Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose crosses a 160-meter (525-foot) highline 120 meters above central Seoul on Oct. 1.RED BULL
The crowd in central Seoul fell silent as Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose stepped onto a narrow cable suspended 120 meters (525 feet) above the ground on Thursday afternoon.
Balancing on the 160-meter line stretched between the Koreana Hotel and Dong-A Media Center near Gwanghwamun Square, Roose, a three-time slackline world champion, swung his arms almost like the hands of a clock as he slowly found his balance and began moving forward.
Even a light breeze — which would have been pleasant on an ordinary day — seemed more ominous for the man on wire high above the city, drawing gasps from spectators who had gathered to watch Korea’s first high-altitude urban highline performance whenever Roose swayed too far to one side.
Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose crosses a 160-meter (525-foot) highline 120 meters above central Seoul on Oct. 1.JANG JIN-YOUNG
Despite the tension below, the 34-year-old, in a white Red Bull shirt and long pants, appeared almost unnervingly calm. He wasn’t, though.
“I do get afraid,” Roose told reporters during an interview after the performance. “I am afraid of heights. Working at a height doesn’t mean I’m not scared of heights.”
Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose crosses a 160-meter (525-foot) highline 120 meters above central Seoul on Oct. 1.RED BULL
What keeps his fear in check is knowing exactly what is holding him up, how the line is built and the intense preparation that goes into it.
“First of all, I do feasibility of the project, whether it’s possible to set up a line between two buildings, between Koreana Hotel and Dong-A Media Center,” Roose said. “And after that, I prepare a specific type of line for it because it’s not the same slackline everywhere.”
Preparation, though, is only part of it. Roose seemed oblivious to everything but the line ahead as he eased his way across the sky, his eyes fixed on it with each step.
“I am focusing on each step. I’m trying to see what’s happening in front of me with the line because for the balance, the best way is to look forward.”
Fifteen minutes after starting at 1:15 p.m., Roose reached the opposite building. With little time to waste, however, he stepped back onto the line for the return journey, this time really turning the highline into his own stage.
Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose performs a trick during his highline performance on Oct. 1.NEWS1
He performed a series of tricks, including a Back Lay, in which he leans backward and maintains his balance on the slackline. He also did a handstand, then lowered himself until he was hanging from the line with one hand. Each stunt sent the crowd below into cheers.
Near the end, he even lowered his body flat over the line, supporting himself with only his shoulders, before completing the round trip in about 27 minutes.
“I feel tired after completing the performance,” Roose said right after finishing.
But in terms of distance and endurance, the Seoul performance was far from the most extreme challenge he has taken on.
Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose does stunts during his highline performance on Oct. 1.RED BULL
He has made a career out of walking lines suspended over dramatic landscapes and cityscapes around the world. In 2024, he attempted a roughly 3.6-kilometer (2.2-mile) crossing over the Strait of Messina between mainland Italy and Sicily, reaching the other side after falling near the end. More recently, in September, he spent 12 hours on a highline in Bratislava, Slovakia, covering a cumulative 14.7 kilometers.
Still, Roose said the Seoul project, organized by Red Bull and sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, was not an easy one.
“The length is one of almost uncomfortable distances,” he said. “Because it’s in the city center, the lines in the city are always harder than the lines in nature.”
And the fact that the project came together at all was something he called a “miracle.”
“I think this is the first time [I’ve done] such a performance in this part of the world,” he said. “This is very unique, and also it is difficult in terms of preparation."
Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose during his highline performance on Oct. 1.NEWS1
"It is very hard to have such a line in this big city like Seoul,” he continued. “And thanks to Seoul city, it has happened, and this is a big surprise for me. It’s a miracle."
Roose hopes Thursday's endeavor will not be his last highline in Korea.
“I would like to come back to Korea more and more,” he said. “It’s not the first time, and I hope not the last time.”
He already has some ideas about where to go next.
“I would like to travel more around the country, go to the south of Korea more, because my country is very flat, no mountains. [Korea has] a lot of mountains.”
