Lotte World bets big on 'Kong x Godzilla: The Ride' in record-breaking attraction investment

"The moment it starts, you feel like you've been sucked straight into the movie."

Lotte World Adventure's most ambitious project in nearly four years has finally opened to the public. "Kong x Godzilla: The Ride," which officially opened Friday, is an attraction unlike anything previously seen at the park — a complete departure from its existing rides. For those hungry for a truly remarkable theme park experience, it arrives like a long-awaited rain.

Lotte World began developing the attraction in September 2022, investing three years and ten months in the project. The facility represents the single largest investment ever made in a standalone attraction in Lotte World Adventure's history.

At a recent press briefing, Lotte World said it could not disclose the exact figure but confirmed the investment surpassed the roughly 50 billion won ($34 million) spent on "Pharaoh's Fury" in 2005. Officials described the new attraction as "a showcase of cutting-edge technology, incorporating large media screens, robots standing up to 5 meters tall and 11 meters wide, and highly dynamic ride vehicles."

"Kong x Godzilla: The Ride" is the world's first theme park attraction to bring the Monsterverse — the shared cinematic universe featuring Godzilla, King Kong and other iconic monsters — to life. It was built on the site of the former Jungle Adventure Boat ride after that facility was demolished. Production involved collaboration with Legendary Entertainment and Toho, the Japanese studio that holds the Godzilla intellectual property.

Kwon Oh-sang, CEO of Lotte World, explained the rationale behind the choice of IP. "Overseas visitors account for roughly 15 percent of our guests, and we wanted to partner with a globally recognized franchise — 'Godzilla x Kong' fit that perfectly," he said. "When we launched the project in 2022, we reviewed more than ten IP candidates and concluded this one would deliver the greatest impact."

The experience begins well before riders board. Outside the entrance, vendors sell Kong-shaped hot dogs and bread, along with grilled giant octopus tentacle skewers. A Lotte World official said the octopus snack was inspired by a scene in the film in which Kong catches and eats an octopus living in a lake.

Once inside, guests enter a space designed to feel like the real M-42, the 42nd outpost of Monarch — the secret organization that protects Earth in the Monsterverse. The queue is anything but a long, dull wait. Monitors display real-time data on the Titans and topographical information on the Hollow Earth, the subterranean world at the heart of the story, alongside observation equipment and a full-scale model of the HEAV, the aerial exploration vessel riders will soon board. Animatronic figures move with lifelike precision. Passing through the research and maintenance facilities and the vehicles on display, guests absorb the attraction's entire world before they ever take a seat.

After making their way through the queue, riders find themselves at the boarding area. The mission: explore the Hollow Earth, the subterranean realm and birthplace of the Titans. All belongings, including smartphones, must be stored in lockers before boarding. A staff member explained that because the attraction uses a highly sensitive trackless system, any item falling to the floor during the ride could cause an accident.

After stowing their belongings, riders wait briefly before boarding. The vehicle seats eight — two rows of four side by side. The moment the safety bar locks down, the heart responds before the mind does. Total darkness follows. The vessel glides silently into the depths of the Hollow Earth, the unknown realm where the Titans originate. The ride is a trackless dark ride — a format rare in South Korea — in which vehicles navigate wirelessly under their own power rather than following a fixed track.

From there, the ride covers a total course of 320 meters over approximately 11 minutes. An enormous screen stretching up to 22 meters fills the entire field of vision, aided by specialized projection equipment. The sheer scale creates the sensation of walking directly into a movie theater screen. Kong, Godzilla and the Titans clash across the image — and the instant Kong takes a hit on screen, the ride vehicle lurches with precisely the same timing.

The vehicle's violent shaking and special effects, perfectly synchronized with the 3D media, exceed all expectations. The tilting and rotation convey the genuine sensation of falling and rising. The feeling of standing in the middle of a real battle tightens the grip on the safety bar involuntarily. Even knowing it was safe, the body flinched on instinct.

Ki Myung-hun, head of Lotte World's communications team, said synchronizing the vehicle's movements with the visuals was the most difficult part of production, and that representatives from Legendary Entertainment conducted extensive testing over a prolonged period.

When the mission ended and the vehicle returned to its starting point, riders broke into spontaneous applause. The arrival of an attraction that sets itself apart from everything else at Lotte World is, in itself, a compelling draw.

"The moment Kong rose up right in front of me and turned his head, I felt a wave of emotion as a film fan," one participant said. Another called it "a genuinely fresh experience — something Lotte World has never offered before."

The meticulous oversight of Legendary Entertainment also stood out. A Lotte World official said the studio sent detailed feedback on everything from the precise shade of Kong's fur to the correct scale of his proportions and the way light reflects off his titanium teeth.

After disembarking, riders pass through a photo zone where they can pose as if caught in Kong's enormous grip, before arriving at a limited-edition merchandise store. Products on offer include a Kong crossbody bag, a Godzilla cape and a Battle Axe bat.

The intensity of the attraction lingers long after the ride ends. Knowing the story in advance deepens the enjoyment and amplifies the immersion — even riders who are not fans of Kong or Godzilla will get more out of the experience with at least a basic familiarity with the plot.

The relatively long runtime of about 11 minutes means wait times can stretch considerably on weekends and during peak season, so arriving at opening time is recommended. Some early visitors noted that the lighting inside the dark ride was brighter than expected relative to the surrounding darkness and suggested dimming it further to heighten immersion — an observation linked to the trackless format, which can draw the eye to the floor rather than the screen.

Lotte World said the launch marks a strategic turning point, with plans to overcome the constraints of physical space by combining advanced media technology with major global IP, drawing tourists and establishing the park as a next-generation entertainment destination.

"We expect this attraction, built around a global IP that spans generations, to broaden our customer base — from general visitors and domestic film enthusiasts to global fandom and international tourists — and deliver a fresh kind of excitement to as many people as possible," Kwon said.