Seoul to light up Han River with 2,000-drone Marvel show on Halloween

Seoul will illuminate the Han River with a spectacular drone light show on Halloween, featuring a Marvel theme. A record 2,000 drones will take part in the 15-minute "Marvel Special" show, starting at 8:30 p.m. at Ttukseom Hangang Park in eastern Seoul. The drones will form Iron Man and other Marvel characters, as well as iconic film scenes, all synchronized to music.

The city began hosting these drone shows in 2023, aiming to transform the Han River into a nighttime attraction. This initiative aligns with Seoul's tourism goals, which include attracting 30 million foreign visitors annually. Each visitor is expected to spend 3 million won ($2,100), with an average stay of seven days. The city also hopes to achieve a 70 percent revisit rate.

In just seven shows this year, held up to October 9, the shows have drawn approximately 197,000 people, averaging around 28,000 per show. This is more than double the 2023 average of 11,000 attendees. Foreign visitors made up 34.6 percent of the 125,358 viewers at the first half's five shows. On show days, nearby businesses saw a 39 percent increase in card spending, while foreign nationals boosted expenditures by even more.