Slackline Champion Walks 120 Meters Above Seoul in a Stunning City Performance

Estonian slackline champion Jaan Roose stunned crowds in central Seoul on Thursday after walking across a 160-meter-long line suspended about 120 meters above the ground.

The performance took place between the Koreana Hotel and the Dong-A Media Center in the Gwanghwamun area. It was described by organizers as South Korea’s first high-altitude urban slackline performance.

A Walk Above the City

Roose stepped onto the narrow line with the streets and buildings of Seoul far below him. The line was only a few centimeters wide, requiring him to maintain his balance while dealing with movement from the flexible line and changing conditions in the air.

There was no safety net beneath the line. Roose was connected to a safety line attached to his body while crossing between the two buildings.

During the performance, he demonstrated several slackline skills, including balancing movements and acrobatic poses. Hundreds of people gathered below, many raising their phones to record the unusual sight above the city.

A Three-Time World Champion

Roose, 33, is a three-time world champion in slacklining. He began practicing the sport at 18 and has since completed several major highline challenges around the world.

In 2024, he became the first person to cross the Strait of Messina between mainland Italy and Sicily on a slackline, covering a distance of roughly 3.6 kilometers. He also crossed the Bosphorus between Asia and Europe in Istanbul the same year.

Roose previously visited South Korea in 2022 and became interested in the country’s traditional tightrope performances. His Seoul challenge combined that inspiration with modern slackline techniques.

Safety Was Closely Monitored

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said the equipment used for the performance followed international safety standards and underwent safety inspections.

Officials also established conditions for stopping the event if the wind became too strong. The performance was scheduled to stop if average wind speeds reached 10 meters per second or gusts reached 15 meters per second.

Roose successfully completed the 160-meter round trip during the first performance, drawing cheers and applause from spectators below.

For people watching from the streets, the sight of a person walking between two buildings more than 100 meters above Seoul offered an extraordinary view of the city.

Sources

• Reuters — “Estonian slackliner Jaan Roose performs on a slackline during South Korea’s first urban highline crossing event” — October 1, 2026.
• The Guardian — “Daredevil Jaan Roose completes slackline walk high above central Seoul” — October 1, 2026.
• The Korea Herald — “Slackliner Jaan Roose performs 120 meters above Gwanghwamun” — October 1, 2026.
• Seoul Metropolitan Government — “Seoul Extreme Sports Festival” — October 1, 2026.