E-World

Daegu, South Korea

“Surprising amusement park with lots of attractions and lush green scenery”

Despite the fact that many international visitors have never heard of it, Daegu is one of South Korea’s largest cities. It has almost three times more inhabitants than Amsterdam and the Samsung Group was founded here 85 years ago. Nowadays, Daegu is a vibrant city with dozens of high-rise office buildings, malls and … an amusement park called E-World. We find this amusement park in the southwest part of the city, built on Duryusan Mountain.

‘Where Dreams Come True’ is written on the park map. It seems that E-World based its slogan on the one that’s used by Walt Disney World. Interestingly, this isn’t the only similarity between E-World and Disney. The entrance of E-World has Main Street-like vibes and we are welcomed by a lovely group of characters. Beebee the bear and his girlfriend Popo are the stars of the park, but they’re accompanied by a whole bunch of other animals. The fact that E-World chose such cute mascots doesn’t come as a huge surprise. After all, this is South Korea. And just like people in Japan and Taiwan, Koreans are fond of everything that looks cute.

ROLLER COASTERS

With four active credits, E-World counts as one of Korea’s main roller coaster destinations. According to the Roller Coaster Database, all of these coasters have been there since 1995, the park’s opening year. Therefore, you shouldn’t expect super-modern thrills here. Inversions lovers may opt for a ride on the standard Vekoma Boomerang (I usually skip these horrible rides) or Hurricane. Hurricane may be considered as a scaled-down version of Python at Efteling. The main elements are a 20-metre tall lift hill, a vertical loop and two corkscrews. Unfortunately, with Hurricane’s respectable age comes respectable roughness. The first descent and the vertical looping are quite okay, but the next curves and inversions create some serious headbanging. So please… brace yourself for a turbulent experience.

E-World’s coaster lineup is completed by Magic Train (a very tame kiddie coaster) and Camel Back. The latter is definitely the park’s highlight for coaster enthusiasts. Camel Back is 40 metres tall and it contains approximately one kilometre of track. There are no inversions, but we’re treated to deep descents, high speeds and some subtle shots of airtime. And despite the fact we don’t expect a lot from manufacturer Meisho Amusement Rides, Camel Back turns out to be a surprisingly smooth experience. All in all, this is an excellent rollercoaster. Hands down my favourite attraction at E-World.

OTHER EXPERIENCES

E-World has something for everyone. The park offers a large children’s area and there are quite a few flat rides for the thrill seekers. Thanks to its wonderful landscaping, E-World may even be enjoyed by those who don’t ride any attractions. In fact, the park is very Instagrammable. There’s a huge tulip field near the park entrance and more flower beds can be found right in the centre of the park. This natural beauty is finished off with an impressive waterfall, so it’s safe to say that E-World is a visually pleasing place. I have the greatest respect for the brave gardeners who maintain this photogenic area.

The most striking feature of E-World is Daegu 83, a 200-metre tall panorama tower. This structure isn’t just a landmark for the park, but it has even become a symbol for the city of Daegu. The tower claimed a prominent hilltop location, so amazing views are guaranteed on clear days. Up there, we once again notice the incredible size of Daegu and, of course, we also get a wonderful overview of E-World. Interestingly, Daegu 83 is a separate tourist attraction and it’s not located within E-World. Our ticket includes a visit to both, but it isn’t mandatory to opt for this combination formula. However, it goes without saying that there’s a close relation between E-World and Daegu 83. A second park entrance was built near the tower complex and there’s even a cable car that runs between Daegu 83 and the park.

WORTH A VISIT?

E-World managed to surprise me in a very pleasant way. The park boasts an extensive range of attractions, beautiful flower displays and staff are extremely friendly. Furthermore, E-World is one of the greenest theme parks I’ve ever visited, despite the fact that it’s literally in the middle of a colossal city. The only downside to this park is the considerable age of most rides. In some areas of E-World, it feels as if time is standing still. Roller coaster enthusiast may therefore leave this place a little underwhelmed, as you won’t find any modern thrills or well-themed family coasters.