Seoul will be home to the world’s largest spokeless ferris wheel in 2027

The 180m-tall Seoul Ring in South Korea will also be the second largest of any Ferris wheel in the world.

By Richard Ng / 4 Apr 2023

Seoul will be home to the world’s largest spokeless Ferris wheel in 2027 — Photo: Seoul Korea/Facebook

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The iconic skyline of South Korea’s capital city, Seoul, is set to change in a big way – come 2027, the bustling metropolis will become home to the world’s largest spokeless Ferris wheel.

The wheel – simply dubbed Seoul Ring – stands at an imposing 180m in Hanuel Park, located within the Mapo-Gu district of Seoul.

A short distance from the banks of the Han River, the new landmark and tourist attraction promises an attractive view of major landmarks around the city, including “the Hangang River, downtown Seoul, Namsan Mountain, and even Bukhansan Mountain”, says a press release from the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Moreover, the location in Hanuel Park was “deemed a meaningful place [for construction due to] its symbolism as a gate to both Seoul and unified Korea and as a location geographically close to North Korea which shows the harmony and reunification of the Korean race.”

Once completed, it will stand significantly taller than the current largest spokeless wheel in China’s Shandong province, the 145m-tall Bailang Bridge Ferris Wheel (erected in 2017).

Photo: Seoul Korea/Facebook

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Spokeless Ferris wheels like Seoul Ring are a relatively modern reinterpretation of traditional Ferris wheels, which have been around since 1893. These novel rings don’t need a central mechanism or accompany spokes – hence its name – to ferry up to 12,000 passengers daily.

Other modern features include the ring’s ability to generate its own solar power – it is after all “a symbol of the circular economy and climate action for both people on nature” – as well as the integrated use of augmented reality technology within each passenger compartment.

The Seoul Ring also be the second tallest of any Ferris wheel in the world, knocking down the current runner-up, Las Vegas’ 167.6m High Roller, to third place. That also means that our very own Singapore Flyer, trailing just behind at 165m, will now be the world’s fourth tallest Ferris Wheel.

Photo: Seoul Korea/Facebook

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Not that any of these even come close to the world’s current highest Ferris wheel, Ain Dubai, located on the upmarket artificial Bluewaters Island in the United Arab Emirates. The massive structure, completed in 2018, towers over the surrounding bay at a whopping 250m, because everything is bigger in the Middle East.

The Seoul government hopes that the Seoul Ring will serve as an “entertainment facility” and cultural nexus for the city’s anticipated tourist footfall of 30 million.
It also promises to build Seoul Ring using “cutting-edge and eco-friendly technologies in line with its philosophy to pursue a resilient and sustainable environment in response to climate change”.

According to media reports, the projected overall cost of the structure is 400 billion won (S$411 million).

Construction begins in 2025.

Korea, Seoul