Yongma Land

Yongma Land
Entrance of Yongma Land
LocationYongmasan, Jungnang District, South Korea
StatusDefunct
Opened1980
Closed2011
Yongma Land
Hangul
용마랜드
Hanja
龍馬랜드
Revised RomanizationYongma raendeu
McCune–ReischauerYongma raendŭ

Yongma Land (Korean: 용마랜드) is a small abandoned amusement park in Yongmasan, Jungnang District, Seoul, South Korea.[1] It operated from 1980 to 2011.

History

Yongma Land opened in 1980 as a family-friendly amusement park.[2][3] Yongma Land was a popular location for local families for the first decade after it opened. However, when Lotte World opened in 1989, people lost interest in the smaller Yongma Land.[4] The park was renovated in 1995, with new attractions added.[5] The park officially ceased operation in 2011 after the city revoked their license.[3][5]

Rides in the park included a carousel, bumper cars, and an octopus-themed ride.[5]

Present Day

Though it is no longer operating as an amusement park, the area continues to attract about 50 to 60 visitors each day, such as urban explorers, cosplayers, photographers, and professionals in the video production industries.[5][6] The current owner of the property allows visitors for a small fee.[3] Money collected from visitor fees allows the owner to maintain arrested decay in the park.

Several television shows have been filmed at the park, including Cafe Minamdang, Heartless City, and Sisyphus: The Myth.[7][8] K-pop groups and singers, including Crayon Pop, Dreamcatcher and Baek Ji-young, have used the park for music videos.[3][5][6][8]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yongma Land.

References

  1. ^ Jeong-yeo, Lim (2018-03-23). "[Photo News] Abandoned theme park finds 'second life' as photo venue". The Korea Herald. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  2. ^ Selection, Seoul (December 2017). "SEOUL Magazine(서울매거진) December 2017".
  3. ^ a b c d "Seoul's Abandoned '80s Theme Park". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  4. ^ "Yongma Land: South Korea's Abandoned Amusement Park Still Has Much to Offer".
  5. ^ a b c d e Park, Jin-hai (2018-08-03). "Empty rides, closed theme park attracts photographers to Yongma Land". The Korea Times. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  6. ^ a b "Idols Dared To Visit This Eerie Abandoned Amusement Park... Yongma Land". Koreaboo. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Cafe Minamdang: shaman comedy K-drama morphs into thriller". South China Morning Post. 2022-08-25. Retrieved 2023-01-09.
  8. ^ a b "Music, entertainment elevate old park's status". Korea JoongAng Daily. 2014-06-18. Retrieved 2023-01-09.