Hwaseong International Theme Park In Seoul

Hwaseong International Theme Park by Paramount Pictures in South Korea

A while back, the Paramount theme park in Bali was announced and was set to open by 2025, but reports have emerged that it will be pushed back to 2026 due to delays. This uncertainty hasn’t seemed to halt the theme park franchise as Paramount is set to open another theme park, this time in South Korea.

Dubbed the Hwaseong International Theme Park at Star Bay City, it’s projected to open in the distant future, in 2030; here’s what we know about it so far.

What are the Paramount theme parks?

paramount theme park - Canada's Wonderland
Image credit: Ngiah Do via Google Maps

Paramount used to own 5 theme parks across North America, including California’s Great America and Canada’s Wonderland. These parks featured rides based on Paramount TV shows and films – similar to how Universal Studios Singapore incorporates movie-themed attractions.

But, in 2006, the company sold all its theme parks to Cedar Fair, and many of the copyright-related rides had to be renamed. This means that once the new Paramount parks in Bali and Korea are complete, they’ll be the only official Paramount theme parks in the world.

What is the Hwaseong International Theme Park?

paramount theme park - illustration of the main foyer of the park Image is for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: Hwaseong International Theme Park

The theme park, which is a part of the upcoming Star Bay City Resort in Gyeonggi province, is the result of a collaboration between Shinsegae Group and Paramount Global. It’s expected that the rides at Hwaseong International Theme Park will incorporate popular Paramount IPs like Sonic: The Hedgehog and Top Gun film franchises.

When & where will the Paramount theme park open?

paramount theme park - illustration of the Korea park with the Paramount logo Image is for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: Hwaseong International Theme Park

Phase 1 of the Hwaseong International Theme Park is expected to open in 2030, with the entire park slated to be fully operational by 2035. It’ll be located in Hwaseong, a city in South Korea’s Gyeonggi province that’s about 45km away from Seoul. It takes roughly 45 to 50 minutes to drive from Seoul to Gyeonggi Province.

What to expect at the Paramount theme park in South Korea

Thrilling roller coasters

Top Gun roller coaster ride at California's Great America
The Top Gun roller coaster in California’s Great America theme park.
Image credit: Steven Wilson via Flickr

When Paramount was still managing its theme park franchise, California’s Great America had a Top Gun roller coaster ride which had been renamed to Flight Deck after Cedar Fair acquired the park. But this is a good indicator of what rides we can expect from the upcoming theme park – rides that feature popular Paramount films.

With the success of Top Gun: Maverick, we are guessing that they’ll reintroduce an updated Top Gun-themed roller coaster with new story elements and characters. Other potential franchises that might make an appearance include Mission: Impossible and Star Trek.

Beloved childhood IPs like Sonic: The Hedgehog & Nickelodeon

Image credit: IMDB

The Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise has been in the spotlight in recent years, turning the classic game character into a full-fledged pop culture icon. Fans of both the games and films can expect to see Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles make an appearance at the upcoming theme park.

‘90s and early-2000s kids will also be in for a treat, as Paramount owns the rights to Nickelodeon. Think SpongeBob SquarePants, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and many other animated shows that defined our childhoods.

This upcoming theme park is a great chance to relive nostalgic memories and for families to introduce these iconic characters to the next generation.

Add Hwaseong International Theme Park to your future Korea itinerary

Although we’ve still got a couple years’ wait, we can finally swap out our visits to Lotte World once Hwaseong International Theme Park is up and running. It’s the perfect addition to your future Korea trip whether you’re travelling with friends or family.

For more theme parks around the world:

Cover image adapted from: Hwaseong International Theme Park