Wando’s ‘Blue Carbon’ Boom... Pre International Seaweed Expo Kicks Off on May 2

In-depth Exploration of Seaweed as a Climate Crisis Solution

Enjoy Seaweed Bibimbap and Experience Seaweed Mask Packs

A Wealth of Illuminating Exhibits and Attractions

Wando County in South Jeolla Province is preparing a meaningful platform to spotlight the future value of "seaweed," which has emerged as an alternative for overcoming the climate crisis.

Wando County announced on the 27th that it will host the "2026 Pre Wando International Seaweed Expo" under the theme "Climate Leader, The Seaweed that Opens the Future of the Sea," from May 2 to 7 at Haebyeon Park in Wando-eup.

Wando County will host the '2026 Pre-Wando International Seaweed Expo' under the theme 'Climate Leader, The Future of the Sea Opened by Seaweed'. Provided by Wando County

The core exhibition concept of this expo is "Blue Innovation." Visitors will be able to explore, firsthand, the ecological value of seaweed as a marine carbon sink—"Blue Carbon"—and discover clues for addressing the climate crisis on site.

The exhibition space will be divided into two sections: the "Understanding Hall," which is the newly renovated Seaweed Center, and the "Theme Hall," where the main exhibition will take place. Notably, the entire exhibition will feature "immersive storytelling" techniques designed to stimulate all five senses of visitors, moving beyond simple display of information.

The "Understanding Hall" has been crafted as an experience zone that sparks curiosity about the marine ecosystem using the latest media technology. Highlights include the "Invitation to the Seabed" media tunnel, which creates the illusion of walking into the ocean, and "The Ocean of Wando," which uses projection mapping technology to portray a day in the Wando sea, captivating visitors’ attention.

Additionally, a variety of convergent content will be showcased, such as "Ocean Star," where artificial intelligence (AI) generates characters from visitors’ photos, and "Live Ocean," where hand-colored drawings come to life on a screen.

The "Theme Hall" presents the crisis and hope of the marine ecosystem in a three-act show format, maximizing immersion as if watching a film. The first show, "The Crisis of the Sea," vividly depicts the devastation of the ocean caused by global warming, including melting glaciers and coral bleaching.

The following video, "Climate Leader, Seaweed," contrasts the threatened global oceans with the vitality of Wando’s healthy sea on a large screen, emphasizing the value of coexistence between humanity and the ocean. The final segment, "Promise of Tomorrow," presents a global network centered on seaweed and Wando’s vision, concluding with a hopeful message for a sustainable seaweed industry.

On one side of the exhibition hall, a range of auxiliary booths has been prepared to delight visitors’ palates and eyes. Local specialties such as seaweed bibimbap will be offered, along with beauty products like mask packs and moisturizing creams made with seaweed extracts. There will also be displays of eco-friendly biodegradable paper, straws, and reusable containers, showcasing the boundless applications of seaweed in everyday life.

A Wando County official said, "We hope visitors to this expo will experience firsthand the remarkable value of seaweed in marine environmental protection and as a climate solution."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.