Everland

Everland is a large-scale theme park in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. It is the main attraction of the Everland Resort and is operated by Samsung C&T Corporation, a Samsung Group subsidiary. The resort also includes Caribbean Bay, a major water park, as well as other leisure and hospitality facilities. Everland combines amusement rides, animal attractions, gardens, seasonal festivals, restaurants, retail, and live entertainment rather than operating solely as a ride-focused park. The site began as an agricultural and nature-oriented project. Construction started in 1968 after an earlier proposal to locate the development in Anseong did not proceed. The park opened to the public on April 18, 1976, under the name Yongin Farmland, or Yongin Natural Farm. Its original concept emphasized landscaped grounds, orchards, animal displays, and agricultural production. The park initially covered a very large area and presented visitors with hundreds of animal species, fruit trees, gardens, and safari-style encounters. In its first year, it reportedly attracted about 880,000 visitors. During the 1980s and 1990s, Yongin Farmland expanded into a broader amusement destination. It added a succession of rides and attractions, including a flume ride, a Ferris wheel, Viking, a train attraction, a major thrill ride, sledding facilities, exhibitions, and safari experiences. The development of flower festivals and themed gardens helped preserve the site's original horticultural identity while increasing its appeal as a seasonal leisure destination. In June 1986, the park introduced a Rose Festival, and it later established a tulip festival that became a recurring spring event. The park adopted the name Everland in 1996, its twentieth-anniversary year. The same year, it opened Caribbean Bay, described in the reference material as South Korea's first water park. Caribbean Bay reached one million visitors approximately thirteen months after opening, strengthening the resort's position as a multi-attraction destination. Everland subsequently continued to combine rides with gardens, festivals, animal experiences, and large-scale entertainment programming. Among the park's most prominent additions is T Express, which opened in 2008. It was South Korea's first wooden roller coaster and became one of the park's signature attractions. Everland is organized into five principal themed areas: Global Fair, Zootopia, European Adventure, Magic Land, and American Adventure. These zones provide distinct combinations of retail and dining, animal exhibits, European-inspired gardens and architecture, family attractions, American-themed rides, and thrill rides. Zootopia is particularly important to Everland's identity. It includes animal exhibits, a safari bus experience, aquatic and terrestrial animals, and the Amazon Express raft ride. The arrival of giant pandas Aibao and Lebao in 2016 and the birth of Fubao in 2020 generated substantial public attention. Fubao was identified in the reference material as the first giant panda born in South Korea. Twin pandas Ruibao and Huibao were born in 2023. The park's animal program therefore functions both as an attraction portfolio and as a prominent element of its public profile. Everland has also used anniversary programming to connect its modern theme-park format with its agricultural origins. For its forty-fifth anniversary in 2021, it introduced the Natural Farm Homage Garden and related historical and technology-themed events. By 2024, the park was reported to have received approximately 270 million visitors over its history. In 2018, it recorded 5.85 million visitors and ranked nineteenth worldwide by amusement-park attendance according to the cited reference material. The park remains primarily a South Korean destination, accessible by bus, shuttle services, and the EverLine railway.

