[Report] "Everland Nights Are Hotter Than Days"... Summer Nights Illuminated by Fireflies and Wild Beasts

From Korea's Largest Firefly Experience
to the Thrill of Meeting Predators on the Night Safari
Record Crowds Flock to Everland's First-Ever Free Summer Events

At the Everland Firefly Experience Center, over 13,000 fireflies are shining. Samsung C&T Resort Division

"All the lights will be turned off in a moment."

As soon as the zookeeper's guidance ended, the room was plunged into darkness. In the black forest, small green lights gradually became visible. The glow produced by fireflies, each no bigger than a fingernail, gracefully floating in the air, soon filled the space like a galaxy. Reaching for my smartphone to take photos, I quickly put it down and watched the view unfold before my eyes. I couldn't tear my gaze away from the dazzling display of green lights filling the summer night.

When I visited Everland on the 6th, with the daytime high soaring to 39 degrees Celsius, the park came alive after sunset. Visitors who had enjoyed the Water Festival during the day headed to the Firefly Experience Center as the evening set in.

Before the experience began, an educational session was held to explain the ecology and growth process of fireflies. The zookeeper introduced the year-long life cycle of fireflies, from egg to larva, pupa, and finally adult. Once they become adults—a difficult feat for fireflies—they live for only about ten days. The reason they emit light during their short lives is to find a mate. Fireflies glow when luciferin and luciferase in their light-producing organs react with oxygen.

Next, in the indoor forest experience area, all the lights were turned off, and in total darkness, approximately 13,000 fireflies glowed simultaneously from every direction, creating a spectacular scene. The females stayed in one spot and emitted light, while the males flew around searching for females and exchanged signals.

Behind this overwhelming spectacle lies a year of effort by the zookeepers. Among insects, fireflies are considered one of the most difficult to raise. Their larvae are so sensitive that they must be carefully moved one at a time with a pipette, requiring meticulous care.

The Firefly Experience, which first began in 2017, is being operated completely free of charge for the first time this year. According to Samsung C&T Resort Division, since the event opened on July 24, 30,000 visitors have come in just fifteen days.

A giraffe is sticking its head into the Lost Valley safari vehicle, eating the leaves handed by the zookeeper. Photo by Bokyung Jang

The eco-friendly safari "Lost Valley" also attracted many visitors. Herbivores such as camels, elephants, and rhinos approached the vehicles, interacting closely with the guests. When a giraffe poked its head through a window to eat leaves handed over by a zookeeper, laughter and camera shutter sounds erupted all around.

Raoni, a baby lion first shown to the public on the 5th, was also very popular. It has been eight years since a lion cub was born at Everland. Raoni, now two months old, has been raised by zookeepers after its mother died due to complications during birth.

A two-month-old baby lion named Raoni is spending time playing with the zookeeper. Photo by Bokyung Jang

As darkness fell, the mood in Safari World changed yet again. When we boarded the Night Safari vehicle, the lions and tigers that had lounged in the shade during the day began to prowl. A brown bear came right up to the vehicle, showcasing its impressive size. Since these animals are nocturnal predators, there was a palpable sense of tension, wholly different from the daytime. Since opening free of charge for the first time this year, the Night Safari has attracted a strong response, drawing around 120,000 visitors within just 50 days of operation.

This summer, Everland offers daytime Water Festivals to beat the heat, while in the evenings, visitors can enjoy the Firefly Experience and Safari, followed by parades and fireworks shows at night. A carefully designed lineup for each time of day allows guests to enjoy the park all day long without running out of things to do.

As the sun sets, the tiger that began its activity is showing its majesty at the Night Safari. Photo by Bokyung Jang

To accommodate the summer high season, operating hours on Fridays and Saturdays have been extended to 11:00 p.m., and a nighttime ticket allowing entry after 6:00 p.m. is also available. During the upcoming Liberation Day holiday from August 14 to 16, nighttime opening will be extended until 11:00 p.m. as well.

An Everland official said, "Through this summer's Firefly Festival and Night Safari, we hope visitors will experience the mysterious lights created by nature, observe wild predators up close, and feel the preciousness of life as well as the dynamism of the wild."

At Everland Night Safari, lions are standing guard as if welcoming visitors. Samsung C&T Resort Division

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.