Metamong Playground in Seoul – A Complete Visitor Guide! 

Pokémon fans, did you know that you can visit a Metamong Playground in Seoul?

It’s an indoor immersive experience with several themed zones in celebration of Ditto for the 30th Anniversary of Pokémon.

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. 

Here is a complete visitor guide for the Metamong Playground in Seoul, including how to get tickets and things to do inside. 

What is the Metamong Playground in Seoul?

The Metamong Playground is not a playground for kids, but an indoor immersive pop-up event happening Seongsu. 

It forms part of the Pokémon Mega Festa 30th Anniversary celebrations.

Metamong Playground is just one of many 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 Metamong Playground 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 and Gachapon to buy once inside!

Where is the Metamong Playground location?

The Metamong Playground is located in Seongsu-dong, which is nicknamed the ‘Brooklyn of Seoul’.

It’s the area where all the trending brands have boutiques and most pop-up events happen, so it’s worth visiting even if you don’t get in.

I’ll put the exact address below. Just note that Google Maps doesn’t work in South Korea. So, download either Naver Map or Kakao Map to guide you.

How can you get tickets?

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

The event opens at 10 am each day, but registration opens at 8 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 11 am, I was around 2200 in the queue (!). I was told I wasn’t going to be let inside, but that wasn’t true.

I eventually got in around 5 pm. The event finishes at 9 pm each day, so I still had plenty of time.  

However, I recommend registering as early as possible so you don’t have to wait so long. 

When is it on until?

Metamong Playground is a limited-time pop-up store 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 Metamong Playground

The Metamong Playground is an indoor experience set over two floors and has six themed areas that you can visit;

1. Gachapon/Merchandise room
2. Photobooth/Photozone room
3. Pokemon Card Game Room
4. Pikachu Party Room
5. Metamong Playground / Garden
6. Ditto Café

Here are all the magical things to do in the Metamong Playground. 

1. Buy exclusive merchandise

One of the main reasons people want to visit the Metamong Playground is for the range of exclusive merchandise. 

They had a huge collection of 30th anniversary items to purchase such as magnets, stationery, plush toys, pins and more. 

I bought some of the limited edition plush toys, including two Ditto bag charms. They were too cute to resist.

I could have purchased so much more, but I only had a limited amount of space in my suitcase.

To buy, you scan a QR code when you enter to see their range of merchandise and put any items you want in your shopping basket.  

You then submit your order and will receive a QR code. Show this QR code to a staff member and they will scan your code so you can pay.

The staff will prepare your items. Make sure to purchase one of the limited edition 30th anniversary Mega Festa gift bags!

2. Use exclusive Gachapon machines

One of the best parts of Metamong Playground was the range of exclusive Gachapon machines that contained limited edition capsule toys.

They had all sorts of pouches, keychains, magnets, pins and collectable figurines you could win. 

They were a little bit more expensive than regular Gachapon at ₩6,000 / ₩12,000 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 got a few of the metallic Metamong mobile phone pins and the quality was excellent.

They had several display cabinets showing you the entire range of items, so you can check these out first before you buy!

3. Use a Pokémon Photobooth

One of the cool things to do in Metamong Playground is 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. 

I already used the photobooth at the Pokémon Secret Forest and waited over an hour for my photos. So, I was glad I didn’t have to wait again.

It is a really nice memento of your visit, just be prepared to wait for it.

4. Party with Pikachu

On the second floor, you’ll find a huge room where you can party with Pikachu behind a DJ deck. 

There was a huge dance floor set up with music blaring from the speakers. It made such a cool photo opportunity.

On either side of the dance floor, there were some video games you could play. But the queues were quite long for them on my visit. 

5. Pokémon Card Game Room 

The Pokémon Game Card Room can be found on the second floor and is dedicated to the Pokémon Trading Card Game (TCG). 

Inside, you can find many rare and collectable cards on display, as well as artwork.

There are areas set up where you can play TCG with fellow fans who are attending. 

6. Metamong photo opportunities

There are plenty of Metamong photozones to find as you explore the building.

You can find plenty of Metamong mascots dotted around, posters, and displays to pose with.

My favourite was the giant pair of purple headphones, which had a few Metamong characters behind them. 

As I was travelling solo, the staff were more than happy to help me take some photos, which was really kind. So, don’t be afraid to ask!

7. Get a FREE Ditto or Pikachu hat

Just like the other Pokémon events happening around the city, you can receive a FREE Metamong hat on the second floor.

They had a choice of either Ditto or Ditto as Pikachu. I chose Ditto as it loved that it was purple!

To receive the hat, all you have to do is scan a QR code and follow their Instagram or YouTube accounts.  

8. Explore the Metamong Playground

After you’ve explored the inside of the building, the Poké-fun isn’t over yet.

You can then enter their Metamong Playground, which has endless Metamong characters to find and photo opportunities! 

There is limited seating; if you’re lucky enough to get one, you can relax in the garden and soak up the vibes.

Again, once you leave the building, you are not allowed to re-enter. So, make sure you’ve done everything you want to do inside before you leave.

9. Visit the Ditto Café

After you’ve explored the Metamong garden, I highly recommend visiting the Ditto Café.

It’s takeaway only, but they serve up iced drinks, ice cream and snacks throughout the day. 

I ordered one of their Metamong Ice Creams, and it was adorable. It came in a Metamong cup and had Ditto and Pikachu chocolates on the side. 

Even the way they serve it to you is magical, as you open a secret door with Pokémon inside to receive your items. 

Is the Metamong Playground worth visiting? 

Yes, if you’re a fan of Pokémon, then you really can’t miss the Metamong Playground in Seoul.

It’s such a whimsical event, and the fact that it was completely free to visit blew my mind.

There were so many enchanting things to do inside, freebies to collect, things to buy and plenty of photo opportunities. 

I wish it were a permanent shop as I would go back in a heartbeat! As a fan of Pokémon since the original 151, it was a dream come true. 

Don’t skip the Metamong Playground in Seoul, it’s a Poké-paradise waiting to welcome you. 

My top tips 

• The registration opens up from 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 5 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.

• Most of the exclusive merchandise had sold out in first week of it opening.

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

Visit the Pokémon Secret Forest next 

The Pokémon Secret Forest is another outdoor immersive event happening in Seoul Forest. 

Inside, you can find all sorts of Pokémon and visit 6 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. 

Again, it’s completely free to attend; you just need to register your interest and join the virtual queue. 

I actually visited both of these events in one day, as it’s easy to walk between both venues and register. 

Olive Young Pokémon Collaboration

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 can also register your interest to enter their exclusive 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. Of course, the merchandise was awesome, but most things had sold out. 

It was also quite manic inside as the Gachapon machines were really popular. But, you do get a free Eevee hat at the end 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 Metamong Playground for later!