Universal Studios for South Korea?

[BigAl]

I can't believe I've missed this one too! After only a day of finding out that Universal is planning a park for Moscow, I've found that they have plans for a park in South Korea as well!

Edit: The images don't seem to be agreeing with TST, so click on the link at the bottom of the article to see them.

Universal Studios South Korea Almost Confirmed

After one in Osaka, Japan, one in Singapore, and one eventually coming in Moscow, it seems that Universal will soon begin the works on their project of Universal Studios Korea – South Korea of course. According to the latest news a bill for government funding is going to be presented in the South Korea congress and apparently they are hopeful that it will pass.

Many different artwork was released since the announcement of the project five years ago but some elements remain the same.

On the artwork on the top and on the closer shot below we can see the entrance (top center) and that the park should have a N.Y city streets land (top center right) – you can even see a statue of liberty – a Revenge of the Mummy ride (on the left, where you can see a giant Pharaoh head), a Waterworld show (bottom left), a whole Jurassic Park land (bottom center), and a big coaster partly going over the center lagoon on which you can see 360 degrees floating projection globes. Although these are recent concept-arts, there is no doubt that the design will have some changes and improvements before the park open, an opening schedule apparently for 2016 although some are saying that Universal would be pleased to open the park before Disney open Shanghai Disneyland.

On the older artwork below, most of the elements described above are already there but with another big “dueling” coaster on the right of the Revenge of the Mummy building. Note that i wouldn’t be surprised if it was not part of the final park as Universal realized in Singapore that Asian people were a bit too impressed when they see the Battlestar Galactica coaster and don’t ride it that much.

About hotels, it’s also interesting to notice the Venetian resort, located just outside the park as you will see on the artworks below, as well as another hotel (with a red roof) and what seems to be a City Walk dining and night entertainment area. The area on the right, behind the venetian resort, on the other side of the main road, might be a water park.

Source.


So Universal have two parks in the US, one in Japan, one in Singapore (all four of which are getting big expansions with more great rides, Wizarding World lands and lovely hotels, etc...) and they have plans for two new parks in Moscow and South Korea. Wherever/whatever next?

 

[CGM]

I think that Universal need to be careful how many parks they build under the Universal Studios moniker. If there's one in everyone's back yard, they won't be as big a destination as they are now and it could weaken the brand in the long term. Do they really need another US park so close to the one in Japan?

I suppose it's a known formula that works and another large, well themed park in the world can only be a good thing but I wish Universal would try something a bit more adventurous like they did with Port Aventura or IOA.

Despite this, I'm sure this will be a profitable exercise for them and I think it will be received well in South Korea as their parks always seem to be very well themed and family oriented.

 

[BigAl]

I'm not so sure, as one thing I like about Universal is the fact that their parks offer some big, main attractions that can be found at each of their parks in one form or another, such as Jurassic Park (it's a rapids ride at Singapore but a boat ride at Hollywood and Orlando), Jaws (was a boat ride at Orlando and now in Japan, but part of the studio tour in the Hollywood park), Transformers 3D, Amazing Spiderman, the Mummy roller coaster and soon the Wizarding World will be a common link between their parks across the world.

However, their parks also offer various attractions that are unique to them, like Seuss Landing, Toon Lagoon, MiB Alien Attack and Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit in Orlando, the Special Effects Stage and the Studio Tour for the park in Hollywood, whereas the resort in Singapore has the Far Far Away Land, Lights, Camera. Action! and the Battlestar Galactica roller coasters, and then the Japanese park has Hollywood Dream, Backdraft and Back to the Future (although the park in Orlando did have this before).

So besides the fact that the parks share some of the favourite attractions, the unique aspects still mean that you have a reason to visit and find something new. So long as people can experience the most popular rides but discover something new, and the parks are situated in good areas that aren't too close to one of their other parks, I feel that Universal will continue to do very well.

 

[BigAl]

Bump!

Possibly some bad news regarding this project for you all...


From Screamscape:

A video all about the proposed Universal Studios Korea project can be found below. I’m not quite sure of what is going on with the project, which I believe was intended to open in 2016, but there is something posted in this news article that seems to sounds like a possible four year delay may be required, possibly pushing things back to 2020. Again… the rough English translation is very hard to make sense of, so I’m only guessing here.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avqTCRRYKgg[/youtube]

But as you can see from the video, if this project goes ahead, Universal have some pretty huge plans for this park. And let's not forget that they want to create an indoor park in Moscow as well.

 

[BigAl]

Screamscape have spotted this report which states that three parks may be in order for South Korea, one of which may be a revived Universal Studios. Is there a chance to rescue the project?