Seoul International Garden Show kicks off at Ttukseom Hangang Park

Ttukseom Hangang Park in eastern Seoul transformed into a collection of gardens as the Seoul International Garden Show 2024 kicked off on Thursday.

″The Butterfly Effect Garden,″ designed by Nicha Chongkriengkrai and Sorat Sitthidumrong from Thailand, is showcased at the Seoul International Garden Show held in Ttukseom Hangang Park in eastern Seoul. The show, which kicked off on Thursday, will be held through Oct. 8. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Ttukseom Hangang Park in eastern Seoul transformed into a collection of gardens as the Seoul International Garden Show 2024 kicked off on Thursday.

The show, featuring 76 gardens designed by experts, students and residents, will be held through October 8. The 10,460 square meter (2.6 acres) area turned into artful gardens created under the theme of “Seoul, Green Vibe.” According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the event is an expansion of the Seoul Garden Show, which has been held annually since 2015. It marks the first garden fair held by the Han River.

The show also features 10 gardens that won the design competition for the event, including four teams from Thailand, China and Bangladesh. A total of 17 companies, including Samsung C&T and KB Securities, participated to showcase their gardens at the event.

Employees from four institutes — the National Institutes of Ecology, Seoul Grand Park, Seoul Botanic Park and Pureun Arboretum — also showcased their gardens. Students in majors related to gardens created 10 pieces, while citizens created 15 others.

Participants were also given awards during the opening ceremony on Thursday, which was attended by some 300 people including Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon.

The ″Section Garden″ designed by Yang He and Hongliang Chen from China is showcased at the Seoul International Garden Show held at Ttukseom Hangang Park in eastern Seoul from Thursday through Oct. 8. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

The show also features different events through Wednesday. Visitors can go on a tour with a garden docent, and participating garden creators will also hold talk shows. There will also be quiz programs related to the event and workshops to create flowerpots with recycled materials. People will also be able to read near the garden with live music, as performances will be held throughout the park.

The Seoul International Garden Show aligns with the mayor’s recent announcement of the “Garden City Seoul” initiative, aiming to maximize green spaces in the capital by bringing in more parks and public gardens. The city government plans to develop and create gardens in 1,007 spots across the capital by 2026. The gardens will fill in the city’s unused lands such as roads and empty squares, and turn roadsides into green spots for commuters to rest. The metropolitan government stressed that creating a city garden would greatly improve the lives of Seoulites, as "just seeing a garden relieves more than 20 percent of depressive moods,” compared to staying in the city.

From Oct. 2 to 8, a fair for garden businesses will be held in connection with the event. After the event ends, the capital plans to promote and designate Ttukseom Han River Park as a national and regional park.

A visitor takes photos of flowers in Ttukseom Hangang Park in eastern Seoul where the Seoul International Garden Show began on Thursday. [YONHAP]

“The Seoul International Garden Show offers an opportunity to contribute positively to the Earth and feel the power of gardens making people happy," said Lee Su-yeon, the head of the city government's Parks and Recreation Bureau, adding that the city government would strive to develop the event into a global festival.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]