Added Fun with Dasomi Train operation, Pierrot performance, and Dasomi Truck handing out goods
Reinforced to suit Chuseok holiday family visitors... "An expo to see, touch, ride, and laugh"

The 2026 Yeosu World Island Fair Organizing Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "Committee") announced on the 24th that it is newly introducing experiential contents in four exhibition halls and family participation programs throughout the fairgrounds under the message, "Enjoy Together with Family at the Renewed Island Fair, Chuseok Holiday." Following the expansion of performances after the opening to fill the evening hours, this time the attractions have been expanded both inside and outside the exhibition halls to enhance both viewing convenience and fun for the whole family, from children to the elderly.

■ Four Exhibition Halls: Expanding from "Exhibitions to Watch" to "Exhibitions to Participate In"

The most noticeable change is the addition of content inside the exhibition halls where visitors can directly participate. On the Theme Island, the "AI Dasomi Docent," utilizing the fair mascot Dasomi, has newly settled. In addition to explaining the exhibition production concept of the Theme Island, it answers visitors' questions about the fair information with cute actions. It is also equipped with a multilingual voice dialogue function to help foreign visitors with commentary and guidance.

Play-based experiences that children can enjoy have also been newly arranged. At the Marine Ecology Island, visitors can experience "Magnet Play," where they decorate Yeosu's underwater world using marine life-shaped magnets, and "Yiltarae (Thread) Play," where they string threads onto hooks to create letters or marine life shapes. It is characterized by being structured so that children can directly move their hands and express the sea and marine life, rather than just looking at exhibits with their eyes.

At the Future Island, a "Drone Pilot Experience" is newly operated. First, visitors must solve O/X quizzes related to drones at a kiosk. If they answer 7 or more out of a total of 10 questions correctly, they are issued a trial "Drone Pilot License," and afterwards, they can participate in a game of directly piloting a physical drone in the arena to score a goal. The quiz is structured so that children and general visitors can easily understand the official testing contents for ultra-light flying devices, and 6 drones and controllers are operated, allowing 6 minutes of experience per unit.

On the Cultural Island, a "Wish Paper Boat" space containing visitors' wishes has been prepared. Visitors write their wishes by hand on colored paper, fold them into paper boats, and hang the completed paper boats on strings with clothespins to float them. When visitors' wishes gather one by one, the entire space becomes a photo zone. It is expected to be a warm time where families and couples can sit together in a spaced furnished with chairs, make paper boats, and share and cheer for each other's wishes.

Elementary school student Lee Ji-an (9, residing in Yeosu), who looked around the exhibition hall and talked directly with AI Dasomi, said, "I asked Dasomi something I was curious about, and it was amazing that it really answered," adding, "I want to see other exhibitions and talk to Dasomi again."

■ Fun Continues Outside the Exhibition Halls as Well… Riding Trains, Playing with Pierrots

Outside the exhibition halls, the "Dasomi Train" began its first operation today on the 24th. The Dasomi Train boards child visitors while parents can follow along and take pictures, so the train itself serves as another photo zone.

Pierrot, mime, and busker performances prepared through talent donation by Yeosu local companies come into the visitors three times a day at 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM, and 4:00 PM. It starts with a welcome show where a Pierrot greets visitors upon opening, a juggling and mime performance show during lunchtime, and a busker show with drum and percussion rhythms in the afternoon, with a photo time provided at the end of each performance.

Mr. Han (43 years old), who visited with his family on the first day of the Chuseok holiday, said, "Riding the Dasomi Train made my child happy, and the Pierrot's performance was also fun," adding, "There are continuous attractions outside the exhibition halls, so I ended up looking around the fairgrounds longer than expected."

Visitors can encounter unexpected performances and shows not only by looking around the exhibition halls but throughout the fairgrounds, making the walking route itself a joyful experience.

■ Finding Treasures and Receiving Souvenirs… A Tour of the Fair Becomes a Mission

Participatory events to enjoy exhibitions and experiences more funnily have also been newly prepared. "Find the Treasure," operating from the first day of the Chuseok holiday on the 24th, is an event to find and verify hidden treasures in the four exhibition halls: Theme Island, Marine Ecology Island, Cultural Island, and Future Island.

Visitors can find treasures in each exhibition hall—such as the Jeju 47th Dolhareubang, Palau wood carvings, a ship model made of whale baleen, and traditional Omani boats—take verification photos, and receive prepared souvenirs once verification is completed in all four exhibition halls.

The process of visiting the exhibition halls one by one becomes a sort of mission, presenting a new viewing method to tour the fairgrounds with children. In addition, through the "Dasomi Truck Event" operated twice a day, goods are provided to visitors who have completed the Treasure Island tour.

■ From Day to Night… Expanding Attractions Up to the "Boat of Wishes"

When the sun sets and night falls, the fairgrounds greet visitors with another aspect. In the island theme zone waterway, "Floating the Boat of Wishes with Dasomi" is held every evening, and visitors' stories can be met through media facade on the Theme Island.

First, "Floating the Boat of Wishes" is an experience where visitors float boats containing their wishes or messages they want to convey to family and lovers, and the boats of wishes gathering one by one on the waterway create another attraction of the autumn night fairgrounds.

On the Theme Island, content introducing stories sent directly by visitors via media facade is also operated. If you send special memories at the fair, stories you want to convey to family or lovers, or messages of support and gratitude, selected stories can be met through a large media facade screen. Through the experience of floating your written wishes on the water and having your sent stories unfold at the fairgrounds, visitors' hearts and stories become a scene of the fair. Especially during the Chuseok holiday, visitors can enjoy the fair more specially from day to night by writing wishes and leaving stories with their families.

As such, the fair continues to transform into a space to stay and enjoy all day long, where visitors can directly experience inside the exhibition halls, enjoy performances and events outside the exhibition halls, and continue to nighttime contents in the evening. Especially during the Chuseok holiday, as experiences, K-POP performances, and participatory events for family-unit visitors are concentrated, contents where visitors visiting the fairgrounds can see, experience, take pictures, and enjoy according to their tastes are expected to become even more diverse.

Kim Jong-ki, Secretary-General of the Organizing Committee, said, "In celebration of the Chuseok holiday, we have reinforced contents so that visitors can enjoy the fair more funfully by directly participating and experiencing rather than just looking at the exhibitions," and added, "We hope you experience various joys where you can see, touch, ride, and laugh by looking around various parts of the fair with your family."

Meanwhile, the 2026 Yeosu World Island Fair will be held until November 4 under the theme "Island, Connecting the Sea and the Future" around the Dolsan Jinmo District main venue in Yeosu, the Yeosu World Expo venue, and Gaedo and Geumodo islands.

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