Seoul International Garden Expo wraps up with record 14 million visitors

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Sunday that the 2026 Seoul International Garden Expo drew a record 14 million visitors over its 180-day run before closing Sept. 27.

The figure marks a 34.1 percent increase from the 10.44 million visitors who attended last year's expo at Boramae Park, and follows the 7.8 million recorded at the 2024 edition held at Ttukseom Han River Park — making this the third consecutive year the event has set an all-time attendance record.

This year's expo ran under the theme "Seoul, Green Culture" from May 1, making it the longest-running edition in the event's history at 180 days.

The garden footprint expanded beyond Seoul Forest to cover Seongsu-dong, Konkuk University Station and stretches along the Han River, and an autumn garden festival was also held at Maeheon Citizens' Forest this month.

Within Seoul Forest, 132 gardens were created, with five more installed on the adjacent Han River floodplain. An additional 30 gardens were laid out along streets and alleyways in the Seongsu-dong and Konkuk University Station area, bringing the total across Seoul Forest and its surroundings to 167 gardens.

Across the entire event, 225 gardens were created in all, and about 210,000 people took part in 170 garden-culture programs covering guided tours, hands-on activities, exhibitions and academic sessions. Daily average attendance reached about 78,000, up 22.9 percent from last year.

Visitor satisfaction was also high. A survey of 2,358 Seoul residents conducted from Sept. 19 to Sept. 25 found that 90.9 percent said they were satisfied with the expo.

Nearby commercial activity and foot traffic also rose during the event. Card sales in the Seoul Forest and Seongsu-dong area from May through September climbed 11.6 percent year-on-year, while the daily average foot traffic increased 7.1 percent.

Over the same period, the foreign visitor population rose 22.9 percent and foreign card transactions increased 38.2 percent. Vendors at the expo — including the garden market and food trucks — generated more than 4.2 billion won ($3.15 million) in sales through this month.

Through corporate and institutional social-contribution initiatives, the city attracted about 9 billion won in private investment and established 62 community-participation gardens — 56 at Seoul Forest and six at Maeheon Citizens' Forest.

After the expo's close, the city plans to keep 191 of the 225 gardens in place for use as public rest areas, preserving more than 90,000 square meters of garden space.

Utility infrastructure — including electricity and water supply — was also upgraded at Seoul Forest and Maeheon Citizens' Forest. Seating at rest facilities such as benches more than doubled, rising from 2,279 to 5,650 seats.

"The record-breaking run length and attendance figures confirm how deeply interested Seoul residents are in garden culture," said Kim Young-hwan, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Garden City Bureau.