Three-time world champion to walk slackline between skyscrapers above Gwanghwamun

A high-altitude slackline performance will take place above Gwanghwamun in central Seoul on Thursday.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Monday that world-class slackliner Jaan Roose will attempt Korea's first high-altitude urban slackline crossing, walking a line strung between Coreana Hotel and the Dong-A Media Center above the heart of the city. The event is sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and organized by Red Bull Korea, with Roose — a three-time slackline world champion from Estonia — headlining the performance.

Slacklining is an extreme sport in which athletes walk, jump and spin on a taut, flat webbing roughly 2.5 to 5 centimeters wide stretched between two anchor points. While it resembles traditional tightrope walking, the discipline is defined by its use of the line's elasticity — performers harness the bounce and sway to execute a wide range of dynamic moves.

Roose made history in 2024 when he became the first person to cross the Strait of Messina — the roughly 3.6-kilometer stretch of water separating mainland Italy from Sicily — on a slackline. He is also the first athlete to land a double backflip on a slackline. Last July, he drew wide attention for performing a high-wire act between a speeding motorboat and an airborne parachutist.

For the Seoul performance, Roose will walk a line connecting the rooftop of Coreana Hotel (22nd floor) and the Dong-A Media Center (22nd floor), 120 meters above street level. The line runs 160 meters in length and will be installed in parallel using steel beams and other safety fixtures. "We have put sufficient safety measures in place, including steel beams, to prepare for the performance," a Seoul Metropolitan Government official said.

The Seoul performance will be held twice on Thursday — at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. — and will feature the world-class slackline tricks Roose has showcased in cities around the globe.

Spectators on the ground can watch the high-altitude performance live on large outdoor screens installed on both Coreana Hotel and the Dong-A Media Center. The event will also be streamed in real time on the Seoul Metropolitan Government's YouTube channel.

Roose was deeply impressed by Korean traditional tightrope walking, known as "jultagi," when he visited Korea in 2022, and has maintained a strong interest in it since.

On the same day, Cheonggyecheon Plaza will host hands-on programs and performances giving citizens a closer look at extreme sports. Slackline experience zones set at heights of 30 centimeters and 50 centimeters will let visitors try their balance. Dynamic skateboarding and breaking performances will add to the atmosphere, and participation is free with no prior registration required.

Given that the event takes place 120 meters above ground in a densely populated urban area, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to deploy a concentrated team of on-site safety personnel and will work to prevent accidents by separating spectator zones from pedestrian routes.

"Seoul is an attractive city where nature and the urban landscape blend closely together, allowing diverse city spaces to serve as stages for new sports," said Jo Seong-ho, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Tourism and Sports Bureau. "We will continue to discover and attract international sports events that use Seoul's varied spaces as their stage, spreading the city's dynamic appeal to the world."