Festivals light up Seoul’s historic plazas
Published: 20 Dec. 2009, 22:24
Gwanghwamun Plaza, which opened this year, will host a multimedia exhibition during the Seoul Festival of Lights, scheduled from Dec. 19 to Jan. 24, 2010. Provided by the Seoul Metropolitan Government
Through various events and festivals, such as the Hi! Seoul Festival and the Seoul Design Olympiad, Seoul assumes a different aspect from season to season.
Now, with Christmas lights hanging on the streets and the cold wind blowing past, Seoul is set to change again. The events scheduled to be held this winter around Seoul City Hall, the Cheonggye Stream and Gwanghwamun Plaza will turn Seoul into a veritable winter wonderland.
Festival of Lights
The Hi! Seoul Festival, organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, has brightened the city since 2003.
With Korea’s historical Gwanghwamun Plaza as its backdrop, the festival will express the past, present and future of Seoul through lights.
The artists who have created the multimedia exhibits on display drew on technology and their imaginations to present many things, from the turbulent history of Gwanghwamun and Seoul, to the progress and cultural communication of the present, to the hopes and dreams of the future.
With the help of the environment, lights and music, this aims to be a multimedia celebration that audiences are sure not to forget.
What sets this festival apart is its inclusion of interactive media art. With Gwanghwamun as the focal point, the buildings along the plaza will showcase the brilliance the square has to offer.
Furthermore, Media Facade, a large multimedia display projected onto the exteriors of the buildings in the plaza, will turn the faces of the buildings into a canvas for an experimental form of art, while also communicating with citizens as they pass.
Located in front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Gwanghwamun Plaza contains 600 years of the history of Seoul.
As observers gaze on the lights of the Media Facade, they become part of an interactive program that casts them as the main characters in this vibrant display. Through the video clips and messages projected onto the walls of the surrounding buildings, visitors can express their hopes and dreams.
The exhibit promises to be a new and fresh experience that brings new life to this dynamic and ever-changing city.
Outdoor fun
When thinking of winter, snow, ice and skates are usually the first things to come to mind. Apart from the multimedia exhibition and light displays, there are many other ways to have a satisfying winter experience in Seoul.
Although there are indoor ice rinks that are open 365 days a year, outdoor ice rinks pop up all around the city when winter comes around. A sure way to have fun in the city during the winter is to go with a date, family or friends to one of these ice rinks.
This year, a new skating rink will open in Gwanghwamun Plaza, replacing the carpet of flowers that covered the area in the summer. The new ice rink has an area of about 2,250 square meters (24,219 square feet), split into small (20 meters by 20 meters), medium (20 meters by 30 meters), and large (25 meters by 50 meters) sections.
There will also be a smaller area where children can ride sleds, and all of the rinks are connected to one another. There are also locker rooms, cafes and bathrooms in the area.
In addition to the skating events, the ice rinks will host opening ceremonies, fireworks and laser shows for Christmas, top spinning and ice sledding for New Year’s, ice sculpting at Haechi and Gwanghwamun, and other events.
Antarctic Experience
Seoul Plaza will be the site of another event called Antarctic Experience.
The event is set to run from Dec. 19 to Feb. 15, 2010, and will consist of exhibitions on the scientific advances the country has made and a light show.
The King Sejong Station in Antarctica exhibit will allow people to experience Antarctic wildlife, penguins, seals and more, alongside various models and exhibits. There will also be a photo exhibition that documents the history of 20 years of Korean polar research, and another exhibit where you can see natural Antarctic marine and bird life.
Another exhibit features the Araon, South Korea’s first icebreaking research vessel.
The Araon set sail for Antarctica earlier this month following a five-year construction period. The crew of the 6,950-ton vessel will do research on Cape Burks, where the country is scheduled to establish a second Antarctic research facility.
“Araon” is a portmanteau of the Korean words “ara” (sea) and “on” (all).
There will also be an exhibit showing the achievements of the Sejong Research Center, the country’s first Antarctic research facility, which is located on King George Island in Antarctica. The exhibit demonstrates the research the country has conducted in that region, describes the life of a Sejong Science Station researcher, details the facility’s construction and lets viewers experience a video call with the crew.
There will also be a light show that mimics the Northern Lights, creating an atmosphere similar to the mysterious polar aurora that can be seen in polar regions.
There will also be other exhibitions and events, such as the Printer Model Exhibition, a photo zone with arctic photos, and more.
Seoul Plaza is also home to the Happy 2010 Year of the Tiger event, which kicked off on Dec. 11 and will continue until Jan. 31, 2010. As part of the event, the plaza has been decorated to depict Mount Bukhan and an image of a tiger embracing Seoul to symbolize hope and good wishes for the New Year.
By Ryu Myung-soo Contributing writer [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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