Everland developed from a nature and agriculture-oriented park into South Korea's largest theme park. Planning and construction began in 1968. An initial proposal to build the project in Anseong was not accepted, so the development was established in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province. It opened on April 18, 1976, as Yongin Farmland, also translated as Yongin Natural Farm. The early park differed substantially from the modern Everland brand. Its large grounds featured orchards, gardens, agricultural production, and animal displays. The park held approximately 200 animal species and incorporated safari-style viewing of animals such as lions, tigers, and giraffes. The reference material describes it as the first park in East Asia to offer a safari experience with free-ranging lions. It also hosted distinctive animal and acrobatic shows, including a boar performance that remained popular until the 1990s. A rose garden containing approximately 3,500 roses from 122 species reinforced the park's horticultural character. The first major transition toward a modern amusement park occurred during the 1980s. Yongin Farmland expanded its ride portfolio beyond its original nine attractions. A flume ride opened in 1981, followed by the Space Ferris Wheel in 1982, Viking in 1983, Flying Dragon Train in 1986, and Fantasy Express in 1988. Snow Buster, a sledding facility opened in January 1988, was described as South Korea's first attraction of its type. The park also added non-ride exhibitions, including a dinosaur exhibition in 1989 and a mummy exhibition in 1991. Eagle's Fortress opened in 1992, and Amazon Express followed in 1994. Animal attractions continued to evolve alongside the ride portfolio. A tiger safari was introduced in 1980, a bear safari in 1990, and a herbivore safari in 2010. Flower programming became another recurring pillar. The Rose Festival began in 1986, while a tulip garden and associated festival were established in the early 1990s. These programs helped the park retain a connection to its original natural-farm identity while adding repeat-visit reasons tied to the calendar. In 1996, the park changed its name to Everland for its twentieth anniversary. That year also saw the opening of Caribbean Bay, a water park at the resort. Caribbean Bay expanded the destination beyond the principal theme park and helped establish the Everland Resort as a broader leisure complex. The water park reached one million visitors roughly thirteen months after opening. Attendance grew substantially as the resort diversified. In 2001, Everland reportedly received 9.1 million visitors and ranked sixth among the world's most visited theme parks. In March 2008, it opened T Express, South Korea's first wooden roller coaster. The ride became a signature attraction and was described in the reference material as 1,779 metres long, with a first drop angled at 77 degrees. The park's modern layout is divided into Global Fair, Zootopia, European Adventure, Magic Land, and American Adventure. Global Fair serves primarily as an arrival and departure district with shops, restaurants, photographs, lockers, and stroller rental. Zootopia combines animal exhibits with safari transportation and water-based attractions. European Adventure includes European-style architecture, gardens, games, dining, and T Express. Magic Land focuses on family rides and the Aesop's Village area, while American Adventure uses American historical and popular-culture themes, including the Rock Ville area and the Double Rock Spin. Several historic attractions have been retired or replaced. Jigu Maul, a dark boat ride opened in August 1985 and based on miniature representations of global cultures, was dismantled in 2016 for safety reasons. Its former location became the Hide Away children's playground. The park also closed its Ferris wheel in 2011 to make room for other rides. Animal conservation and public interest became especially visible through the park's giant pandas. Aibao and Lebao arrived in 2016. Aibao gave birth to Fubao in 2020, identified by the reference material as the first giant panda born in South Korea. In 2023, Aibao gave birth to twin daughters Ruibao and Huibao. These developments reinforced Zootopia's importance within Everland's public identity. For its forty-fifth anniversary in 2021, Everland opened the Natural Farm Homage Garden and organized events and exhibits recalling the technology and atmosphere of its Yongin Farmland period. By 2024, cumulative attendance was reported at approximately 270 million visitors. Everland continues to operate as a major South Korean theme-park and resort destination under Samsung C&T Corporation.

• 2023

  Twin pandas are born

  [1]Everlanden.wikipedia.org

  Aibao gave birth to twin daughters Ruibao and Huibao.

• 2021

  Natural Farm Homage Garden opens

  [1]Everlanden.wikipedia.org

  The park marked its forty-fifth anniversary with a garden and programming recalling its Yongin Farmland origins.

• 2020

  Fubao is born

  [1]Everlanden.wikipedia.org

  Aibao gave birth to Fubao, identified as the first giant panda born in South Korea.

• 2016

  Jigu Maul closes and giant pandas arrive

  [1]Everlanden.wikipedia.org

  The Jigu Maul dark boat ride was removed, while giant pandas Aibao and Lebao arrived at Everland.

• 2008

  T Express opens

  [1]Everlanden.wikipedia.org

  T Express opened as South Korea's first wooden roller coaster and became one of Everland's signature attractions.

• 2001

  Attendance reaches 9.1 million

  [1]Everlanden.wikipedia.org

  The park reportedly recorded 9.1 million visitors and ranked sixth worldwide by theme-park attendance.

• 1996

  Renamed Everland and opens Caribbean Bay

  [1]Everlanden.wikipedia.org

  For its twentieth anniversary, Yongin Farmland adopted the Everland name. Caribbean Bay opened at the resort in July.

• 1992

  Tulip festival program established

  [1]Everlanden.wikipedia.org

  The park began holding a tulip garden festival during the spring season.

• 1986

  Rose Festival introduced

  [1]Everlanden.wikipedia.org

  Everland began its recurring Rose Festival, expanding its horticultural and seasonal-event program.

