Pokémon Secret Forest in Seoul – A Complete Visitor Guide! 

If you love Pokémon, then you have to visit the Pokémon Secret Forest in Seoul. 

Inside, you can find all sorts of Pokémon in the forest and visit six themed areas on a guided trail.

There are plenty of photo opportunities to be had, freebies to collect, Gachapon to play and a heap of exclusive merchandise to purchase. 

The good news is that it’s completely FREE to attend. You simply have to register your interest and wait in a virtual queue on the day. 

Here is a complete guide on how to visit the Pokémon Secret Forest in Seoul and things to do inside!

What is the Pokémon Secret Forest in Seoul?

Pokémon Secret Forest is an outdoor immersive experience located in Seoul Forest. 

It forms part of the Pokémon Mega Festa 30th Anniversary celebrations and the Seoul International Garden Show.

Pokémon Secret Forest is just one of the themed events taking place around the city.

Indeed, the entire city has Poké-fever with lots of pop-ups, special events and limited-edition brand collaborations happening at this time.

How much does it cost? 

The great thing about the Pokémon Secret Forest is that it’s completely FREE to visit in Seoul.

I actually couldn’t believe it, as the quality of the event was incredible. So, there’s no reason for you not to go. 

However, be prepared to spend, as there is a lot of exclusive merchandise, Poké-snacks and Gachapon once inside!

Where is the Pokémon Secret Forest location?

The Pokémon Secret Forest is being held in Seoul Forest, a large green parkland in the city.

You can easily take an Uber, but it’s very easy to access Seoul Forest by metro on the Suin-Bundang Line to Seoul Forest Station (exit 4). 

Make sure to purchase a T-Money Card from any convenience store to pay for public transport.

Also, note that Google Maps does not work in South Korea. So, download Naver Map or Kakao Map for directions. 

How can you get tickets?

You can’t get tickets for the Pokémon Secret Forest online; you have to register your interest in person at the event on the day.

The event opens at 12 pm each day, but registration opens at 7 am. 

I recommend getting there as early as possible, as they do close off registrations once it’s fully booked. 

Once you arrive, you can line up and enter your phone number (for Korean residents) or email address (for foreign visitors) on a tablet. 

You’ll then be texted or emailed your place in the e-queue and how many ‘teams’ or people are in front of you. 

When I registered on a weekend at 10.30 am, I was around 1200 in the queue. So, I was finally let in around 3 pm. 

But, if you register at 7-8 am, you should be one of the first visitors let inside around 12 pm.

The event closes at 7 pm each day. So, it’s best to go earlier so that you can spend more time inside. 

When is it on until?

The Pokémon Secret Forest is a limited-time event in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Pokémon.

It’s running from the 1st of May 2026 until the 21st of June 2026, and so you should visit while you still can.

But don’t worry if you miss it, due to the popularity of Pokémon events in the city, they often hold Pokémon-themed events throughout the year. 

Things to do in the Pokémon Secret Forest

So, what can you expect when visiting the Pokémon Secret Forest? 

The event is split into six themed areas, and each one has kawaii things in store;

1. Pikachu Forest / Camping Village
2. Pokémon Game Centre
3. Raplesia’s Treasure Trove
4. Phantom’s Hideout
5. Eevee’s Secret Trail
6. Pokemon Healing Forest Store

Here is everything that you can look forward to on the day!

1. Find Pokémon in the forest 

One of the best parts of visiting Pokémon Secret Forest is finding all the Pokémon hidden around.

You can find all sorts of Pokémon from every evolution, but most were from Stage 1. They were all lifesize statues and even make noises too. 

You’ll find Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Jigglypuff, Vileplume, Diglet and Dugtrio.

There was even a collection of Cubone with their bone clubs near the entrance!

As a millennial and someone who has loved Pokémon since the original 151, it made me quite emotional.

It was surprisingly immersive, especially when they made their little noises. The whole trail was adorable.

2. Get a free Pikachu or Snorlax hat

You’ll most likely see lots of visitors walking around with Snorlax and Pikachu hats in the forest.

You can receive one of these for free at the very back of the Pokémon Game Centre section in the Pokémon Card Games tent. 

To receive one, you simply have to scan a QR code and follow their YouTube or Instagram accounts. 

Show the staff the proof, and they will let you pick one hat per person. So, Pikachu, I choose you!

3. Metamong Matte Black Coffee Shop 

Just nearby, you’ll find the Metamong Coffee Shop by Matte Black that serves up some themed drinks and snacks. 

You can buy Metamong canned drinks, like cold brew or sparkling apple juice. 

There were lollipops and limited-edition ground coffee tins. It was all too cute to consume.

If you spend over 30,000 ₩, you can also get a free Metamong balloon!

4. Pokémon Photo Booth

I actually stumbled upon this Life Four Cuts Pokémon Secret Forest photobooth by accident during the event. 

I thought it was the queue for the Pokémon hats, but when I discovered what the queue was really for, I decided to stay anyway. 

You can get some photographs taken that have an exclusive Pokémon 30th anniversary frame. 

Each session costs ₩5,000, and you’re limited to one session per person to stop the queue from being too long. 

Despite this, it did take around an hour to queue for the booth in the end. Was it worth it? Debatable. Just be prepared!

5. Exclusive Pokémon Gachapon

When you walk through Raplesia’s Treasure Trove, you’ll get to see some of the exclusive merchandise you can purchase on display. 

Underneath the cabinets, you can also find some exclusive Gachapon machines that contain limited edition capsule toys and magnets. 

These are a little bit more expensive than regular Gachapon at ₩6,000 / ₩9,000 a time. But you can use contactless card payments. 

It sounds pricey, but these exclusive prizes are worth the cost, as you can’t get these items anywhere else in the world. 

