Seoul by night, one hour longer: 'Seoul Dal' balloon extends to 11 p.m. on weekends

Visitors will be able to take in Seoul's nightscape for an extra hour this summer from above Yeouido Park.

The operating hours of Seoul Dal, a tethered gas balloon and one of the city's signature nighttime tourism attractions, will be extended to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Foundation announced Tuesday that Seoul Dal will operate from noon to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays from August through October — one hour later than before. Sunday through Thursday hours remain unchanged, running from noon to 10 p.m.

Seoul Dal is a tethered gas balloon installed at Yeouido Park that ascends to about 130 meters, offering panoramic views of the Han River, Yeouido, Nodeul Island, Namsan and the broader Seoul cityscape at night. The city said it introduced the late-night hours in response to growing demand during evening time slots.

The extension is also intended to encourage tourists to spend more time in Yeouido by linking Seoul Dal visits with cultural events at the nearby Han River park, boosting nighttime tourism in the area. The city said it plans to analyze this year's operational results and consider expanding the extended hours to cover April through October next year.

Seoul Dal, which opened in August 2024, has drawn more than 108,000 cumulative riders. Of those, 40,726 were foreign visitors. The share of foreign riders rose from 40.2 percent last year to 43.6 percent in the first half of this year.

"We will use the late-night operation of Seoul Dal as an opportunity to make Seoul a city where residents and tourists alike want to stay after dark, and strengthen our competitiveness as a global tourism destination by expanding nighttime tourism offerings," said Jo Seong-ho, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's tourism and sports bureau.