Lee Hae-rin is a City Desk reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues, tourism and taekwondo. She is passionate about speaking up for the rights of minorities, including women, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities and animals as well as discovering the latest makgeolli trend in town. Feel free to reach her at lhr@koreatimes.co.kr.
Everland, Sanrio team up again for spring festival
A poster for Everland's 2025 tulip festival featuring Sanrio characters / Courtesy of Samsung C&T
By Lee Hae-rin
Everland will once again collaborate with the Japanese entertainment company Sanrio for this year's spring flower festival, the amusement park’s operator, Samsung C&T, said Wednesday.
Last year, the country’s largest theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, hosted a spring flower festival featuring the pastel-toned Sanrio animal characters from Japan. The event also offered a variety of character-themed merchandise, food and beverages.
It was Sanrio’s first time collaborating on a large-scale outdoor event in Korea, which was an instant success, drawing popularity among the younger generation, families and tour groups.
The number of visitors to Everland during the signature tulip festival jumped by about 10 percent compared to the previous year, and the festival satisfaction survey also showed the highest level ever, the company noted. The festival also created double the amount of online buzz on social media.
Everland's 2024 spring tulip festival in collaboration with Sanrio / Courtesy of Samsung C&T
In response, Everland will expand the collaboration throughout its gardens, where about 1.2 million spring flowers of more than 100 species will be in full bloom this year.
The festival will not only feature Sanrio’s signature figures, such as Hello Kitty, My Melody and Kuromi, but also other beloved characters like Hangyodon, Keroppi and Usahana, which have never been seen through collaborations with other countries outside of Japan.
An original dance performance featuring the Sanrio characters will also be presented every day.
In addition, the amusement park will also launch Garden Pass, Korea's first garden subscription program, in March.
Garden Pass is a premium membership program that allows visitors to enjoy seasonal gardens inside and outside Everland, including Four Seasons Garden, Sky Garden Road, Ginkgo Tree Forest and Hoam Art Museum Heewon.