The 2026 Yeosu World Island Exhibition Organizing Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "Organizing Committee") will hold an opening ceremony in front of the theme island at the main venue in Dolsan Jinmo District at 10 a.m. on Saturday, September 5, officially opening the door to a 61-day grand expedition.

Held under the theme "Island, Connecting the Sea and the Future," the 2026 Yeosu World Island Exhibition will run until November 4 across the main venue in Dolsan Jinmo District, the Yeosu World Expo venue, and Gaedo and Geumodo islands.

▶ Safety and Convenience Checked Once More... Preparing to Welcome Visitors by Reflecting Feedback from Rehearsals and Press Day

On the 29th of last month, ahead of the official opening, the Organizing Committee conducted a pre-rehearsal inviting citizens to make final inspections of the venue from actual visitors' perspectives, supplementing the viewing environment such as safety and convenience facilities based on matters identified on-site.

Considering the characteristic of the island exhibition venue with many outdoor spaces, road-surface shading structures were additionally supplemented so that visitors can move around and rest away from sunlight. In addition, to prepare for congested situations where many vehicles flock at once after the opening, the parking lot entrance was reorganized to allow smoother and safer vehicle movement.

The pedestrian environment was also carefully tended to. Lawns throughout the venue were maintained, and measures to prevent water puddling were implemented so that visitors would not experience inconvenience in movement even after rain. Furthermore, the accessibility for the mobility-disadvantaged was enhanced by supplementing steps at the entrance of disabled restrooms, laying a safety foundation so that anyone can use the exhibition venue without inconvenience.

To enable visitors to tour the wide venue more conveniently, guidance signs for major exhibition spaces such as Treasure Island and Culture Island were reorganized, considering visitor movement paths. Along with this, free Wi-Fi was additionally installed at all gates and exhibition halls, and the pet shelter was reorganized.

Moreover, convenience for visitors was further enhanced by renovating camping site facilities at the sub-venues of Gaedo and Geumodo islands, and preparing for half-price travel (accommodations, passenger ships, yachts).

▶ An Island Exhibition with Different Daytime and Nighttime Views... Hidden Viewing Points Throughout the Main Venue

The contrasting scenery of the main venue depending on the time of day, day and night, is another charm of enjoying the island exhibition. From the media facade of the theme island—the landmark of the island exhibition—to the island theme zone where you can feel the exotic sentiments of island nations around the world, and the open stage with Yeosu's sea and islands as a stage background, unique charms can be encountered in every space.

First, the landmark "Theme Island" of the main venue draws attention with a media facade utilizing a giant outer wall. The video decorating the outer wall of the theme island can be enjoyed clearly even in bright daylight, and when the sun goes down, the light and colors come to life even more, creating a different atmosphere from daytime.

Comparing the appearance of the theme island's media facade changing according to the time of day is another viewing point. The "Island Theme Zone," created by capturing the characteristics and atmosphere of various island nations around the world, is also a unique viewing point.

Exotic landscapes such as Moai statues blend together, allowing visitors to feel the atmosphere of traveling to an island in a foreign country. In particular, when the sun goes down and lights come on, the exotic landscape of the island theme zone stands out even more, offering a different atmosphere from the daytime.

It is also nice to stay in the island theme zone with various foods purchased from the restaurant and market zone within the main venue, enjoying the exotic sentiments and leisure of the island. If you want to feel the locality of the island exhibition most vividly, the "Open Stage" facing the sea is worth noting.

When sitting in the audience, the wide-open Yeosu sea and small and large islands unfold behind the stage, and actual fishing boats passing between them naturally catch your eye. While island stories were encountered as content in the exhibition hall, at the open stage, you can meet actual islands and the sea along with performances, and even the daily lives of fishermen living as their livelihood, all as a single scenery.

In particular, in the late afternoon when the heat of midday subsides, you can enjoy performances while feeling the cool autumn sea breeze. As time passes and the sun tilts, the scenery of the sea and islands changes moment by moment, and when darkness falls, Yeosu's night sea becomes another background of the stage. You can enjoy a special experience where the sea and islands become the background of the stage, and even the autumn sea breeze becomes part of the performance.

▶ Official Opening Ceremony Held at 6:30 PM on the 5th... Followed by Musical, Drone Show, and Celebratory Performances

The opening ceremony of the island exhibition will be held at the open stage of the main venue from 6:30 PM on the 5th. About 5,000 domestic and foreign visitors will attend the opening ceremony, which consists of four parts: "Flow of the Island (Pre-event)," "Opening of the Island (Official event)," "Narrative of the Island (Theme performance & Ceremony)," and "Expansion of the Island (Celebratory performance)," capturing the journey of islands spreading into the world on stage.

Directed by Park Myeong-seong, a godfather of musicals, the theme performance features the original musical "Shinjikki: The Last Mermaid," motivated by the mermaid folktale "Shinjikki" handed down in Yeosu. After the opening ceremony ceremony, a lighting drone performance symbolizing Yeosu's 365 islands will brilliantly embroider the night sky.

Afterwards, celebratory performances by various singers such as Park Ji-hyun, Kiki, and Jeon Yu-jin will be held, decorating the grand finale of the opening ceremony.

The co-chairpersons of the Organizing Committee (Jeonnam-Gwangju Integrated Special Mayor Min Hyung-bae, Yeosu Mayor Seo Young-hak, and YC-TEC CEO Park Soo-kwan) stated, "We meticulously inspected and supplemented the site until right before the opening so that visitors can enjoy the exhibition more safely and comfortably," adding, "We hope you will experience the diverse charms of the island continuing throughout the exhibition venue, not only the stories of islands met in the exhibition halls, but also the media facade of the theme island, the island theme zone containing the sentiments of world island nations, and the sea and islands of Yeosu unfolding right before your eyes." 

Citizens and tourists who wish to watch the opening ceremony can make advance reservations through the integrated online ticket platform "Nol Ticket (Interpark)." As a large crowd is expected on the day of the opening, the use of public transportation is recommended.

The Organizing Committee operates 11 free shuttle bus routes and supports travel convenience by linking with 22 temporary parking lots (9,951 spaces) secured throughout Yeosu City. In case traffic congestion worsens, entry controls and detour guidance will also be implemented according to a 3-stage traffic operation system ("Normal - Congested - Critical").

Meanwhile, the 2026 Yeosu World Island Exhibition will be held for 61 days from September 5 to November 4 under the theme "Island, Connecting the Sea and the Future" across the Yeosu Dolsan Jinmo District, Yeosu World Expo venue, and Gaedo and Geumodo islands.

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