American Celebrities Are Crazy About 'Pickleball' at the Han River… Citizens “Looking Forward to It”

The “Healthy City Seoul” initiative, announced by Mayor Oh Se-hoon, is beginning to take shape along the Han River. On the afternoon of the 15th at Gwangnaru Han River Park in Gangdong District, construction was underway to transform part of an existing soccer field into pickleball courts.

Citizens passing by stopped to look inside the construction area. Park Min-ju (33) said, “I heard a pickleball court is being built where the soccer field used to be. I've seen this sport a lot on social media, and I'd like to try it once it opens.”

Pickleball originated in 1965, when American businessman and politician Joel Pritchard improvised a game using a badminton court, paddles, and a perforated plastic ball. The sport uses rackets slightly larger than ping-pong paddles to hit the ball back and forth. It is known for its simple rules, easy learning curve, and low risk of injury relative to workout effect. Pickleball has rapidly spread in countries including the United States, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom.

According to the Seoul city government on the 22nd, the Future Han River Headquarters, which manages Han River facilities, has been building 14 outdoor pickleball courts at Gwangnaru Han River Park since October. The site was previously used as a soccer field but had low utilization, so the decision was made to convert it to pickleball courts. This is the first pickleball installation at the Han River and will be the largest public facility in the country once completed. A city official said, “The basic facilities covering approximately 4,000 square meters (about 1,210 pyeong) are in the final stages, and construction is underway with a targeted opening in March next year.”

Currently, Seoul has only eight public pickleball courts — four at the Bae-su-ji facility in Gangdong District and four at Seoul Forest. With the opening of the Gwangnaru Han River Park facility, public court availability in Seoul will increase to 22 courts. Although there are indoor pickleball facilities operated by private businesses, weekend rental fees can reach 20,000–30,000 KRW, which is seen as a barrier for many. The city plans to price public pickleball court usage similar to public tennis courts, at 8,000 KRW for two hours.

Pickleball enthusiasts often cite the sport's accessibility and social nature, and Seoul's expansion of public facilities is seen as a major boost for local players.

The article includes images of international celebrities such as Taylor Swift practicing pickleball on social media, and mentions Bill Gates (Microsoft founder) among other high-profile figures associated with the sport. These high-profile associations have helped raise pickleball's global profile and popularity.

Seoul's push to expand pickleball aligns with Mayor Oh Se-hoon's “Healthier Seoul 9988” policy, which aims to make accessible, low-barrier sports available to people of all ages and backgrounds. The city hopes these efforts will support more active lifestyles and community engagement.