HE WAS nearing the 70th floor of Lotte World Tower in Seoul, more than halfway up the world’s sixth-tallest building. Wearing only shorts, shoes and a para chute on his back, George King was determined to climb right to the very top.
The Korean skyscraper is comparable in shape to The Shard, the 310-metre London landmark that turned George’s passion into a precarious living when he made headline news after climbing it in 2019. But at 555 metres, the Lotte World Tower, which was finished in 2016, would be a much bigger test.
The British daredevil free climber spent six months planning his biggest stunt yet.
A key point in this plan was to make a clean getaway. After reaching the building’s summit, 123 floors above the streets of Seoul, he would jump, taking less than a minute to glide back down, as far from the tower as his canopy would take him.
He would then don a disguise (or at least a cap and some actual clothes) and jump on a plane back to London before anyone could identify him.
George (24) was sweating profusely as he climbed the tower’s west face early one Monday morning in June. Following his every move was a drone camera, deployed by his sponsor, a UK vape brand that was paying him to attempt the dangerous climb.
He was making good progress, until, not far above the halfway point, he spotted two anxious faces a few floors above him and to his right.
A man and woman wearing hard hats and high-visibility vests were gripping the sides of a maintenance cradle as it and its crane emerged from a large hatch in the building.
Nobody had previously attempted to intercept George during a climb, for fear of causing him to fall.
This story is from the 5 October 2023 edition of YOU South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the 5 October 2023 edition of YOU South Africa.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!
Kourtney Kardashian and other celebs are honouring the glory of new moms' postpartum bodies
LEON'S ORDEAL IS NO JOKE
Pain has dominated entertainer Leon Schuster's life after a serious back injury landed him in bed. But despite being depressed he remains hopeful he will recover so he can get back to work
'BREAK THE SILENCE'
That's the message of the Scottish comedian who turned his experience of stalking and sexual abuse into a hit Netflix show
A PLACE OF HOPE AND HEALING
Damaged people and abused dogs find a safe haven and a chance to start again at this farm in the Cape Winelands
FROM SPERM DONOR TO DAD OF 37
Peter Ellenstein's life took an unexpected turn when a message from a daughter he never knew he had led to him meeting dozens of his children and exploring what it means to be a father without ever having raised them
GRATEFUL FOR EVERY BREATH
A double lung transplant has given this chef a second chance at life - and he'll never forget the young man who made it possible
THE GAMES ARE GO!
Preparations are well under way in the City of Lights for the world's greatest sporting spectacle
MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT
We break down what the new rules are and what to expect for the seventh national elections later this month
TOM'S A TOP GIFTER
He's known to go ALL OUT for his movies and stunts, so it's no surprise TOM CRUISE also PULLS OUT ALL THE STOPS for his friends when it comes to GIFTS
TAMING THE BEAST
Recognising and managing your anger can make for a happier and healthier you