8 Million Visitors Attend the 2026 Seoul International Garden Expo

Expo Enthusiasm Remains High Even on Summer Nights
Garden Running to Arrive with Autumn Breeze in September and October
Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of Maeheon Citizen’s Forest Opening

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 16th that the cumulative number of visitors to the 2026 Seoul International Garden Expo has surpassed 8 million. Despite the sweltering heat in July and August, the city successfully attracted citizens’ interest by offering a variety of programs that combined gardens and culture.

Since its opening at Seoul Forest in May, the expo has promoted daily garden culture by merging a range of content with urban gardens. In particular, in order to enable visitors to enjoy the park even during the hot summer months, programs such as "Midsummer Night’s Garden Theater", the nighttime reading program "Garden Bookshelf", "Late Night Radio" (where visitors can enjoy books and music together in the garden), and "Deep Dive into Gardens" (which offers an in-depth look at the creation stories, plant life, and nighttime landscapes of the gardens) have been organized.

Seoul Forest night lawn view. Seoul City

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will continue to offer a variety of programs utilizing the autumn ambiance and nighttime scenery of Seoul Forest in September and October. Through content that combines gardens with culture and leisure, ranging from movies, running, and busking to local festivals and direct-trade markets, the city plans to showcase the unique appeal of Seoul Forest as it changes with the seasons.

The "Garden Theater", which was held at the outdoor stage of Seoul Forest during July and August, will expand to the Lawn Plaza in September and October. Taking place every Saturday for a total of 10 sessions, citizens can bring their own picnic mats and freely watch movies on the lawn.

A running program will also be held, allowing participants to experience both gardens and nature as they run through Seoul Forest and along the Han River. This program, held five times from late August through October, starts with recovery stretching led by experts, followed by a 4-kilometer run, and concludes with a gourmet tasting experience featuring greenhouse vegetables.

On weekend evenings in September and October, busking performances will be activated against the backdrop of Seoul Forest’s gardens and nighttime lighting, inviting both citizens and performers to enjoy music together. Performers will be recruited through the official website so that music can freely fill the gardens of Seoul Forest, allowing visitors to enjoy relaxed moments in the autumn night garden.

In October, in collaboration with "Creative Seongsu"—the signature local festival of Seongsu-dong—a variety of local cultural content such as AI media facade, craft markets, and film screenings will be introduced. This will offer citizens and tourists visiting Seoul Forest and Seongsu-dong opportunities to enjoy nature, culture, and art all at once.

At Maeheon Citizen’s Forest, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary, a separate "2026 Seoul International Garden Expo Autumn Event" will be held from October 1 to 27. Under the theme "Citizen’s Garden," more than 50 gardens will be created through public contests for writers, citizens, and students, with participation from corporations, local governments, and village gardeners.

Kim Younghwan, Director General for Garden City at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, stated, "Surpassing 8 million visitors marks a new starting point leading into autumn," and added, "We will present a diverse range of autumn programs so that citizens can fully enjoy the beauty of the autumn gardens and experience the changing charm of gardens with the seasons."

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