Han River Becomes Magnet for Global Fashion, Tech Firms

The banks of the Han River that bisects Seoul have become a magnet for global fashion and tech brands to put on promotional events. 

The global appeal of the Korean capital has increased thanks to the explosive popularity of shows like “Squid Game” and K-pop groups like Bangtan Boys, also known as BTS, and Blackpink, and the recent lifting of outdoor mask requirements has encouraged more businesses to host events there. 

Italian fashion brand Valentino held a promotional event in the Jamwon section of the Han River Park on Sept. 21 for around 500 invited guests. “Headquarters knows that the Han River is the center of Seoul both geographically and culturally, so we ended up hosting an event here,” a spokesman said. 

Pala, a Naver subsidiary specializing in crypto services, also held an event in the Han River Park in Banpo for 1,000 guests to publicize its NFT technology, and dozens of foreign investors came. 

French luxury brand Cartier will throw a party there next month to celebrate the reopening of its store in the posh Cheongdam-dong area of southern Seoul. “We expect the nighttime scenery of the Han River to offer a beautiful backdrop,” a spokesman said. 

A major plus is that there is no need to spend a lot of money on fancy interior decorations since the beautiful outdoor scenery and surrounding urban landscape are picturesque enough.

Netflix recently held an event where participants dressed as characters from the drama “Money Heist” ran across Jamsu Bridge. “The Han River is already a familiar place for overseas fans who love Korean dramas and movies,” a Netflix spokesperson said.

A night market on the Han River has reopened after the coronavirus pandemic and is now attracting 40,000 to 50,000 people per evening. People are flocking to cruise boats that sail on the river too. Eland Cruise said 7,000 people boarded its boats last weekend, up 2.5 times compared to last year. 

With the outdoor mask requirement lifted from this week and autumn in swing, more public events and festivals are on the way. 

Fireworks are planned in front of the 63 Building in Yeouido on Oct. 8, and rooms at nearby hotels overlooking the river are already fully booked. A staffer at Seoul Dragon City Hotel said, “300 rooms in the upper floors with views of the Han River sold out within a week.”