French “Spider‑Man” Alain Robert Falls Short of Seoul’s Sky‑High Tower
Alain Robert, the infamous French freeclimber, tried to pull off a dare‑devil stunt that would have seen him scaling the Lotte World Tower—the world’s fifth tallest building—in mid‑June 2018. The 55‑year‑old, forever dubbed the “French Spiderman,” slipped up the 123‑floor monolith almost without a hitch.
What Went Down
Picture this: a 55‑year‑old man, barefoot, no rope, no safety harness, climbing up a glass‑encrusted skyscraper that’s 480 metres tall. He corkscrewed up around 75 floors before security caught up and the chase turned into a cat‑and‑mouse chase. He ultimately abandoned the ascent and was hauled up on a maintenance platform to the roof, where he was turned away and arrested.
During the arrest, Robert shared his “reason” for the climb: a nod to the recent thaw between South and North Korea. He told AFP, “I may get a hefty fine … but I did it because of what’s happening now between South Korea and North Korea. That is my way of saying thank you to Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae‑in.”
The Gorilla‑Sights of the Tower
- Asked the Lotte World Tower guard to get on a wall? He was a wildcard in the high‑rise gazette.
- Security and police teams were dispatched to Seoul’s skyscraper after he was spotted.
- Speaking on behalf of the tower, You In‑sik said, “It’s regrettable. He climbed without permission. It’s dangerous.”
Why Robert is a Legend
Alain Robert has tallied more than 100 un‑assisted climbs—or ref. “most buildings climbed unassisted” by Guinness World Records. His list of iconic feats includes:
- The Eiffel Tower – a classic stairwall that left tourists amazed.
- The Sydney Opera House – where he made that famous belly‑to‑belly move in the cultural hub.
- The Petronas Twin Towers – navigated the “leaks” between the twin jewels in Kuala Lumpur.
- The Burj Khalifa – tackling a skyscraper that’s essentially a vertical sky‑diving lesson; he used suction devices and a safety rope there due to a lack of handholds.
Robert has endured a haul of dangerous falls because of his risk‑taker lifestyle, with a life‑long record contradicting his own words: he’s left 66% of his body “disabled” by falls.
He’s not new to the law—if you ever taste the thrill of reckless climbing, be prepared for frequent roll‑ups with the police.
Final Thoughts
Although he failed to finish his climb, Alain Robert’s 2020 graduation into the June sky will forever be remembered as a spectacle. In a world where every new development claims to “make history,” his attempt to celebrate peace between Seoul and Pyongyang was a flamboyant, personal tribute to the momentary harmony that exists over this tense region.
