Seoul's Gwangnaru Pickleball Complex Opens With 14 Courts Along Han River

The Gwangnaru Pickleball Complex at Gwangnaru Hangang Park opens this weekend with a two-day launch event on March 28 and 29, bringing 14 dedicated outdoor courts to a stretch of the Han River that until recently held a football pitch too rarely used to justify keeping.

The courts comprise the country's largest facility for the world's fastest-rising sport. Seoul currently has only eight public pickleball courts, split between four at the Gangdong District reservoir and four at Seoul Forest. That number rises to 22 once the Gwangnaru complex is counted. The rental fee is set at 8,000 won for two hours, roughly in line with tennis court rates across the city and well below the 20,000 to 30,000 won range that has long frustrated players seeking public court time.

The site was formerly a football pitch that, by the city's own account, went largely unused. Seoul decided to repurpose it into a pickleball facility to serve South Korea's steadily growing pickleball community. The complex spans approximately 4,000 square metres near the existing soccer fields at the Han River Park Information Center and includes a management office, waiting zones, and rest facilities alongside the 14 courts.

The project sits within Mayor Oh Se-hoon's "Healthy City Seoul" initiative and is part of a broader plan to develop Han River parks into recreational sports hubs. Park Jin-young, head of Seoul's Future Han River Headquarters, framed the facility in straightforward terms: "The Gwangnaru Pickleball Complex is a new recreational sports facility where citizens can easily enjoy physical activity."

The opening weekend features a family tournament and hands-on programs across both days. A ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. on March 29, after which exhibition matches and finals will follow. Organizers expect around 500 participants over the two days, drawn from competitive club divisions, international team categories, and first-time players attending "Easy Pickleball" beginner clinics. A "Three-Generation Family Pickleball" session is designed to bring grandparents, parents, and children onto the courts together, while a "Global Pickleball" program targets foreign residents.

On-site, a Pickleball Story Zone introduces the sport's history and rules, and an equipment trial zone lets visitors handle paddles and gear before committing to a full session. Photo zones and social media activations are also planned for the weekend.

The construction timeline moved quickly once committed. An official of the Future Han River Headquarters stated in December 2025: "Basic facilities on a site of about 4,000㎡ (1,210 pyeong) are in the final stage. We are proceeding with construction, aiming to open in March next year." That target held.

Seoul's push into dedicated public pickleball infrastructure arrives as several Asian cities compete to build out the sport's footprint. With 14 courts in a single riverside park and programming that stretches from competitive international categories to three-generation family sessions, Gwangnaru is the most visible statement yet that South Korea intends to be more than a peripheral player in the region's pickleball expansion.