On the night of October 7th, the 2023 Seoul International Fireworks Festival took place along the Han River, illuminating the night sky in a spectacular shower of dazzling lights. This year’s theme, “Lights of Tomorrow,” signifies the hopeful message of brightening tomorrow or the future with diverse colors.
This festival has been one of Korea’s most culturally significant and large-scale fireworks displays. It has been hosted each year between late September and October by the private Korean conglomerate Hanwha Group since the year 2000 at Yeouido Hangang Park. This year, a record of approximately 1.05 million people showed up. This means more than 1 in 10 Seoul citizens have participated in this event.
Every year, there are usually two or three other countries alongside Hanwha that do firework performances. This year, China’s team SUNNY planned along the sub-theme of “A Dream Comes True,” and Poland’s team SUREX designed “Light Up the World.” Unfortunately, Poland’s performances were canceled due to equipment malfunction. However, the audience was greatly satisfied with Hanwha’s “Moonlight” performance. Many people expressed their regrets about not seeing Poland’s performances but claimed that the others more than made up for the absence. Departing spectators likewise expressed their hopes of returning next year, and each recollected their favorite moments with wonder.
The Seoul International Fireworks Festival had its faults and mishaps. Although many people enjoy that the celebrations are in the middle of Seoul, others have complained about its noise and brightness. Each year, there is the perennial problem of congestion and littering after the event. Some politicians have criticized the privatization of such widescale events. There were also a few minor altercations as the best vantage points became too crowded and people cut the line to use public restrooms.
This event brings light to last year’s unfortunate Itaewon crisis. The police were heavily criticized last October for their delayed response to the situation. This year, there was a significant improvement in the planning by the police, government, and the Hanwha corporation. There were around 6,000 police officers to supervise the scene, as well as an addition of 20 CCTV cameras to monitor the crowd density constantly. This is almost a 60% increase in the number of officers compared to last year’s festival. The Hanwha corporation also helped monitor the situation by creating an application that receives s feedback from officers at the site regarding live crowd density analysis. Also, the corresponding area was closed off to any cars or micro-mobility transportation for the safety of the pedestrians. Furthermore, the government meticulously planned public transit, like buses, to arrive in short intervals to quickly disperse the crowd after the event
Although this festival could have been a bit far for students staying in Songdo. However, it’s an excellent opportunity for students residing in Seoul. Chadwick students can look forward to this festival next year and visit the Han River next October. Also, there is a Golden Ticket option that is offered for free through random selection of 600 people where winners will be given privileged viewing locations along the Han River. Although the chances are slim, it wouldn’t hurt to enter the draw.
Overall, the Seoul International Fireworks Festival was quite successful, creating an unforgettable night for the spectators where the fading embers left not only a feeling of regret but ignited a desire to chase after our bright future.
