As summer temperatures peak across the Korean peninsula, the municipal government is taking a bold gamble on the economic potential of the midnight hour. City officials unveiled a major initiative, Thursday, to transform the banks of the Han River into a bustling, 24-hour cultural ecosystem, anchoring the capital’s broader bid to build a thriving nighttime economy. At the center of the initiative is “Han River Bamping” — a portmanteau of the Korean word for “night” and the English word “camping” — a monthlong pilot program launching in August that will place up to 200 temporary campsites along the riverbanks in Yeouido and Ttukseom. Running daily from 5:00 pm to 9:00 am, the free-of-charge campgrounds aim to seamlessly blend outdoor recreation with the city’s famed nocturnal energy. Rather than treating night leisure as an afterthought, municipal planners are attempting to link previously disconnected waterfront services into a single, continuous experience. Under the new model, a visitor might board a water bus in Jamsil, rent a bicycle to ride along the riverside, cool off at
City that never sleeps: Seoul opens Han River parks to overnight camping
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