On the afternoon of June 28, a massive parade themed around the global hit Netflix series 'Squid Game' took place in the Gwanghwamun area of Seoul, leading to partial lane closures on Sejong-daero and causing significant traffic congestion. Bus services were also temporarily suspended at certain stops, prompting complaints from commuters who said, “We couldn’t even catch a bus because of the 'Squid Game' event.”
As the final season of 'Squid Game' was recently released to worldwide acclaim, a large-scale parade was held on the evening of June 28 along Sejong-daero, starting at the Gwanghwamun intersection. Police estimated that around 5,000 participants took part in the event.
The parade began at 7:30 PM at Gwanghwamun intersection and proceeded along Sejong-daero to Seoul Plaza. Throughout the route, iconic games from the series, including 'Red Light, Green Light,' were reenacted.
From around 7 PM, partial lane closures were implemented on Sejong-daero, from Gwanghwamun Samgeori to Seoul Plaza, in preparation for the event. Four of the eight lanes in the center of Sejong-daero were closed, along with two lanes from the Seoul Government Complex to Gwanghwamun intersection.
According to the Seoul Transportation Information Center, traffic along Sejong-daero between Gwanghwamun and Sejong-daero Sajeori slowed to an average speed of 15.4 km/h at around 8:30 PM. The lane restrictions were lifted by approximately 9 PM. Bus stops in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts were also temporarily bypassed.
On social media, frustrated citizens voiced their displeasure: “There’s a Squid Game event going on, so how am I supposed to catch a bus?” and “Blocking bus lanes for a parade of a show rated for teens and above is ridiculous. Why restrict public transport like this?”
At around 7:50 PM, a structure representing the drama character Young Hee moved from Saemunan-ro Safe Zone into Sejong-daero Sajeori, causing a brief 10-minute partial road closure.
Starting around noon that day, 14 buses were staged in double rows near Exit 6 of Gyeongbokgung Station on Sajik-ro for event preparations. Parade vehicles were also lined up from the Seoul Government Complex to the entrance of Gwanghwamun intersection.
The event was jointly organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Netflix as part of the ‘2025 K-Content Seoul Travel Week.’ To ensure safety, the city installed traffic signs and cones on key downtown roads including Sejong-daero, Sajik-ro, and Saemunan-ro, and coordinated with police to deploy safety personnel.
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