A Swim in the Han River Costs ₩5,000. The Season Ends August 30, and One Famous Pool Won't Be Back Until 2028.

Every summer, Seoul turns six stretches of the Han River parks into public swimming spots — two full-size outdoor pools and four shallow water-play areas. This year they opened on 19 June and close on 30 August, which means that if you are reading this in Seoul in late August, you have days, not weeks, to catch one.

Quick answer: the outdoor pools at Ttukseom and Yeouido cost ₩5,000 for adults (₩4,000 teens, ₩3,000 children), and the water-play areas at Gwangnaru, Jamsil, Yangwha and Nanji cost ₩3,000 (₩2,000 / ₩1,000). Children under six enter free. Hours are 09:00–18:00, extended to 22:00 in peak season at four of the six sites. The famous Jamwon pool is closed for rebuilding and will not reopen until 2028. Verified 2026-08-18 against the Seoul Metropolitan Government's own announcement.

What is open in 2026, and what it costs

Seoul distinguishes between a proper swimming pool (수영장) and a water-play area (물놀이장) — shallower, aimed at families, and cheaper. The 2026 season runs 73 days, 19 June to 30 August.

SiteTypeAdultTeenChild
Ttukseom (뚝섬)Pool₩5,000₩4,000₩3,000
Yeouido (여의도)Pool₩5,000₩4,000₩3,000
Gwangnaru (광나루)Water play₩3,000₩2,000₩1,000
Jamsil (잠실)Water play₩3,000₩2,000₩1,000
Yangwha (양화)Water play₩3,000₩2,000₩1,000
Nanji (난지)Water play₩3,000₩2,000₩1,000

Children under six are free everywhere. If you were told about a pool at Jamwon — it appears in plenty of older English guides — it is closed for a full rebuild and is scheduled to reopen in 2028.

The rules nobody warns you about

Two things surprise first-time visitors. First, the pools run on a rotation: 45 minutes of swimming, then a 15-minute rest break every hour, announced over the loudspeakers. Everyone leaves the water; this is normal, not an emergency. Second, night swimming is real: from 3 July to 30 August, the Ttukseom and Yeouido pools and the Jamsil and Nanji play areas stay open to 22:00.

What is free and what is not

  • Free: showers, changing rooms, parasols (one per four people) and air pumps for tubes.
  • Paid: sun beds at ₩10,000 per time slot.
  • Lifeguards are city-deployed — 58 safety staff across the six sites in 2026.

Before you go

  • Go on a weekday if you can — on hot weekends the popular sites are at their busiest by early afternoon.
  • At the two proper pools, expect Korean public-pool habits: a swim cap is the norm, and the hourly rest break empties the water.
  • The season ends 30 August 2026. After that, the river parks stay open but the water does not.

This article was verified on 2026-08-18. If you find something here that's changed, I'd like to know, through the contact page.

Sources and last verification

Prices, fares and hours in Korea change often. Everything above was checked against these sources on the dates shown. If you spot something out of date, please tell me via the contact page.

About the author — H.I. Kang

I was born in Korea and still live here. Travelling abroad, I have been the person stuck at a ticket machine in a language I could not read, holding up the queue and guessing — and I know how small a thing it takes to ruin an afternoon. This site exists so that visitors to Korea do not have to guess. Every price, route and rule here is checked against an official source before it is published, and dated so you can see how current it is.

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