AJU PRESS ASIA FIRST NEWS AGENCY

Makeshift igloo draws 30,000 to sweltering Seoul

by Park Ja-yeon Posted : August 6, 2026, 15:21Updated : August 6, 2026, 15:33
A makeshift shelter known as Happyso is set up at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul on June 11 2026 AJP Yoo Na-hyun
A makeshift shelter known as "Happyso" is set up at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul on June 11, 2026. AJP Yoo Na-hyun
SEOUL, August 6 (AJP) - More than 30,000 Seoul residents visited a makeshift shelter set up at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul to seek relief from the scorching heat that has gripped the country in recent weeks, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Thursday.

According to the city government, 30,405 people visited the shelter between June 10 and July 31, averaging 596 visitors a day.

The makeshift facility, called "Happyso," a name combining the meanings of "a place to escape the sun" and "a place that brings happiness," is equipped with five tables providing 26 seats, along with air conditioners and fans, allowing visitors to rest comfortably and find temporary relief from the heat.
 
Happyso heatwave shelter at Cheonggye Plaza. [Photo=Seoul Metropolitan Government]
Courtesy of the Seoul Metropolitan Government
Measuring 8 meters by 8 meters and standing 4 meters tall, it operates daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

After most of some 800 visitors surveyed said they were satisfied with the shelter, the city government decided to keep it open until the end of this month as the heatwave persists.

"With nearly 600 people using it every day on average, we will make sure the facility remains safe and operates smoothly," said Choi Jin-seok, a city official.

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