Hanwha to brighten up the summer night sky with fireworks festival

Hanwha is set to light up the night sky with the 2026 Seoul International Fireworks Festival in Yeouido, western Seoul, on Saturday, September 5th, running from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. To avoid the drop in foreign tourists seen last year due to the event overlapping with the Chuseok holiday, Hanwha pushed the festival up to early September.

As part of Hanwha Group’s Sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility initiative that started in 2000, the event delights over a million visitors annually. This year, premier firework teams from the United States, Britain and Korea will showcase world-class pyrotechnics under the theme ‘Your Infinite Colors, Finding Your Light’, highlighting the country's distinct cultural artistry.

The opening fireworks begin at 8 p.m. with Britain’s team, Pyrotex Fireworx, presenting “Colors Reimagined - Reborn,” painting the evening sky alongside a 15-minute animation soundtrack that includes “Soda Pop” (2025) from the Netflix hit “KPop Demon Hunters” (2025). Ace Pyro from the United States follows with “Instrumental Illumination; Beyond Dark,” choreographed to “Carmina Burana: O Fortuna.”

At 8:40 p.m., Hanwha delivers a 30-minute finale, “The Starry Night -Puzzles of Light,” inspired by Vincent Van Gogh and choreographed to Lee Sora’s soulful ballad “The Wind Blows” (2004). Fireworks will spell “Seoul,” “Hanwha” and “Netflix,” an event sponsor.

During the daytime, interactive booths hosted by Hanwha Life, Hanwha Asset Management, Hanwha Life Esports and Hanwha Financial Plus will open across Yeouido Hangang Park Event Plaza and Nodeul Island in collaboration with the city and the Seoul Tourism Foundation, along with attractions linking local arts to the upcoming “Center Pompidou Hanwha.”

Since this year is expected to draw the largest crowd yet, Hanwha is bolstering safety and security measures, with a total of approximately 4,700 personnel on site to manage safety and maintain order, including 1,200 Hanwha employees and volunteers, on the eve and day of the event.

To manage the crowd, Hanwha is utilizing Orange Safety, a real-time crowd-tracking app interlinked with the 5G network of KT Telecom, an official sponsor, across key areas, ensuring a swift on-site response through nationwide CCTV footage. Real-time contingency protocols will be established with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the fire service and police agency to handle unexpected contingencies.

To wrap up the festivities, 1,200 Hanwha volunteers will conduct a cleaning campaign and a “10-Minute Slow-Down” campaign across Yeouido and the Ichon area of Yongsan District, central Seoul, with 94 temporary restrooms and the digital “Allbaro System,” a waste-reporting platform, for efficient disposal and recycling.

The Yeouido Fireworks live stream will be broadcast on Hanwha’s official YouTube channel. For spectators, the Orange Play app will provide real-time audio streaming of the event’s soundtrack.

BY LEE SO-YOUN [[email protected]]