As darkness settles over the Han River, the capital’s skyline is giving international visitors and late-night strollers another reason to look up.

Seoul municipal authorities said Tuesday that SEOULDAL, the city's signature tethered moon-balloon attraction in Yeouido Park, will extend its weekend operating hours until 11 p.m. from August through October. The push to stretch the city's nightlife economy comes as city officials seek to convert surging interest in Korean urban culture into longer tourist stays.

Suspended roughly 130 meters above Yeouido, the giant helium-filled tethered balloon offers 360-degree panoramic views of the illuminated metropolis — stretching from the shimmering curves of the Han River and Nodeul Island to the iconic silhouette of N Seoul Tower.

Under the new schedule, Friday and Saturday flights will operate an extra hour closer to midnight, while Sunday through Thursday flights will maintain their regular schedule from noon until 10:00 p.m.

The decision to extend late-night access reflects a broader initiative by local tourism authorities to capitalize on cooler evening temperatures and build momentum around nighttime waterfront culture. Since launching in August 2024, the floating observation deck has swiftly established itself as a flagship fixture of the capital’s night-economy playbook, quietly surpassing 108,000 cumulative passengers earlier this month.

Crucially, the attraction is drawing an increasingly global audience.

Foreign travelers accounted for 43.6 percent of all riders in the first half of 2026, up from 40.2 percent last year and a sharp rise from just under 24 percent during its inaugural season. By extending operating hours during peak weekend slots, municipal planners hope to seamlessly link the attraction with neighboring riverfront night markets and cultural festivals, keeping visitors engaged long after traditional sightseeing hours end.

Building on this momentum, city officials are already evaluating plans to permanently extend the extended late-night summer schedule from April through October starting in 2027.

"We are continuously expanding our evening tourism offerings so that Seoul’s night sky becomes a defining pillar of the city's global competitiveness," said Cho Sung-ho, director general of Seoul's Tourism and Sports Bureau. "With extended operations for Seoul Dal, we aim to build a city where citizens and international visitors alike want to linger into the night, strengthening our position as a premier global destination."

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.