Some Seoul businesses are reducing sign clutter
Published: 31 Jan. 2010, 21:42
Sometimes speaking softly makes the loudest statement.
This isn’t thinking that has governed Seoul’s signage, which papers the exteriors of buildings in bright clutter.
But now newer, more stylish signs are cropping up as part of an initiative by the Seoul city government that began in July 2007. The government plans to beautify the city by removing cluttered signboards and replacing them with ones that are more aesthetically pleasing and elegant.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government designated 50 streets for sign renovations. The streets were chosen from districts that showed strong interest in renovating the large signboards that cover the faces of buildings. According to the government, about 30 of the 50 streets have finished the process.
One resident of Apgujeong-dong, southern Seoul - one of the designated sign renovation areas - has already noticed the difference.
“The streets are getting prettier to look at,” Lee Min-hyung said.
As part of Seoul’s overall beautification effort, which includes the World Design Capital Seoul campaign, the government set aside 1.3 billion won ($1.12 million) to help replace the older signs with more design-friendly ones. Stores on the 50 designated streets will receive approximately 1.5 million won each from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and an additional 2 million won from their districts to change their signs.
Though the new signs are only restricted by size and number, which vary according to the location of the store, the city is encouraging storeowners to buy light-emitting diode signs because they are more energy efficient.
There is no law that forces storeowners to change their signs, so all the refurbishments have to be voluntary. The change so far has been accomplished through persuasion, said Sim Chang-il, a government official on Seocho District’s advertisement design team.
“The old way of thinking used to be that more and bigger signs lead to better brand recognition,” said Sim. “But all these giant, gaudy signboards jumbled together actually make the advertisements less effective. Now, storeowners are beginning to realize that signs that harmonize with the buildings and the street get recognition from passersby.”
The city hopes that the 50 selected streets will encourage other storeowners to change their signage by example.
If districts notice a change in people’s attitude toward stores with better signs, the logic goes, they will want to improve their own signs.
Seocho District in southern Seoul has already seen this ripple effect. After consulting with the city government, the district’s office recently made a five-year plan to enhance the image of the district - and their efforts appear to be gaining momentum.
“About 70 to 80 percent of the signs have been renovated in Seocho District,” said Sim. Additionally, Seocho has selected five more streets to renovate this year.
Storeowners are jumping on the bandwagon as the model streets gain high approval from the residents.
“The storeowners have become more cooperative since the beginning of this project,” said Lee Yang-seop, an official on the cityscape team in the Seoul Metropolitan Government. “More storeowners are willing to change their signs after the change they’ve seen on the model streets.”
Im Ji-hyun of Seorae Pharmacy in Seocho District says that he wants to change the pharmacy’s sign after seeing other stores in the area.
“Everybody else seems to be doing it,” said Im of Seorae Pharmacy, who plans to replace the store’s sign soon. “It does look nice, after all.”
The Seoul city government’s sign renovation initiative is set to wrap up this October.
*This article was written with the assistance of JoongAng Daily staff reporter Seo Ji-eun.
By Kwon Seong-jin [[email protected]]
This isn’t thinking that has governed Seoul’s signage, which papers the exteriors of buildings in bright clutter.
But now newer, more stylish signs are cropping up as part of an initiative by the Seoul city government that began in July 2007. The government plans to beautify the city by removing cluttered signboards and replacing them with ones that are more aesthetically pleasing and elegant.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government designated 50 streets for sign renovations. The streets were chosen from districts that showed strong interest in renovating the large signboards that cover the faces of buildings. According to the government, about 30 of the 50 streets have finished the process.
One resident of Apgujeong-dong, southern Seoul - one of the designated sign renovation areas - has already noticed the difference.
“The streets are getting prettier to look at,” Lee Min-hyung said.
As part of Seoul’s overall beautification effort, which includes the World Design Capital Seoul campaign, the government set aside 1.3 billion won ($1.12 million) to help replace the older signs with more design-friendly ones. Stores on the 50 designated streets will receive approximately 1.5 million won each from the Seoul Metropolitan Government and an additional 2 million won from their districts to change their signs.
Though the new signs are only restricted by size and number, which vary according to the location of the store, the city is encouraging storeowners to buy light-emitting diode signs because they are more energy efficient.
There is no law that forces storeowners to change their signs, so all the refurbishments have to be voluntary. The change so far has been accomplished through persuasion, said Sim Chang-il, a government official on Seocho District’s advertisement design team.
“The old way of thinking used to be that more and bigger signs lead to better brand recognition,” said Sim. “But all these giant, gaudy signboards jumbled together actually make the advertisements less effective. Now, storeowners are beginning to realize that signs that harmonize with the buildings and the street get recognition from passersby.”
The city hopes that the 50 selected streets will encourage other storeowners to change their signage by example.
If districts notice a change in people’s attitude toward stores with better signs, the logic goes, they will want to improve their own signs.
Seocho District in southern Seoul has already seen this ripple effect. After consulting with the city government, the district’s office recently made a five-year plan to enhance the image of the district - and their efforts appear to be gaining momentum.
“About 70 to 80 percent of the signs have been renovated in Seocho District,” said Sim. Additionally, Seocho has selected five more streets to renovate this year.
Storeowners are jumping on the bandwagon as the model streets gain high approval from the residents.
“The storeowners have become more cooperative since the beginning of this project,” said Lee Yang-seop, an official on the cityscape team in the Seoul Metropolitan Government. “More storeowners are willing to change their signs after the change they’ve seen on the model streets.”
Im Ji-hyun of Seorae Pharmacy in Seocho District says that he wants to change the pharmacy’s sign after seeing other stores in the area.
“Everybody else seems to be doing it,” said Im of Seorae Pharmacy, who plans to replace the store’s sign soon. “It does look nice, after all.”
The Seoul city government’s sign renovation initiative is set to wrap up this October.
*This article was written with the assistance of JoongAng Daily staff reporter Seo Ji-eun.
By Kwon Seong-jin [[email protected]]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
To write comments, please log in to one of the accounts.
Standards Board Policy (0/250자)