Lotte World, seen from the Lotte World TowerLotte World & Lotte World Tower
Map
Lotte World or Lotte World Adventure (Korean: 롯데월드 어드벤처) is a major recreation complex in Seoul, South Korea. It consists of a large indoor theme park,[4] an outdoor amusement park called "Magic Island", an artificial island on a lake linked by monorail, shopping malls, a luxury hotel, an observation tower, a Korean folk museum, sports facilities, and movie theaters. Opened in July 1989, Lotte World receives approximately 7.3 million visitors each year.[3] Lotte World's sister theme park, Lotte World Adventure Busan, opened in March 2022.[5]
General information
Lotte World is located in Sincheon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is made up of two main sections, the outdoor amusement park Magic Island,[6] and Adventure (indoors).[7]
Lotte World is open all year long, without any holiday closings. Its operating hours are from 10 am to 9 pm. Depending on weather conditions (below 0 °C or above 30 °C, wind speed over 7~14m2, rain over 0.2mm) some Magic Island attractions may be closed. [8]
Ticket fee. Exit
Adult
Teenager
Child
Baby (under 48 month)
1 Day
62,000 KRW (47.12 USD)
54,000 KRW (41.04 USD)
47,000 KRW (35.72 USD)
15,000 KRW (11.40 USD)
After 4 PM
50,000 KRW (38.00 USD)
43,000 KRW (32.68 USD)
36,000 KRW (27.36 USD)
15,000 KRW (11.40 USD)
Opening
Construction started on the Lotte World Adventure in 1985.[9] It opened at 11 a.m. on July 12, 1989. Magic Island opened on March 24, 1990. It is located near Jamsil Station on Seoul Subway Line 2 and Seoul Subway Line 8. In the early days, there was a market and a New Country Supermarket. In 1990, the New Country Supermarket was absorbed by Lotte Shopping and changed its name to Lotte Department Store in Jamsil in 1998.
In Seomyeon, Busan, there was Lotte World Sky Plaza, which started construction in 1992 and opened in 1996. It was not financial due to the lack of a free pass system and annual membership system. In 1999, it was demolished due to the safety issues of the Sky Plaza and Loop. Busan Lotte World Sky Plaza has now been replaced by Lotte Cinema multiplex theaters.
The initial hours of operation were 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., but the hours of operation have changed from 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. since 1998 when marketing was conducted, stating "every day until 11 p.m." Lotte World rose 20 percent when sales at other theme parks in Korea fell about 20 percent during the IMF bailout.
There are more than 40 different kinds of amusement facilities, including Gyro Drop and Atlantis. There are large-scale fantasy parades at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. every day, except Monday. On December 12, 2007, the total number of visitors exceeded 100 million. In 2012, foreign tourists accounted for 10 percent of the total. Lotte Department Store Jamsil branch and duty-free shop are also famous tourist attractions. In the Seoul metropolitan area, it is considered one of the top three entertainment facilities along with Everland and Seoul Land. In 2011, it ranked 11th in the world in number of visitors, with 7.58 million visitors.
In May 2013, Lotte World Underland, a theme zone with the theme of a goblin village, was opened on the first basement floor. The 4D Shooting Theater, Media Zone, and restaurants were located in Underland as well.
In the case of Magic Island, there was a high-altitude series of high-altitude fighter jets, high-altitude parachutes and high-altitude wave rides in the 1990s. Now, there are a gyro attractions consisting of Gyro Drop, Gyro Swing, and Gyro Spin.
Lotte World Ice Rink, which measures 36 m × 65 m (118 ft × 213 ft) on the third basement floor of Adventure, is a skating attraction. On the west side of Adventure was Lotte World Swimming. KidZania, a children's vocational theme park, is located here.
Lotte World opened the Gimhae Lotte Water Park in Jangyu-dong, Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do from 2014 to 2015. In October 2014, Lotte World Aquarium was opened within Lotte World Mall in Songpa-gu, Seoul. In 2016, Lotte World Kids Park was opened in Eunpyeong Lotte Mall.
In 2021, the Busan Lotte World Magic Forest Theme Park, also known as Osiria Theme Park, will be opened at the Dongbu Mountain Tourist Complex in Gijang-gun, Busan.
The "Adventure" part of the amusement park is divided into four main floors.
