Halloween in Seoul 2026: Theme Parks, Itaewon Crowds & Safety

31 October 2026 falls on a Saturday. Everland and Lotte World run autumn festivals with published dates, while Itaewon and Hongdae draw crowds with no organiser at all, so every year the city, district offices and police publish crowd-safety plans. The 2026 plans were announced between 19 and 23 October (Seoul's special safety period is 23 October to 1 November), and Itaewon also has a memorial to the 2022 disaster and a programme for its fourth anniversary. Here are the theme-park dates, the 2026 crowd plans, the memorial dates, where to buy costumes and a warning about police costumes, and who to call (checked 23 October 2026).

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Last checked: 2026-10-23·Desk-researched — not yet verified on site

1. 1Everland Blood City — 12 September to 22 November

   Everland (in Yongin, Gyeonggi — outside Seoul) runs its autumn festival and the horror zone "Blood City Zero: Hell Gate" for 72 days, from 12 September to 22 November 2026. Blood City first opened in 2017, so this is its tenth year. The immersive performances run daily from 16:00 to 21:00 and any Everland visitor can join them at no extra charge (per operator Samsung C&T). The "Smiley Pumpkin Parade" also runs daily during the festival, but we could not confirm its times. Whether park hours change during the festival, and whether there is an official foreigner discount, are unconfirmed (we only found "foreigners only" tickets sold by reseller sites). Check the official site (everland.com) before you go.

2. 2Lotte World autumn festival — 19 September to 15 November

   Lotte World Adventure (Jamsil) holds its autumn festival "Gimyohan Segye-ui Chodae" (roughly "Invitation to a Strange World") from Saturday 19 September to Sunday 15 November 2026, in collaboration with the anime "Junji Ito Collection". The indoor park was dressed as a "Mystery Party Zone" earlier, from 12 September (as reported). Reported show times: "Let's Play! Lotty's Adventure Parade" at 14:00, "World of Lights" at 19:00 and a new sub-parade, "Dark Fantasy Festival", at 20:20; the photo zone on the third floor of Magic Castle is open daily 11:30–20:30. These can change day to day, so check the official app or site on the day. Whether park hours change during the festival, and whether there is an official foreigner discount, are unconfirmed (we only found "foreigners only" tickets sold by reseller sites).

3. 3Itaewon and Hongdae crowd plans — 2026 announcements by the city, police and districts

   In the plan Seoul announced on 22 October (as reported), the Halloween special safety period runs 23 October to 1 November, with intensive management on 30 October to 1 November. It covers 14 spots in 10 districts, and the eight priority areas are the Itaewon and Hongdae tourist zones, Ikseon-dong, Myeongdong Street, the Seongsu-dong cafe street, Konkuk University's food street, Gangnam Station and Apgujeong Rodeo. Itaewon-ro is closed to vehicles on 31 October, and on 23, 24 and 30 October it is closed flexibly depending on crowd density. In Hongdae one lane of the club street becomes pedestrian space, and one-way flow is encouraged in narrow alleys. A disaster-safety field command bus operates around Itaewon on 31 October and 1 November. The Seoul police (23 October) are deploying about 4,600 officers, with five priority areas: Itaewon, Hongdae, Seongsu, Myeongdong and Ikseon-dong. Traffic control is concentrated on 30 October to 1 November in three stages: clearing illegally parked cars, then closing roads while leaving an emergency lane, then closing to all vehicles and making them pedestrian-only. Crowded sections get separate entrances and exits, and extra inflow can be blocked if needed. Mapo-gu (21 October) runs the Hongdae tourist zone from 23 October until 03:00 on 1 November with 241 professional safety staff, adds staff from 23:00 and guides people to keep right. Yongsan-gu (19 October) expects about 165,000 visitors over the whole period (not per day) and is deploying about 2,550 staff. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety (20 October) is managing 28 sites nationwide from 23 October to 1 November, with the crisis alert at "Caution". For reference, Mapo-gu counted a peak of 140,000 people in and around the Hongdae tourist zone on Halloween night 2025.

4. 4Station entrance controls and skipped stops — not known in advance; check the last train yourself

   Seoul's 2026 plan says that when crowds build up it will control entrances and have trains skip stations such as Itaewon, Hongik Univ., Seongsu and Konkuk Univ. (as reported). It is decided on the night according to the crowds, not on a fixed schedule, so you cannot know in advance. Extended late-night service is under review and not confirmed (reported by one outlet only), so do not count on later trains and check the last-train time yourself. In 2025 it did happen: on 31 October at about 22:53 Yongsan-gu sent an emergency alert saying trains would pass through Itaewon Station from 23:00 and pointing people to Noksapyeong and Hangangjin stations, and shortly after 23:00 Seoul Metro texted that Line 6 trains in both directions were passing through Itaewon. Alternative-station advice for 2026 is unconfirmed. Plan your route there and back in your map app beforehand in case a stop is skipped. See the Seoul subway guide for riding the subway and the Naver Map guide for the map app.

