SEOUL, Apr. 30 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korea’s biggest interactive media park, WonderPark, opened its doors on April 29 in Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, just south of the capital, with an inauguration ceremony marking the official start of operations.
The 15,000-square-meter cultural space is a revival of the long-vacant Seoul Grand Park visitor center building, which had sat unused for two decades. It was redeveloped by Magicflow, a joint venture between Shinsegae Construction’s leisure division and Media & Space Partners.
Themed around “Our Happy Earth, Where Animals, Humans and the Ecosystem Coexist,” WonderPark features more than 40 exhibitions and experiential attractions across 10 zones showcasing diverse climates and wildlife habitats.
Visitors can wander through the “Great Forest” filled with animals, explore the “Enormous Insect Kingdom” revealing the lives of bugs, and participate in the “Ice Park” experience where they throw balls to eliminate air pollution, litter and save polar bears.
The park leverages interactive media art technologies that use sensors and cameras to detect and respond to visitor movements. An augmented reality app also allows people to collect digital animals on their smartphones and create personalized virtual nature guides.
While traditional zoos and botanical gardens serve as living classrooms for ecology, WonderPark aims to be a theme park transcending physical boundaries, allowing guests to naturally experience ecosystem diversity and the value of coexistence through media-driven playscapes, Shinsegae Construction’s leisure division said.
Admission is 22,000 won for adults and teenagers, and 18,000 won for children aged 3 to elementary school. The park will operate year-round, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
To celebrate its grand opening, WonderPark is offering a 40 % ticket discount at the venue from noon onward. Online, a 10 % discount will be available through May across some 30 platforms including SSG.com, GMarket, Auction, Yanolja and Naver Reservation.
“As technology evolves, so too are the spaces where families spend their leisure time changing,” said Lee Ju-hee, CEO of Shinsegae Construction’s leisure division. “We hope WonderPark becomes Seoul Grand Park’s signature experience, allowing people of all ages to enjoy themselves while gaining an appreciation for nature’s preciousness.”
Image credit: Shinsegae Construction Leisure Division, Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com
