Artificial wave being tested in Seoul

South Korea has installed an artificial wave system that generates real waves using technology from the global leader in such installations, WaveGarden.

We’ve wanted to go there for a long time—to see the wave with our own eyes and, of course, test it out. And now we’re here!)

How to get there?

Wave Park location

We traveled from central Seoul, and the entire journey took about 2 hours: an hour and a half on the subway and then 20-30 minutes by taxi.

Public transport in Seoul is super comfortable! So we recommend getting a universal transit card—the T-card. You can buy one at any convenience store (GS25, CU, 7-Eleven) and top it up with any amount there. This card can be used for subway, bus, and taxi fares, as well as for payments in some stores.

For navigation, we used Google Maps, but it only shows public transport routes.

You can also use the Korean app KakaoMap—but it’s entirely in Korean, though it does allow route planning for cars or walking.

To order a taxi, you’ll need the Kakao T app—but you must have a local phone number to use it.

How to reserve a wave?

Foreigners can reserve a wave via this link.

You need to fill out the form and choose the wave type—with or without a lesson. After that, you’ll receive a registration confirmation via email within the day. And, hooray, they’ll be waiting for you!)

Wave types:

Beginner - Knee-high wave—for newbies. If you’re just starting your surfing journey, this is the best mode to choose.

Intermediate - Waist-high wave with a fairly sharp takeoff. If you have a confident pop-up and can easily turn your board in the direction of movement, you can opt for this mode.

Advanced - We haven’t seen it firsthand, but from what we’ve heard, the wave barrels here.

The waves come in left and right—choose which one you want to ride in the schedule.

Friends, to ensure your surf session is comfortable and brings you as much joy as it did for us, please choose a wave type that matches your skill level. It’s better to start small than regret it later.

Navigation inside the complex

When we arrived at the complex, the real fun began. At the reception, we were asked to fill out the same form as online, but this time by hand.

The staff didn’t speak English at all, and they tried to salvage the situation with a translator app on their phone, but we still couldn’t understand each other...)) Part of the confusion was our fault: we thought "left cove" didn’t mean a left wave but the mechanism on the left that generates a right wave. So, we needed to adjust our booking time.

After 20 minutes of gesturing, they finally found an English-speaking employee, and we sorted everything out in 5 minutes. Happy, we paid (cash or card accepted) and went through the turnstiles inside.

We were given special wristbands that act as keys to all lockers and also serve as your ID.

After the turnstile, we took off our shoes and walked around barefoot (foresighted people might bring flip-flops).

At the next counter, we rented 4:3 wetsuits (which we later regretted). Then, to the changing rooms—we found lockers and got ready.

And now we’re all set to dive into surfing!

In front of us were two huge wave pools with surfers riding. We were mesmerized and watched them for about twenty minutes without looking away. Before entering the water, we listened to a safety briefing (a formality) and went to the board rental counter.

They have various boards, from shortboards to longboards. The equipment isn’t in the best condition, and before handing it over, the staff inspected each board very thoroughly and noted all damages on a special form, like in a car rental.

Ten minutes before our session, we checked in at the registration counter, where we were signed in and given wristbands. Then, we headed out to conquer the Korean wave!)

How does the wave work?

The wave system consists of two huge pools separated by an observation deck. One pool generates left waves, the other—right waves. Each surf session has about 20 people per wave. You paddle out near the observation deck and join the lineup. There are markers (1, 2, 3, etc.) on the concrete wall to help position yourself before takeoff (it’s best to watch first where others start from, especially those using boards similar to yours).

The machine activates, and water starts getting sucked from beneath your starting point, forming a wave behind you. At this moment, you need to start paddling—not too hard (or the wave might close out on you), but enough to avoid being pulled backward. A few strokes, a pop-up, and there you are, gliding on the wave (if you did everything right).

The wave has three sections—first steep, then mellow, then steep again, then another mellow part, and finally the steepest section (we assume this is where the barrel forms in advanced mode). Once your ride ends, you grab your board and carefully paddle back through the observation area to rejoin the lineup.

The machine generates 20 waves per set, with 5-10 second intervals, then pauses for a few minutes to let everyone reposition before starting again.

In an hour, we caught about 15 waves per session. The number can vary depending on the group—if someone wipes out or goes over the falls, they might skip a wave or two to let them clear the danger zone. An instructor monitors this from the lineup.

In one hour, you can get seriously exhausted—the intensity is extremely high, with almost no time to rest: as soon as you finish a ride, you paddle back, and it’s already your turn again.

The water wasn’t warm, but not cold enough to justify a 4:3 wetsuit—we were practically in a sauna. We recommend a shorty or a rash guard instead.

The trickiest part is the takeoff. It’s nothing like ocean surfing, at least not at the spots we’ve surfed. Water gets sucked out from under you rapidly, making positioning tricky at first—I missed a few waves because of this. But you adapt quickly; after one session, you’ll get the hang of it.

Otherwise, it’s a real wave, and it’s awesome. If you want to practice a specific maneuver, you get countless attempts here—way more than in the ocean.

Now we understand why there are so many decent Korean surfers in Bali—they have this training facility at home!

For complete beginners, this is also a fantastic training tool. You can perfect your pop-up and turns, and they offer coaching for basic skills.

One crucial surfing skill this simulator doesn’t teach is wave reading. This is a key ability that only comes from countless hours in the ocean. Without it, you won’t surf well, even if you’re pulling airs on an artificial wave. This is confirmed by Koreans in Bali—they rarely surf without an instructor to guide and push them at the right moment.

We loved this wave pool and believe it’s the future of surf training.

Similar projects are emerging in Russia, too. We’ve been closely following—and even visited—the first iteration of an artificial wave last year: @lineup_61. This year, the team is making a major technological leap, so keep an eye on their project and definitely visit once they launch the new version. We’re rooting for them with all our hearts!)

What to bring?

Flip-flops

Towel

Sunscreen

Wetsuit/rash guard (if you have your own)

Surfboard (if you have one—it’s much nicer than rental boards)

Costs:

Beginner & intermediate - Free surf (1 hour) – 80,000₩ (~4,800 RUB)

Surfing with a lesson – 110,000₩ (~6,600 RUB)

Board rental (3 hours) – 40,000₩ (~2,400 RUB)

Towel – 5,000₩ (~300 RUB)

Round-trip subway – 2,800₩ (~240 RUB)

One-way taxi – 10,000₩ (~600 RUB)

One-way bus – 1,250₩ (~75 RUB)

We think it’s best to come here for 2-3 days and do 2-3 sessions daily. That way, your training will be effective, and you’ll fully unlock this wave’s potential.

Hope this guide helps you. Happy surfing, friends!