5. 5Staying safe in a crowd

   This is general advice, not an official rule. Avoid the busiest late-night hours and narrow alleys or slopes, and stick to wide streets. Follow on-site keep-right and one-way signs and safety staff, and do not push against the flow. Agree on a meeting point in case you get separated, and keep your phone charged. Seoul says it will send emergency alerts if signs of danger appear, and in 2025 the news that trains would skip Itaewon Station also came as an emergency alert, so keep alerts switched on; whether these alerts reach foreign visitors in other languages is unconfirmed. If it gets hard to breathe or the crowd starts pushing, leave right away, and call 112 or 119 if it is dangerous.

6. 6The 29 October Itaewon disaster and the October 29 Memorial Alley

   On the night of 29 October 2022, during Halloween, a crowd crush occurred in the alley beside the Hamilton Hotel in Itaewon, and many people lost their lives. On 26 October 2023 the alley became the "October 29 Memorial Alley". It was created by the bereaved families' association and a civic response group with the cooperation of the Yongsan-gu office, and it is marked at the alley entrance, visible straight from Itaewon Station Exit 1. A board on the wall explains what happened in 14 languages (as of its creation in 2023). The families describe it as a place to remember the victims and to commit to safety so that it does not happen again. On Halloween night 2025, police blocked entry to the alley (as reported). We found no official guidance on how visitors should behave; as at any memorial, the usual courtesy is to keep quiet and be considerate about taking photos.

7. 7Fourth-anniversary events — 24 October march and rally, 29 October ceremony (registration closed)

   This follows the civic response group's notice and may change. On Saturday 24 October at 13:00 there are flower offerings and prayers at Itaewon Station, followed by a march to Seoul Plaza, and at 17:30 a citizens' memorial rally at Seoul Plaza open to anyone. The ceremony at Gwanghwamun North Plaza at 10:29 on Thursday 29 October (about 1,000 people) is for pre-registered attendees only, chosen by draw, and registration closed on 19 October, so general visitors should go to the 24 October rally instead. The 29 October ceremony and the 24 October citizens' rally are held by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety together with the bereaved families' association, the civic response group and the Seoul city government. Also on 29 October, at 19:30, there is a reading and culture event and memorial march around Noksapyeong and Itaewon stations. The "Halloween Parade of Mourning and Safety" at Noksapyeong Station Plaza at 21:00 on Saturday 31 October is a memorial event, not a festival parade. Overseas Koreans can join an online memorial on Zoom at 07:00 Korea time on Sunday 25 October.

8. 8Costumes and props — the Changsin-dong stationery and toy street

   Dongdaemun's stationery and toy street (also called the Changsin-dong stationery and toy market, 36 Jong-ro 52-gil, Jongno-gu) gathers about 120 stationery shops selling school supplies, children's gifts, fancy goods, decorations and party supplies. Take Exit 4 of Dongdaemun Station (Line 1) and turn into the alley beside Dogil Pharmacy, or use Exit 6 of Dongmyo Station (동묘앞, Lines 1 and 6). Hours are 08:00–19:00, and days off vary by shop. Whether shops sell Halloween costumes, and whether they take cards, is unconfirmed, so bring some cash as well.

9. 9Careful with police costumes — one that passes for the real uniform can be punished

   Korea's Act on the Regulation of Police Uniforms and Police Equipment bans anyone who is not a police officer from wearing a police uniform or anything resembling one, or carrying police equipment. The penalty is up to six months in prison, or a fine of up to ₩3 million, detention or a minor fine. There are exceptions, such as cultural and artistic activities set by presidential decree, or clothing that carries an identifying mark. So not every police costume is illegal, but one that is hard to tell from the real uniform can be punished. On 23 October 2026 the Seoul police chief asked people to refrain from carrying or wearing cosplay props such as guns, knives and police uniforms (a request, not a ban). In 2025 police hung a banner at the Itaewon intersection reading "Police uniform costumes are illegal". If in doubt, skip the police outfit.

10. 10Emergency contacts — 112, 119 and 1330

    For police call 112; for fire or an ambulance, 119. A March 2024 report said 112 offers English and Chinese interpretation around the clock; the current status of Japanese support is unconfirmed. As well as by phone, you can reach 119 by text message (photos and video can be attached), the "119 Report" app or video call. 1330, the tourist interpretation line (+82-2-1330 from abroad), runs in eight languages from 07:00 to midnight Korea time according to a March 2026 report, and hours can change. See the emergency numbers guide for more.