Adventure 1F: Underland
The Adventures of Sinbad
A boat ride that allows passengers to travel along with Sinbad through an underground waterway.[10]
The Conquistador
An Intamin-made galleon ship ride. It swings back and forth, almost reaching the ceiling of Lotte World at its maximum height. The seats at the ends of the ship rise 5 more meters (16.4 ft) and 24 degrees higher than the seats towards the middle. Must be at least 110 cm (3 ft 7 in) to ride.[10]
Flume Ride
A log ride consisting of a 4-seat long boat that travels through a Jurassicjungle. Former name was "the Marrakesh Express". Must be at least 110 cm (3 ft 7 in) to ride.[10]
Camelot Carrousel
The merry-go-round located near the middle of Lotte World consists of 64 white horses. This is also the merry-go-round featured in South Korean drama series, Stairway to Heaven.[10]
Giant Loop
A Larson's fireball type ride made only of one big loop. Passengers are constantly taken for 360 degree spins in a 14m-wide circular rail. The vehicle even stops while upside down. It was closed on April 21, 2019.[10]
Drunken Basket
An Intamin drunken barrels model teacup ride that spins the individual vehicles left and right while the whole ride itself rises up and down.[10]
3D Desperados
A wide IMAX screen theater, where the seats are in the form of a horse. The seats move in all directions in accordance with the screen image. Passengers over 120 kg (265 lb) or under 120 cm (3 ft 11 in) must sit on a coach seat.[10]
Lotty's Kidstoria
A playground for children under age 8. This play area's theme is a fairy-tale world. Children can go barefoot to explore Cinderella's Castle, Alice in Wonderland, and other fairy-tale stories. Children at most 125 cm (4 ft 1 in) are permitted.[10]
Treeble's Hopper
A children's ride. The children are taken up towards a tree house as they jump up and down over 6 meters (19.7 ft). Only children between 90 cm (2 ft 11 in) and 120 cm (3 ft 11 in) are permitted.[10]
Kids Bumper Cars
Bumper cars for children which not permitted on the Crazy Bumper Cars. Anyone over 140 cm (4 ft 7 in) is not permitted, unless they are accompanying a child. Children under 5 years must have an adult with them.[10]
Swing Pang Pang
A mini version of the Teacup ride; the children get on a twirling basket. Children under 6 years have to be accompanied by an adult.[10]
Boong Boong Car
A kid ride where the children aboard a Boong Boong Car (붕붕 in Korean is the sound a car makes) and go to save Hansel and Gretel from the witch's house. Children under 105 cm (3 ft 5 in) are required to be accompanied by an adult.[10]
Brother Moon & Sister Sun
Jump into the sky with Brother Moon & Sister Sun to run away from a tiger![10]
A high-octane roller coaster. It rotates 360 degrees and even up to 540 degrees in some parts. The roller coaster passes through the building and is indoors, so it may feel like it might hit the building. You can also purchase photos taken while boarding at the exit. In 2017 the French Revolution's name was changed to French Revolution2 VR. Must be at least 120 cm to ride.[11]
The monorail takes visitors through Lotte World—both inside and outside. It gives a scenic view as it goes by Adventure, then goes outside to Magic Island that sits over the Seok-Chon Lake. There are two stations, Lake Station and Adventure Station.
Adventure 4F
Aeronauts Balloon Ride
This ride in a balloon spans the majority of the indoor park. It allows visitors view Lotte World from high above.
Dynamic Theatre
This theatre shows 15-minute-long movies, while the chair vibrates along with the movie.
Animal Theatre
This production, targeted towards children, tells the story of Piggy who is in love with a Princess. The King has already chosen a fiancé for the Princess, Knight Rolo. However, Piggy eventually wins the love of the princess through the help of his animal friends.[12]
Pharaoh's Fury
An Egyptian-themed dark ride similar to Indiana Jones Adventure ride at Disneyland.
Atlantis Adventure is a steel rollercoaster and is themed to the lost city, Atlantis. It is one of the most intense rides in the park.
Lotte World Castle in Magic Island
Gyro Drop is a new attraction coupled with VR goggles to give a simulation of a futuristic landscape during the elevation sequence. After completing a short rotation at the top, the seats will be dropped, halting to a stop at the base. One can opt out of the VR goggles if needed.
Gyro Swing is basically a giant swing similar to the indoor ride, but with a rotating end where participants are seated.
Comet Express is an indoor roller coaster with a space theme that travels through three separate rooms. Each car seats two people and rotates independently from the train.[13]
A Vekoma top spin ride. It was located on where Gyro Spin is now.
Rad Flying Tires
A top spin ride with super fast tires to hold on to. It is located where Bumper Car is now.
Live shows
The illusionist Loran at the Magic Theatre
Magic Theatre: The « Magic Theatre » is a theatre of about 200 seats, featuring magicians and illusionists from Korea, as well as several other countries around the world. One of those was the Canadian illusionist Loran,[14] who was featured from July to December 1997, accomplishing more than 700 performances. Loran is an international artist whose magic is hallmarked in a Medieval-Gothic style.
In popular culture
Lotte World was one of several locations used for filming the Korean drama Stairway to Heaven, namely the carousel, ice rink and as the seat of Cha Song-joo's family business.[15]
The South Korean boy band H.O.T. shot the video for their single "Candy" in Lotte World.[16]
Lotte World was one of several locations used for filming the Korean drama Hyde Jekyll, Me.[17]
Lotte World was featured on the South Korean variety/reality lifestyle show Pajama Friends.[18]
^"'여기는 롯데월드' 꿈의 나라 모험의 세계, 어느덧 사반세기" ['This is Lotte World', the world of adventure, the land of dreams, already a quarter of a century ago]. Newsis (in Korean). 17 July 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2023 – via Naver.
^"SBS '하이드 지킬, 나' 롯데월드가 배경이 된 이유" ['Hyde Jekyll, Me' Why Lotte World was the background]. PD Journal (in Korean). 15 January 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
^"보는 사람 멘붕에 빠트리는 절묘한 연예인 착시 사진" [Exquisite Celebrity Optical Illusion Photos That Make Viewers Mental Collapse]. Hans Economics (in Korean). 23 December 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
^"'어서와 한국은 처음이지?' 웨일즈 삼형제의 놀이공원 방문기" ['Welcome, First Time in Korea?' A visit to the amusement park of the three brothers in Wales]. Baby Times (in Korean). 16 September 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
