A staggering 5,000 Magikarps have appeared at Ttukseom Hangang Park in Seoul.
To celebrate Children’s Day on May 5th, the ‘Pokémon Run 2026 in Seoul’ took place along the Han River. As an official program of the Seoul Spring Festival 2026 Roadshow, this large-scale, non-competitive running event featured 5km and 8km courses centered around the Ttukseom Hangang Park waterfront stage.
Based on the narrative of Magikarp—which starts off slow and clumsy but grows as strong as Gyarados through perseverance—this participatory run saw 2,500 participants per course transform into Magikarps to race along the river.
The weather at Ttukseom Hangang Park was beautiful for today’s event. Under a clear blue sky and bright sunshine, thousands of ‘Magikarps’—decked out in Magikarp tops, hats, and backpacks—ran enthusiastically along the riverbank.
The 8km segment took place in the morning. Since anyone who finished within two hours received a Pikachu medal, many participants made their way to the finish line with smiles on their faces, moving at their own pace.
Various event zones were set up for participants to enjoy before and after the run. To help the hard-running Magikarps beat the heat, free ice cream from Baskin Robbins and bottled water were provided. There were also booths from various partners, including Pokémon GO, Academy Science, Daewon C.I., and Uniqlo, as well as experience zones for Poképia and Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
That’s not all. Participants could capture memories at various photo walls, visit the Magikarp Shop to eat Magikarp bread, or enjoy mini-games at the Magikarp booth.
Unlike the booths reserved for runners, there were also events open to all citizens visiting the park. Everyone could take photos with a giant Pikachu balloon, and the main stage performances were open for all to enjoy.
Events continued even after the run. The Magikarps visited partner booths or relaxed on the waterfront lawn to watch the stage. The program included a cool-down stretching session to soothe tired muscles, a performance featuring Lucario and Pikachu, and a ‘Pokémon Style Challenge’ where participants who showed off impressive Pokémon-themed outfits—ranging from Team Rocket to Misty—were awarded prizes.
Seeing people of all ages united by their love for Pokémon was truly heartwarming.
I have captured the unique and joyful atmosphere of the event where running and Pokémon enthusiasts came together in these photographs.