• 1976

  Yongin Farmland opens

  [1]Everlanden.wikipedia.org

  The park opened to the public on April 18 under the name Yongin Farmland, or Yongin Natural Farm.

Showing the 10 most recent.

A full-scale South Korean destination resort that blends thrill rides, family entertainment, animal encounters, gardens, seasonal festivals, and water-park experiences.

• Theme park · 1976

  Everland theme park

  The principal Everland offering is a large theme park organized into Global Fair, Zootopia, European Adventure, Magic Land, and American Adventure. It combines roller coasters, family rides, animal exhibits, gardens, dining, merchandise, parades, and seasonal entertainment. The five-zone structure gives the park a broad destination-resort character rather than limiting it to thrill attractions.

• Animal attraction zone

  Zootopia

  Zootopia is Everland's animal-focused area. It includes animal exhibits, safari bus experiences, birds, primates, bears, big cats, penguins, sea lions, and giant pandas, along with attractions such as Amazon Express. The zone is central to Everland's identity because it links the park's original nature-oriented concept with contemporary zoological and family entertainment experiences.

• Wooden roller coaster · 2008

  T Express

  T Express is a major wooden roller coaster in European Adventure. Opened in 2008, it was South Korea's first wooden roller coaster. The cited reference describes it as 1,779 metres long, with a first drop angled at 77 degrees, making it one of Everland's principal thrill attractions.

• Water park · 1996

  Caribbean Bay

  Caribbean Bay is the water-park component of the Everland Resort. It opened in July 1996 and was described in the reference material as South Korea's first water park. Its launch broadened the resort's offering beyond rides and animal attractions and helped establish Everland as a multi-attraction leisure destination.

• Seasonal festival · 1986

  Rose Festival

  The Rose Festival is a recurring horticultural event introduced in 1986. It uses the park's rose gardens and seasonal landscaping as a central visitor draw, complemented by entertainment and themed programming. The festival reflects Everland's origins as a nature and agricultural park.

• Seasonal festival · 1992

  Tulip Festival

  The Tulip Festival is an annual spring event generally held from March to April. It combines tulip displays with performances, musicals, parades, and other seasonal entertainment, making horticultural presentation a recurring part of Everland's visitor calendar.

• Dark boat ride · 1985

  Jigu Maul

  Jigu Maul was a dark boat ride opened in 1985 and themed around global cultures. It presented dolls, miniature landmarks, and cultural scenes from more than eighteen countries. The attraction was removed in 2016 for safety reasons and is no longer operating.

• 2021Natural Farm Homage Garden

  South Korea

  For its forty-fifth anniversary, Everland created a garden and related events evoking the park's former Yongin Farmland identity.

  Outcome. The program connected the contemporary theme park with its agricultural and nature-based origins.

  Source
• 1992Tulip Festival

  South Korea

  The park began a spring tulip festival accompanied by performances and other visitor entertainment.

  Outcome. The event became a recurring spring attraction.

  Source
• 1986Rose Festival

  South Korea

  Everland introduced a recurring Rose Festival centered on its rose gardens and seasonal horticultural displays.

  Outcome. The festival became part of the park's recurring seasonal programming and reinforced its nature-oriented identity.

  Source

• 2016

  Removal of Jigu MaulOther

  Background

  The long-running global-culture dark boat ride was retired.

  Action taken

  Jigu Maul was dismantled for safety reasons and its site was later used for the Hide Away children's playground.

  Aftermath

  The closure ended one of Everland's historic attractions while allowing the site to be reused for a children's facility.

  Source

• 2008

  Launch of T ExpressProduct launch

  Background

  Everland continued expanding its portfolio of major thrill attractions.

  Action taken

  The park opened T Express in European Adventure as South Korea's first wooden roller coaster.

  Aftermath

  T Express became one of the park's signature attractions.

  Source

• 1996

  Rebrand from Yongin Farmland to EverlandStrategy

  Background

  The park had expanded from a nature and agriculture-oriented attraction into a broader amusement and leisure destination.

  Action taken

  It adopted the Everland name for its twentieth anniversary.

  Aftermath

  The new identity accompanied the opening of Caribbean Bay and positioned the resort as a multi-attraction destination.

  Source

1. 1Everlanden.wikipedia.org