Jaan Roose Completes Daring Highline Walk Suspended Above Seoul

The lunchtime crowds along central Seoul’s main boulevard drifted back toward their offices, heads tilted upward and smartphones raised to capture the sky.

High above the bustling street, a narrow ribbon of slackline was suspended between the Koreana hotel and the Dong-A Media Center, located a few hundred meters from the historic Gyeongbokgung palace and Gwanghwamun square.

As a countdown clock ticked down on a large screen, the daring athlete stepped off the edge of the Koreana hotel roof at 1:00 p.m., suspended over the dizzying drop below.

Jaan Roose, an accomplished Estonian aerial athlete and three-time world slackline champion, attempted to cross a 160-meter-long highline suspended 120 meters above the capital. Organizers billed the event as South Korea’s first high-altitude slackline performance.

The 34-year-old has built a reputation for executing extreme slackline feats in dramatic urban settings, including a stunning 185-meter walk between Qatar’s iconic Katara towers.

In 2024, Roose achieved a major milestone by becoming the first person to slackline across the Strait of Messina between mainland Italy and Sicily, completing the 3.6-kilometer traverse despite a late fall that was safely caught by his harness. Just last month, he also completed a grueling 14.7-kilometer walk over the Danube in Bratislava, Slovakia, spanning 12 hours.

Down below, traffic continued to flow smoothly along the capital’s main arteries, while the gathered crowd collectively held its breath with every wobble in Roose’s step.

“Just looking at him makes my legs go weak,” said Kim Young-sook, a local office worker watching the spectacle. “I can’t imagine how he can do that without being absolutely terrified. It’s incredible.”

Midway across the span, Roose paused to sit cross-legged on the narrow line, eventually lying completely flat on his back. The daring display drew gasps from the onlookers below before he gracefully rose to continue his journey.

“I’m worried he might fall,” said Choi Eun-jung, who came specifically to witness the performance. “I know he’s a professional, but it’s still a little frightening to watch from down here.”

Upon reaching the Dong-A Media Center, Roose turned around and began his return journey back to the hotel rooftop.

On his return leg, at the halfway point, he again dropped down to wave at the crowd, this time hanging from the line with one arm before dangling upside down by his feet.

When he finally completed the daring performance, the crowds erupted into applause, with many visibly relieved to see him safe.

At the nearby Cheonggye plaza, local enthusiasts tried their hand at slacklining on lines set just 30 to 50 centimeters off the ground. Roose was scheduled to perform a second highline walk later in the afternoon at 4:00 p.m.

Roose explained that his initial visit to South Korea in 2022 served as the primary inspiration for his high-altitude walk above Gwanghwamun.

During that trip, he encountered jultagi, Korea’s traditional tightrope walking, which was added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage in 2011.

Unlike traditional tightrope walking in other parts of the world, jultagi blends comedy equally with acrobatics. The performer sings, jokes, and dances on the rope, engaging in banter with a clown on the ground while musicians accompany the act.

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