Hanwha fireworks festival returns to Han River on Sept. 5

Hanwha will hold the "Seoul International Fireworks Festival with Hanwha 2026" at Yeouido Han River Park on Sept. 5, running from 1 p.m. to 10 p.m., the company announced Thursday.

The Seoul International Fireworks Festival, a corporate social responsibility initiative Hanwha Group has run since 2000, draws more than 1 million visitors each year, making it one of South Korea's signature annual events. This year's theme is "Your Infinite Colors," exploring the many forms of human life through the metaphor of infinite color and channeling the emotion and hope that diverse lights can inspire. Fireworks teams representing three countries — South Korea, the United States and the United Kingdom — will take part.

The show opens at 8 p.m. sharp with the British team, Pyrotex Fireworx, performing under the theme "Colours Reimagined." Their 15-minute set, choreographed to music including "Soda Pop" by KPop Demon Hunters, will paint the night sky with specially designed pyrotechnics. At 8:20 p.m., the American team, Ace Pyro, takes over with "Instrumental Illumination," using the grandeur of light against darkness as its motif. Their display will be set to pieces including "O Fortuna" from Carmina Burana.

Starting at 8:40 p.m., the Korean team — Hanwha — closes the show with a roughly 30-minute finale. Drawing inspiration from Vincent van Gogh's "The Starry Night," Hanwha will present a fireworks show titled "The Starry Night — Puzzle of Light." The performance will also feature an emotionally charged sequence set to "Baram-i Bunda," a song by singer Lee So-ra.

New this year are two visual highlights making use of Wonhyo Bridge: so-called "tower fireworks" and an enhanced "bridge sequence" with a wider variety of patterns. A "decalcomania" effect — in which fireworks burst symmetrically on both sides of the Han River above Wonhyo Bridge — is designed to be enjoyed even from a distance. Letter-shaped fireworks spelling out "SEOUL," "HANWHA" and "NETFLIX" — a nod to official sponsor Netflix Korea — will add a playful touch to the display.

Hanwha is also partnering with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Foundation to set up viewing areas and interactive events across the festival zone stretching from Nodeul Island to Yeouido Han River Park. From 1 p.m., promotional booths operated by Hanwha Life, Hanwha Asset Management, Hanwha Life Esports and Hanwha Finance Plus will be open at the event plaza in Yeouido Han River Park, with prize giveaways and photo zones on offer. A global tourism package linking various cultural and arts events in Seoul with the "Centre Pompidou x Hanwha" exhibition will also be available for international visitors.

To ensure a safe event, a record 5,000-plus safety and crowd-management personnel will be deployed, including 1,200 Hanwha employee volunteers. The company will also make active use of "Orange Safety," a real-time crowd-density monitoring system operated in partnership with mobile carriers, to help disperse crowds. A joint operations center will be established with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Seoul Fire and Disaster Headquarters and the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency to enable rapid response to any unexpected incidents.

After the event, the 1,200-member Hanwha volunteer corps will clean up the Yeouido and Ichon Han River Park areas through a "Clean Campaign," while a "10 Minutes Slow" campaign will encourage visitors to leave the area gradually on their own. Hanwha will also live-stream the Yeouido fireworks show on its official YouTube channel, Hanwha TV. Visitors in nearby areas where the fireworks are visible but the music cannot be heard clearly can listen to the synchronized theme music in real time through the "Orange Play" smart app.