Seoul International Fireworks Festival returns for 16th edition
- 6 years ago
The skies above Seoul were lit up last night by a must-see fireworks festival.
Hundreds of thousands of people lined the river flowing through the Korean capital... to watch and listen.
Our Lee Minsun was there, and says it was a big hit. Bursts of color lit up the clear autumn sky Saturday night... along Seoul’s Hangang River.
It was the 16th edition of the Seoul International Fireworks Festival.
Things got started before it was even dark, a rare chance ahead of the opening ceremony to see fireworks in the daylight.
First held in the year 2000, this has become one of Korea's most important festivals, and it brought out hundreds of thousands of people to the riverside with their friends and families.
"I live nearby so I came to watch these fireworks from around the world. It's fun. I especially liked when the fireworks were set to the tune of Gangnam Style."
Large local and international firework teams are asked to join the festival every year. And this time, teams from Spain, Canada and Korea have been invited to wow the crowds and light up the night sky over Yeouido.
To the sound of music from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the Spanish team put on a show on theme of Olympic Dreams, depicting the art and culture of two Olympian cities, Seoul and Barcelona.
"Seeing these fireworks in person is really moving. It's nothing like watching it on a screen."
For the Korean team's show, the theme was "The Dreaming Moon."
Based on a Korean custom, they floated a gigantic full moon into the sky... on a tether lined with fireworks, inviting the people on the ground to make a wish.
Their mesmerizing 40-minute display reminded people of dreams and aspirations they might have forgotten.
The festival came to a close with a crescendo of crackling booms and streaming colors, thrilling the crowds and leaving with them with big expectations for next year's edition.
Lee Min Sun, Arirang News.
Hundreds of thousands of people lined the river flowing through the Korean capital... to watch and listen.
Our Lee Minsun was there, and says it was a big hit. Bursts of color lit up the clear autumn sky Saturday night... along Seoul’s Hangang River.
It was the 16th edition of the Seoul International Fireworks Festival.
Things got started before it was even dark, a rare chance ahead of the opening ceremony to see fireworks in the daylight.
First held in the year 2000, this has become one of Korea's most important festivals, and it brought out hundreds of thousands of people to the riverside with their friends and families.
"I live nearby so I came to watch these fireworks from around the world. It's fun. I especially liked when the fireworks were set to the tune of Gangnam Style."
Large local and international firework teams are asked to join the festival every year. And this time, teams from Spain, Canada and Korea have been invited to wow the crowds and light up the night sky over Yeouido.
To the sound of music from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the Spanish team put on a show on theme of Olympic Dreams, depicting the art and culture of two Olympian cities, Seoul and Barcelona.
"Seeing these fireworks in person is really moving. It's nothing like watching it on a screen."
For the Korean team's show, the theme was "The Dreaming Moon."
Based on a Korean custom, they floated a gigantic full moon into the sky... on a tether lined with fireworks, inviting the people on the ground to make a wish.
Their mesmerizing 40-minute display reminded people of dreams and aspirations they might have forgotten.
The festival came to a close with a crescendo of crackling booms and streaming colors, thrilling the crowds and leaving with them with big expectations for next year's edition.
Lee Min Sun, Arirang News.