World champion highline athlete turns Seoul's skyline into high-altitude stage
High above the bustling thoroughfares of central Seoul, the gap between two prominent high-rises will transform into an extraordinary arena this fall. On Thursday, Estonian aerial athlete Jaan Roose will step onto a narrow polyester ribbon stretched 120 meters above Gwanghwamun, crossing a 160-meter highline suspended between the Koreana Hotel and the Dong-A Media Center in Korea’s first urban…
In Seoul's skyline, the space between two towering skyscrapers is set to become a spectacular venue this fall. Estonian highline athlete Jaan Roose will traverse a 120-meter-long highline, connecting the Koreana Hotel and the Dong-A Media Center, marking Korea's inaugural urban high-altitude slackline performance. Unlike the precision of tightrope walking, slacklining employs a flexible webbing that oscillates, enabling performers to execute daring maneuvers like flips and spins.
The event, backed by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Red Bull Korea, will showcase Roose's world-class skills in two sessions at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. For the three-time world champion, who recently completed a 3.6-kilometer crossing over Italy's Strait of Messina in 2024, the Seoul performance carries personal significance.
He had previously witnessed jultagi, a traditional Korean tightrope art form recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage.
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