By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee 

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) will once again host the Seoul International Garden Show (SIGS), a signature ‘Garden City Seoul’ event that attracted a cumulative 7.8 million visitors over five months at Ttukseom Hangang Park last year, the SMG said on May 14.

This year’s SIGS 2025 will take place at Boramae Park for about 150 days from May 22 to Oct. 20, spanning three seasons from spring to fall and covering 400,000 square meters of urban greenery.

As the 10th anniversary since its launch in 2015, it will present the largest area and longest duration to date, with expanded content to match, aiming to grow the show into a festival that draws over 10 million visitors this year.

The number of gardens will also see a significant increase, from 90 last year to 111 this year, with even more diverse participants taking part. Partnership with private and public sectors has expanded from the planning stage, with the number of participating corporate and institutional gardens increasing from 21 last year to 33 this year. Gardens created by other local governments and Seoul’s 25 districts will also showcase unique concepts and design.

To boost the use of park and support small businesses, the city will apply its fifth deregulation measure, allowing limited commercial activity inside parks during artistic and cultural events. There will be various vendor booths and food trucks to offer more enjoyment to visitors as well as programs for seniors, persons with disabilities, and others with mobility challenges.

This year’s highlights include Boramae Garden Wedding, featuring garden weddings and garden wedding photo sessions. These programs aim to promote public wedding venues and ceremonies in parks while introducing a fresh approach to wedding culture.

Also scheduled are a range of international academic events offering in-depth discussion and expert insight on gardens, including the 11th BGCI International Congress on Education in Botanic Gardens (ICEBG) Workshop on Jun. 12 at COEX, and the 2025 International Garden Symposium on Oct. 17 at the multipurpose hall of Seoul City Hall.

ICEBG is a global conference attended by over 1,000 professionals in botanic gardens and arboretums from more than 50 countries. This year’s workshop, themed “Why Is Seoul Moving Toward a Garden City?”, will introduce policy directions for ‘Garden City Seoul’ and the vision of SIGS 2025.

The 2025 International Garden Symposium will explore the theme “The Third Nature,” which also serves as the concept for this year’s invited garden designs. Attendees will hear lectures by invited garden artist Marc Krieger and other notable experts from Korea and abroad. This event is planned in connection with the International Symposium of Seoul Botanic Park, held annually since 2016.

The SMG aims to make the five-month-long Seoul International Garden Show a space that not only offers enjoyment and relaxation for visitors but also revitalizes the local economy through inclusive and shared growth.

At the venue, a community market will be held, featuring food trucks and booths showcasing and selling goods produced by persons with disabilities. A discount stamp event will also be held to encourage foot traffic to flow naturally into nearby commercial districts.