Lotte World brings MapleStory to life with new themed zone

Visitors line up to ride the Gyro Spin at the Maple Island Zone in Lotte World Adventure in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul

Cherry blossoms in full bloom along Seokchon Lake on one side, purple roller coasters rising on the other.

The outdoor grounds of Lotte World Adventure in Jamsil, southern Seoul, looked noticeably different Tuesday, filled with orange mushrooms, green slime and red snails that fans of Nexon’s popular online game MapleStory would instantly recognize.

On April 3, "Maple Island Zone" opened in Magic Island, the outdoor area of Lotte World Adventure.

A roughly 1,980-square-meter area built in collaboration with Nexon, the new themed zone brought the online game's fantasy worlds into physical space. MapleStory, a 2D side-scrolling game first released in 2003, has maintained popularity for over two decades, building a loyal following that spans generations.

At the center of the zone are three new rides built around the game's signature worlds. Stone Express is a roller coaster themed around the game's forest world of Arcana, Arcana Ride takes visitors along a rail circling a spirit tree, and Eos Tower is a drop ride set in the toy kingdom of Ludibrium.

The existing Gyro Spin ride also changed its look, adopting the popular Pink Bean character for its new theme. A gift shop and themed food outlet called Maple Sweets round out the zone, with both drawing long queues throughout the day.

Visitors browse merchandise at a gift shop selling goods based on Nexon's popular game MapleStory at the MapleStory Island Zone in Lotte World Adventure in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul

Since opening, daily visitor numbers at Lotte World have risen around 20 percent compared to the week before, and about 5 percent compared to the same period last year, according to the theme park. Foreign visitors have increased by 15 percent, with tourists from Taiwan among those making the trip.

Among those visiting on a recent afternoon was a group from Thailand, who said the mix of spring scenery and new attractions made for a great outing.

"We visited here as we heard Lotte World is one of the must-visit places in Seoul," one of the tourists said. "As this is flower blossom season, I love the scenery combined with the beautiful park, with flower trees and new attractions like these."

Lee Hae-yeol, head of marketing at Lotte World, said the collaboration was designed to bring in a wider range of visitors.

"MapleStory's fans include not just people in their 20s and 30s but also parents with children," he said. "Since the zone opened, we are seeing visitor numbers go up across all age groups."

Visitors gather around MapleStory-themed displays set up inside Lotte World Adventure in Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul

Lee added that the park wants to offer more than just rides. "Our goal is to give people the feeling of stepping inside a whole world," he said.

Lotte World already has its next collaboration lined up, with a new attraction called Kong X Godzilla: The Ride set to open later this year.