I was so lucky as I managed to get a Pokémon urban forest magnet with Pikachu and Pachirisu! 

6. Eevee’s Secret Trail

One of my favourite parts of Pokémon Secret Forest was Eevee’s Secret Trail.

This part of the event starts in a tunnel decorated with pretty flowers, where you could meet all 8 ‘Eveelutions’ of Eevee. 

One of my favourite Eeveelutions is Slyveon, and I was so happy they had a place for her here as well as Leafeon.

After you exit the tunnel, you’ll find more, including the original Eevee, Umbreon and Vaporeon. 

As this event is part of the garden show, I loved how they decorated the trail with colourful flowers to match each one. 

7. Meet a sleeping Snorlax 

At the very back of the event, you’ll find a huge blow-up Snorlax snoozing in the forest (because of course he is).

He’s absolutely huge, so don’t miss snapping a photo with his giant paws! 

Just nearby, you’ll find a LEGO statue of Pikachu with some of its special collections on display. 

8. Enter Phantom’s Hideout 

Gengar is one of my favourite Pokémon, and I was delighted to see that there was a Phantom’s Hideout to visit. 

You’ll find a large statue of Gengar next to a wooden cabin, which makes for such a cute photo opportunity. I love him so much. 

Although the hideout looks cool from the outside, there actually isn’t much inside the hut. 

It was empty aside from a few cabinets showcasing the exclusive goodies you can buy later on. 

9. Take a million photos

Considering the event was not overly large, they definitely packed a lot of Pokémon in this part of Seoul Forest.

When I looked back at my camera roll, I swear I took around a thousand photos that day.

There are so many incredible photo opportunities at this event, so make sure to have your camera ready. 

The only thing to note is that queues can be quite long to take photos, and some areas can be quite chaotic due to crowd levels.

But just take your time and have patience. It’s so worth it in the end. 

10. Buy exclusive merchandise 

While you’re walking around Pokémon Secret Forest, you’ll find various cabinets with their exclusive merchandise on display.

There are also signs throughout where you tap your phone onto the sign, and it will open up a browser with a list of merchandise to browse (wild). 

Lots of the merchandise had already sold out by the time I attended the event. But there were still lots of exclusive things to purchase.

They had lots of large plushies, tote bags, keychains, magnets and collectables. 

I got an Urban Forest blind box magnet, a plushie keychain and some keychains with Pikachu and Snorlax on them. 

You order these through the website, get a QR code and then pay/collect them at the Healing Forest Store at the end.

Make sure to purchase one of their limited edition bags to hold your Poké-haul too!

Is Pokémon Secret Forest worth visiting?

Yes, I urge you to run, not walk, to attend the Pokémon Secret Forest. It was one of the highlights of my trip to Seoul. 

The entire event is so enchanting, and getting to find hidden Pokémon on the trail was a dream come true.

Of course, you do have to register in a virtual queue, and the wait times can be long. 

But it’s completely free to visit, and there are so many magical things to do once you’re inside. 

If you’re a fan of Pokémon, you really can’t skip this event. It’s a Poké-paradise waiting for you!

My top tips

• The registration opens up from 7/8 am, and so I would be there around that time if you want to be one of the first inside.

• I got there around 11 am, and I was finally let in around 3 pm. But you can stay as long as you like after you enter.

• It can be a little chaotic and busy, with long lines for certain things like the photo booths and photo opportunities.

• Most of the exclusive merchandise had sold out in the weeks when it first opened.

• I recommend spending around 2-3 hours here if you want to do everything.

Visit the Metamong Playground next 

If you’re visiting Seoul for the Pokémon Mega Festa 30th Anniversary celebrations, then you have to visit the Metamong Playground next.

It’s located in Seongsu-dong, which is only a 30-minute walk away from Seoul Forest. So, you can join both virtual queues in one day. 

It’s not a playground, but another immersive experience where you can play Gachapon, buy merch, get a Ditto hat, eat ice cream and party with Pikachu. 

It’s again free to enter; you just need to register your interest in the virtual queue. 

As I joined around 11 am on a Saturday, I was around 2200 in the queue.

The staff basically said I wasn’t getting in with that number, but I decided to wait anyway. I was finally allowed inside around 5 pm.

Honestly, this event was so whimsical, and there were lots of amazing photo opportunities inside. 

I also loved that they played the Metamong theme tune in the garden. It was worth the wait!

Olive Young’s Pokémon Party

Another Pokémon event happening in South Korea is the Olive Young Pokémon collaboration.

Olive Young is the number one stop for skin care and beauty products in South Korea, and for the 30th anniversary of Pokémon, they partnered with over 60 lifestyle brands to release over 230 Pokémon-themed products.

This includes some highly sought-after limited edition Pikachu plush keychains. 

They also had a pop-up event in Seongsu, which was the Pokémon 30th Anniversary Picnic Party. Inside, you could enjoy;

1. Purchasing a Pokémon-themed coffee & Pikachu cake pop
2. Colouring in Pokémon-themed habit trackers
3. A treasure hunt where you can get a free photo/sticker
4. Move like a Pokémon where they product match you

You can also register your interest to enter their exclusive party room with more limited edition Gachapon machines and merchandise. 

I’m going to be honest, waiting to go inside that room wasn’t worth it for me.

Of course, the merchandise was awesome, but most things had sold out by the time I got inside.

It was also quite manic as the room was very small and the Gachapon machines were really popular.

But, you do get a free Eevee hat at the end of your visit for your efforts!

Read more of my Pokémon guides

How to visit the Pokémon Café in Japan

Pikachu Sweets Café – Is it Worth Visiting?

Save the Pokémon Secret Forest for later!