Seoul to light up Han River with 2,000-drone Marvel show on Halloween

By Jhoo Dong-chan

• Published Oct 26, 2026 2:12 PM KST

Seoul will hold its final drone light show of the year over the Han River on Saturday with a Marvel theme. A record 2,000 drones will be used, the city government said.

The 15-minute show, titled “Marvel Special,” will begin at 8:30 p.m. at Ttukseom Hangang Park in eastern Seoul. Drones will recreate Iron Man and other Marvel characters, as well as iconic scenes from the films, set to music.

The city launched the drone shows in 2023 as part of its push to make the Han River a nighttime attraction. The effort supports its tourism goals of drawing 30 million foreign visitors a year, raising per-person spending to 3 million won ($2,100), extending average stays to seven days and achieving a 70 percent revisit rate.

The seven shows held so far this year through Oct. 9 drew about 197,000 people. That is an average of about 28,000 per show, more than 2.5 times the 2023 average of 11,000. Foreign nationals made up 34.6 percent of the 125,358 viewers at the five shows in the first half. On show days, card spending at nearby businesses rose 39 percent, while spending by foreign nationals jumped 402 percent.

Before the show, the park will feature a photo zone themed on “Avengers: Doomsday,” which opens in Korean theaters Dec. 16. There will also be a costume parade and event booths. A farmers' market will be held near Jayang Station on Seoul Metro Line 7. Discount coupons will be offered through Baemin, Korea’s largest food delivery app.

With large crowds expected on Halloween, the city will deploy more safety personnel and add subway trains. Trains may skip Jayang Station if it becomes too crowded.

The show may be changed or canceled in the event of strong wind or rain. Visitors are advised to check the official website or Instagram account before going.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.