Seoul's largest-ever international garden show blends nature, tradition and K-culture

This article is by Cho Jung-woo and read by an artificial voice. From K-culture to characters like Pokémon, Seoul is set to feature a sea of green starting this May, blending trends with nature at the Seoul International Garden Show. The event, the largest of its kind to date, kicks off Friday, signaling the city's latest push to evolve into a lush garden city where nature and urban life coexist. The exhibition, which was rebranded as an international show in 2024 as part of a major urban greening initiative by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, features 167 gardens spanning 90,000 square meters (22 acres) across Seoul Forest and its neighboring areas, as well as the Han River. Running through Oct. 27, this year's event will span the longest duration in the show's history. As this Korea JoongAng Daily reporter toured the grounds on Thursday, a day ahead of the official opening, the showgrounds at Seoul Forest in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, revealed a harmonious blend of K-culture and horticultural art. "We've attempted to reflect contemporary urban trends within these gardens, especially since Seongsu-dong has become a global symbol of K-culture," said Kim Young-min, a professor of landscape architecture at the University of Seoul and director of the show's organizing committee. From K-culture to Pokémon In a nod to the country's status as a cultural hub, the show features a specialized garden for K-pop fans that incorporates iconic lightsticks into the green arrangements. The show also includes dedicated fan-donated forests, such as those honoring K-pop group aespa's Winter and BTS's J-hope. For those seeking a more traditional aesthetic, Korean heritage gardens inspired by hanok (traditional Korean house) architecture provide a serene look into the nation's past. The gardens span a wide variety of themes, ranging from high-concept designs by world-renowned architects to whimsical pop-ups featuring Pokémon and Lego. At the Pokémon Secret Forest, fans can find numerous statues of Pikachu tucked away from the main entrance along Eevee's Secret Trail and Phantom's Hideout. While last year's show leaned heavily on the purple hues of Ditto, this year's display is dominated by Pikachu yellow, aligning with "Morning Yellow," Seoul's color of the year. To accommodate global visitors, the show offers information in nine languages via on-site QR codes. Detailed text and audio guides are available in English, Chinese, Japanese and Spanish, while text-only support is provided in Vietnamese, Thai, Malay and Indonesian. English-language docent tours are also available twice daily via preregistration on Naver Booking. Corporate collaborations also take center stage, with K-culture brands including beauty company Clio and fashion platform Musinsa presenting their own gardens. Nongshim has also joined the lineup with "Spicy Happiness in Noodles," a garden created to mark the 40th anniversary of Shin Ramyun. From Supertrees to environmental reflection The Summit Silo, a circular garden by Daewoo E&C, features a striking white rootlike structure at its center. The project involved a collaboration between Seoul-based Bonsigudo and Grant Associates — the firm famous for designing Singapore's iconic Supertrees. "Seoul Forest used to be a horse racing track, and this spot marks where the center of the arch once stood," said Lee Hyeong-seok, head of Bonsigudo. The silo-shaped structure is designed to offer visitors a sense of natural silence as they move toward the center. The show also addresses environmental issues. At a garden hosted by cosmetics brand Clio, a pavilion features a 150-year-old charred tree recovered from forest fires in Andong, North Gyeongsang, to raise awareness about natural disasters. "Forest fires occur every year," the designer noted, adding that it was vital to deliver a message of preservation and recovery. In another space nearby, a forest warning sign stands over a patch of earth where oak saplings sprout f...