimum payment of 200,000 won required depending on the view, all seats were fully booked within just one hour of reservations opening, highlighting their immense popularity. Considering that nearby hotels and restaurants are charging several million won during the festival period, some even commented that the Starbucks seats offered "better value for money."
Starbucks Introduces Limited Seat Reservation System for Fireworks Festival
According to Starbucks Korea on September 22, the Yeouido Hangang Park branch launched limited seat reservations in celebration of the "2025 Seoul World Fireworks Festival." Reservations were made by selecting the desired seat via KakaoTalk. Although the reservation period was scheduled to run from 9 a.m. on September 22 until 11:50 p.m. on September 26, all Han River view seats, as well as seats with restricted views and Yeouido park view seats, were completely sold out within just one hour, by 10 a.m. on the first day.
Online, many expressed disappointment with comments such as "Why am I always the last to know about these things?" "I forgot while waiting," and "The Starbucks view is really the best." Others remarked, "Compared to restaurants and hotels charging over 200,000 won just for a seat, this is actually much more cost-effective." In fact, on the day of the event, standard river view rooms at nearby hotels soared to over 3 million won, about three times the usual rate. On the secondhand marketplace Danggeun Market, posts offering to rent apartments near the Han River or to reserve prime spots for viewing the fireworks in advance are appearing one after another.
What Are the Seat Options and Benefits?
Starbucks Yeouido Hangang Park Branch '2025 Seoul International Fireworks Festival' Seat Reservation Operation Notice. Screenshot from Starbucks Website
The reserved seats are divided into three categories: Golden View Zone, Silver View Zone, and Cafe Zone. The highest tier, the Golden View Zone, offers seats with a direct view of the Han River and requires a minimum payment of 200,000 won for two people. The basic package includes four cups of Byeoldabang Lager or two beverages, a blueberry marble cheesecake, and two types of snack bundle tumblers.
The Silver View Zone consists of seats with partially restricted views, with a minimum payment of 150,000 won for two people. The Cafe Zone offers seats facing Yeouido Park on the opposite side of the Han River, with a minimum payment of 100,000 won for two people. Each seat tier comes with a menu package tailored to its price range.
Reserved seats can be used for up to three hours (from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.), and guests must arrive at the cloud bridge in front of the Han River bus dock by 6:30 p.m. to check their reservation information with a staff member before entering.
The dazzling fireworks of the "2022 Seoul World Fireworks Festival" viewed from Namsan, Seoul, decorate the night sky. Photo by Asia Economy Database
The Seoul World Fireworks Festival is the largest fireworks festival in Korea, attracting over one million visitors every year. Jointly hosted by Hanwha Group and SBS, and supported by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, this year's event will kick off at Yeouido Hangang Park on September 27 at 1 p.m. with citizen participation programs. From 7:20 p.m., a fireworks show featuring teams from Italy, Canada, and Korea will take place.
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