On the volcanic island of Jeju, a short hop from Seongsan Ilchulbong crater, Hanwha’s Aqua Planet Jeju is the largest public aquarium in South Korea. With roughly 20 million liters of water across its tanks, it lands at number 12 on our ranking of the largest aquariums in the world.
Opened in 2012 as the flagship of the Aqua Planet chain, the complex bundles an aquarium, a marine-science museum and a performance hall into one seafront building on the island’s east coast.
Key Stats
| Total water volume | About 20 million liters |
| Opened | July 2012 |
| Location | Seogwipo, Jeju Island, South Korea |
| Operator | Hanwha (Aqua Planet chain) |
| Signature tank | The Sea of Jeju – 5,300 m³ (1.4 million US gal), the largest single tank in South Korea |
| Notable residents | Sand tiger sharks, giant guitarfish, penguins, seals, sea lions, walruses |
Korea’s Biggest Aquarium
Aqua Planet Jeju is built around three marine-themed halls: the aquarium proper, an “Ocean Arena” performance hall, and a hands-on marine-science center. That mix makes it as much a day-out destination as a fish house, and it has become one of Jeju’s most visited indoor attractions, especially on the island’s frequent rainy days.
The animal roster leans heavily on cold- and temperate-water species that suit Korean seas: sand tiger sharks, giant groupers, arapaima, penguins, otters, seals, sea lions and walruses, plus the touch pools and egg-case nurseries that Korean aquariums do particularly well.
The Sea of Jeju
The centerpiece is the main tank, called The Sea of Jeju, which holds 5,300 cubic meters (about 1.4 million US gallons) of water, the largest single aquarium tank in South Korea. Large sharks and rays, including sand tigers and giant guitarfish, cruise past a huge viewing wall, and a walk-through tunnel runs beneath the tank. The aquarium even offers a supervised diving-experience program that puts qualified guests inside the main tank.
Shows, Science and Sea-Life Care
The Ocean Arena stages synchronized swimming, dolphin and walrus performances. On the quieter side, Aqua Planet Jeju runs South Korea’s first specialized medical center for marine life, organizes regular beach and underwater clean-ups, and hosts education programs on penguin and otter ecology.
The aquarium has also learned some hard lessons. It originally displayed two whale sharks and a manta ray in the main tank; after one whale shark and the ray died, public pressure led the aquarium to tag and release the surviving whale shark back into the ocean.
FAQ
How big is Aqua Planet Jeju?
Its tanks hold about 20 million liters in total, making it the largest aquarium in South Korea and 12th on our list of the largest aquariums in the world. The main Sea of Jeju tank alone holds 5,300 tons of water.
Does Aqua Planet Jeju still have whale sharks?
No. After controversy over whale-shark deaths in its early years, the surviving whale shark was tagged and released. Today the biggest residents are sand tiger sharks and giant guitarfish.
Where is Aqua Planet Jeju?
On the southeast coast of Jeju Island near Seopjikoji and Seongsan Ilchulbong, in Seogwipo city, about an hour’s drive from Jeju City.
Photo: Camodr25 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)