The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 28th that it will hold a “high-altitude tightrope walking (slackline) performance” event in the Gwanghwamun area with sports drink company Red Bull on October 1. The event involves a performer walking and showcasing stunts on a tightrope installed at a height of 120 meters, equivalent to 40 floors of an apartment building. This marks the first time a slackline event has been held in the heart of a Korean city.
Slackline is a sport where participants walk, jump, and perform aerial tricks while balancing on a rope measuring 2.5–5 cm in width. International competitions, including world championships, are held for this sport. The tightrope walking will be performed by Jan Luus, 34, an Estonian three-time slackline world champion. He gained attention in 2024 for becoming the first person to cross the 3.6 km slackline installed over the Messina Strait between mainland Italy and Sicily. Luus is scheduled to walk a round-trip distance of 160 meters, starting from the Koreana Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, to the Donga Media Center across the street. The round trip is expected to take 30–40 minutes. Luus will be connected to safety lines while walking, but no safety net will be installed beneath the rope.
The tightrope will be set up directly by Jan Luus on September 30. It will connect the rooftop of the Koreana Hotel to the 22nd floor of the Donga Media Center using a 2 cm-wide rope. The installation is expected to take approximately two hours, starting at 3 p.m.
The event was proposed by Red Bull Korea and realized through collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Red Bull has sponsored extreme sports such as Formula One races, rock climbing, and aerial acrobatics. Seoul previously hosted a “snowboard big air” event at Gwanghwamun Square in December 2009 and a “cliff diving” event at Yanghwa Bridge in September 2023. A source from the Seoul Metropolitan Government stated, “This event will showcase the dynamic image of Seoul to the world.”
The tightrope walking will take place twice, at 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. The performance will be live-streamed via the outdoor LED screen at the Koreana Hotel and the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s YouTube channel. From 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the event day, a slackline experience event with ropes set at heights of 30 cm and 50 cm will also be held at Cheonggye Plaza. Participation is free and does not require prior registration. Skateboarding and breaking performances will also take place.
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