Seoul fireworks show attracts 1 million spectators

More than one million spectators attended Seoul's largest annual fireworks display in Yeouido, despite the fact that many more likely observed the event from afar, according to the organizers' announcement on Sunday. The Seoul International Fireworks Festival concluded on Saturday, according to Hanwha Group, which oversaw the event.

To ensure a memorable experience, the conglomerate invited the families of national heroes and war veterans, broadcasting the festivities live on its official YouTube channel, which amassed 2.68 million views with peak concurrent users reaching 260,000. Hanwha Group, which shouldered an estimated 13 billion won ($9.66 million) for the show, prioritized crowd safety, spending around 4.5 billion won on safety management alone.

Over 5,000 safety personnel, including 1,200 volunteers from Hanwha affiliates, were deployed at the venue for crowd control, the highest number ever in the event's 20-year history. The defense-to-ship building conglomerate also collaborated with local telecommunication operators to monitor real-time crowd density and CCTV surveillance. Hanwha Group has been hosting the annual fireworks festival since 2000.