Sky's the limit — but not for spaces:
The best spots to watch the Seoul fireworks festival

Seoul’s biggest annual fireworks show returns this Saturday — and so does the scramble for a good seat.

The Seoul International Fireworks Festival is set to take place at Yeouido Hangang Park in Yeouido in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. this year, with the main shows running from 8 p.m. to 9:10 p.m. Hosted by local conglomerate Hanwha, the fireworks festival is one of the city’s signature events of the fall and draws almost 1 million people each year.

One million people in a small section of an already small city — it’s no wonder people fiercely compete to grab a seat that offers a good view of the night sky.

A rooftop cafe in Mapo District, western Seoul, is charging 750,000 won ($550) for a table during festival hours. I’Park Mall in Yongsan District, central Seoul, opened reservations last month for a spot in the outdoor parking lot after word spread last year that you could see the sparks well from there. A Starbucks in Yeouido sold tickets for its tables — the most expensive of which cost 300,000 won for two people — and ran out within 30 seconds of going on sale.

Hotels are also jumping on the opportunity. On the day of the festival, nightly rates at luxury hotels in Yeouido with prime views of the show have shot up about 90 percent compared to the following weekend and reached 2 million won a night.

The frenzy has even spilled onto secondhand marketplace Karrot, with users reselling hotel room reservations. Others offer to stake out areas for a front-row view — for a fee.

Now, paid seats may all be sold out, but who’s to say that you have to miss out on the fun or pay big bucks when the sky is free for everyone? From hidden Joseon-era (1392-1910) parks to neighborhood cafes and even a fish market, the Korea JoongAng Daily compiled an insider’s guide to the best free viewpoints of the 2026 Seoul International Fireworks Festival. 

The main view for the early birds

Yeouido Hangang Park remains the top and most obvious spot, with the stretch of land between Wonhyo Bridge and Mapo Bridge offering the closest, most immersive view of the fireworks. But any attempt to watch the fireworks from here comes with a catch: You have to grab a spot in the morning or risk standing for hours.

Those determined to claim a front-row seat should consider arriving in the morning — noon at the latest — with a mat, food, water and a portable charger.

Some people mark their spots with picnic blankets the morning before, though be warned: The city government plans to collect and dispose of unattended mats to prevent cluttering and for safety reasons.

Bathroom lines may be another test of endurance. The city will install 94 additional temporary portable bathrooms across Yeouido Hangang Park and Ichon Hangang Park, but with crowds this large, answering nature’s call will likely result in competition.

But the hours leading up to the show will allow those waiting to relax or talk with friends while feeling the early autumn breeze. Current forecasts put the daytime high temperature in Yeongdeungpo on Saturday at around 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Fahrenheit). The weather is expected to cool down to around 25 degrees Celsius during the evening spectacle, with little chance of rain.

After the fireworks, the park is set to host an after-party.

Across the river, Ichon Hangang Park offers an equally strong, if slightly farther, front-facing view of the sparks. 

A little further but also further from the fuss

On the southern side of the city, Banpo Hangang Park in Seocho District, southern Seoul, sits at a greater distance from the launch site, so fireworks appear smaller than from Yeouido or Ichon, but the park’s Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain — a 1,140-meter (3,740.2-foot) fountain bridge with colored lights installed — adds to the fireworks show.

In Dongjak District, also in southern Seoul, Sayuksin Park sits on a hillside overlooking the Han River and Yeouido skyline. The park’s history museum also features an observation deck for the best skyline views. Online reviews show, however, that Sayuksin Park has become a more popular secondary viewing spot in recent years, so large crowds near showtime are to be expected. 

Nearby Yongyangbongjeojeong Park and Hyosajeong Pavilion, just 10 minutes apart on foot, similarly sit on elevated ground and offer a comparable, if slightly less crowded, view of the sparks. The latter, once the villa of a Joseon-era official, is designated by the Seoul government as one of Seoul’s top scenic overlooks.

Noryangjin Fish Market: Free and has toilets

At Noryangjin Fish Market in Dongjak, the third and highest floor of the parking tower is another well-known viewing spot. On the day of the fireworks festival, the deck usually fills up as soon as it opens at 9 a.m.

This kind of high-up view, however, carries its own risks. In 2017, two children fell after climbing on a rooftop structure at the fish market during the show. Police have since installed safety barriers along the railing at the site.

The upside of viewing the fireworks from the fish market is that there are many bathrooms available. Visitors can also head down before or after for fresh seafood. 

Neighborhood cafes: Coffee and a view

Check Grow, a book cafe in Mapo District, offers a rare no-reservation option. Starting from 5 p.m., the first 230 visitors can claim a spot across its seventh, eighth and ninth floors and look out over the Han River through the cafe’s floor-to-ceiling windows for an unobstructed view of the fireworks. Unlike many riverside cafes and restaurants, which require reservations and charge premium fixed-course prices on festival night, Check Grow runs on a first-come, first-served basis. 

For those farther from the river, some neighborhood cafes are taking advantage of that distance by staying open later on the day of the festival for guests who’d rather watch from a quieter, less crowded corner of the city than fight for a spot by the river. 

Have we scared you yet? 

If you’re overwhelmed just by reading this 1,000-word article, the festival’s organizer Hanwha will livestream the entire Seoul International Fireworks Festival in 4K through its official YouTube channel, Hanwha TV. The broadcast provides a clear, unobstructed view of the full show from a fixed camera angle. 

After all, the best seat in the house is still just the sky. 

BY LEE JI-WON, LEE JIAN [[email protected]]