[WEEKEND GETAWAY] Scares, screams and stranger things: Four Halloween attractions worth the hype

Spooky season is upon us again, so check out these four attractions, from jump-scare zombies lunging toward you to more gentle pumpkin parties.

Everland's "Blood City" zone in Yongin, Gyeonggi [SAMSUNG C&T]

From drinking pumpkin-spiced lattes to thrill-filled days at amusement parks, the end of October offers a heady mix of activities. As Halloween nears, theme parks attract more visitors with fall-themed events and installments, often sticking to classic themes like the haunted doll villages and sometimes collaborating with popular drama series.

For those who are seeking Halloween-infused feelings for the end of October, here are the four recommendations compiled by the Korea JoongAng Daily.

Everland 에버랜드

Everland hosts zombie performances based on the popular horror series ″All of Us Are Dead″ (2022) until Nov. 17. [SAMSUNG C&T]

The giant panda family of Fu Bao at Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi has been an iconic attraction at Everland in recent years, but since Sept. 6, the Blood City zone — a fall special and a horror attraction — has been a new hit. The official YouTube video featuring this year's Blood City zone recorded over 10 million views and attracted twice the number of visitors compared to last year's opening three weeks, according to Park Ju-hyun from the theme park's planning division.

This year's Blood City zone, dubbed "Blood City 8," collaborated with Netflix to bring its two globally popular series, "All of Us Are Dead" (2022) and "Stranger Things," (2016-) into real-life settings. Visitors can walk around the physical building sets, one of them Hyosan High School from the Korean series "All of Us Are Dead," and the main street. Do not miss the photo zones at the school, the street and a uniform rental store. The zone for the U.S. series "Stranger Things" features a set built to implement a shopping center, Starcourt Mall, a major background of the story.

If you are brave enough to surround yourself with student zombies jump-scaring you and stage performances with zombies, you may enter the Horror Maze, which requires an additional entrance fee of 15,000 won ($11.45) and takes place every evening.

@witheverland 199 Everland-ro Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do(경기도 용인시 처인구 포곡읍 에버랜드로 199)Duration: Sept. 6 - Nov. 17, 2024Operating hours: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m.Admission fee: Day tickets from 40,000 won to 45,000 won until Oct. 31Horror Maze, 15,000 wonPhone number: 031-320-5000Website: www.everland.com/everland/home/main

Lotte World 롯데월드

Lotte World in Songpa District, southern Seoul runs the ″Street Horror Show: The Marionette,″ a horror-theme show, until Nov. 17. [LOTTE WORLD ADVENTURE]

Lotte World in Songpa District, southern Seoul, runs two themes for the fall season. "Dark Moon World" is a collaboration project with boy band Enhypen that runs until Nov. 17. The title originates from the horror-fantasy webtoon series, “Dark Moon: The Blood Altar,” from K-pop agency Hybe, featuring seven vampire characters going through dark adventures. Events include a mapping show at the Magic Island Magic Castle building every 8:40 p.m.

"Street Horror Show: The Marionette" shows the more classic side of Halloween, as the story depicts a lost girl, Laila, whose father creates a doll to remember her. The horror theme intensifies with a setting of haunted dolls coming alive at night. Every 8:20 p.m. at the first floor's main plaza, horror performances take place until Nov. 17. At 5:30 p.m. and 6:50 p.m., more dance performances dubbed "Street Horror Photo Time" roll out by the Vikings ride, with photo-taking times set for before and after each performance.

If you want a more extensive spooky experience, you can try out the Haunted House for a "ghost hunting" experience at 7,000 won, which stays open until the end of the season.

@happylotteworld240 Olympic-ro, Songpa District, southern Seoul(서울시 송파구 올림픽로 240) Duration: Sept. 7 - Nov. 17, 2024Operating hours: 10 a.m. - 10 p.m. Admission fee: Day ticket: 31,000 won to 42,000 won until Oct. 31Haunted house: 7,000 wonPhone number: 1661-2000Website: https://adventure.lotteworld.com/kor/main/index.do

Gyeongju World경주월드

Gyeongju World in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang is famous for its steep-falling rollercoaster Draken, but rolls out a witch-themed Halloween event ″Witches' Pumpkin Party″ this fall. [GYEONGJU WORLD]

For those without the stomach for horror shows, Gyeongju World's "Witches' Pumpkin Party" in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang might be ideal. The pumpkin-based Halloween settings offer a milder level of horror as the characters' disguises focus on colorful dresses while the witch makeup is kept to just dark eyes and streaks of red face paint along the chin. Big and small pumpkin decorations are found throughout the theme park, with a photo-printing booth offered once you mention the official hashtags suggested at the booth.

Once the evening arrives and the lights turn on, the pumpkin installations glow up orange to brighten the park with Halloween vibes. Witch-themed performances, incorporating wizard magic shows and singing and dancing, take place every day, so check their showtime on the notice board on-site.

Some might be familiar with the theme park for its rollercoaster Draken, as it is known for having Korea's steepest vertical drop. "Draken Warrior Greeting," named after the attraction, takes place on the weekends at the Draken Valley of the park.

@hi_gyeongju544 Bomun-ro, Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang(경상북도 경주시 보문로 544) Duration: Sept. 7 - Nov. 3, 2024Operating hours: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Admission fee: 48,000 won for adultsPhone number: 1588-8765Website: www.gjw.co.kr/Contents/contents.php

2024 Myeongdeok Station Mulbaegi Street Costume Festival 2024 명덕역 물베기거리 코스튬 페스티벌

The Daegu Nam-gu Office hosts a costume festival at Mulbaegi Street in Nam District, Daegu, on Saturday, replacing the Halloween festival that will no longer be held. [DAEGU NAM-GU OFFICE]

The Daegu Nam-gu Office announced on Oct. 16 that it would stop hosting the Daegu Halloween Festival in condolences of the Itaewon Tragedy in Oct. 2022. The city office is replacing the event with a costume festival at Mulbaegi Street in Nam District, Daegu, dubbed the Myeongdeok Station Mulbaegi Street Costume Festival. The one-day event runs on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., incorporating retro-vintage street vibes through old-style costumes and pastimes that used to trend in the 1970s and 80s. Visitors can rent vintage costumes and try ddakji-chigi or "play ddakji," a traditional Korean game involving folded paper. Busking, dancing performances and costume shows will take place. Caricature booths, more traditional game zones and flea markets will also be available at the venue.

"Through the costume festival at Mulbaegi Street, we hope the visitors can relive old memories and enjoy time with families," said Nam-gu district mayor Cho Jae-gu. “Through these festivals, we hope to entertain all generations and help revive the community's commerce and economy."

Mulbaegi Street area Myeongdeok-ro, Nam District, Daegu 대구광역시 남구 명덕로명덕역 물베기 거리 (남구 청소년 블루존)Duration: Oct. 26, 1 p.m. - 9 p.m. Phone number: 053-664-3262

BY KIM DONG-EUN [kim.dongeun@joongang.co.kr]