City to host design competition for Seoul International Garden Show

Poster for the garden competition of the Seoul International Garden Show 2024 [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on Thursday that it will hold a design competition for gardens to be featured at next year’s Seoul International Garden Show.

The show will take place at Ttukseom Hangang Park in Gwangjin District, eastern Seoul, for six months starting in May, under the themes of “Metropolitan” and “Green Vibe.”

Seoul's month-long garden show inspires through design

A total of ten gardens will be selected and showcased at the event.

Three will be extensive gardens of around 260 square meters (2,800 square feet) and focus on “resilience” seen through parks or nature.

Contestants will receive 120 million won ($92,000) in subsidies to create each large-scale garden at the venue.

The other seven will revolve around the theme of “gardens for all,” with the city government hoping to see nature spaces for all people and lifestyles. Approximately 140 square meters each, these gardens will receive 70 million won in subsidies.

The top three gardens will be selected in May through on-site evaluations, with winners receiving cash prizes totaling 50 million won.

The city government will accept submissions from Dec. 15 to 4 p.m. on Dec. 18. According to the metropolitan government, anyone in the field can participate.

The Seoul International Garden Show 2024 marks the second global garden show hosted by the city government since 2020.

“The event aims to provide relaxing and leisure spaces for everyone who visits Seoul and raise people’s quality of life in the city through expanding sophisticated gardens," said Yoo Young-bong, the head of the metropolitan government's Parks and Recreation Bureau.

"We hope for plenty of participation from domestic and overseas experts to create gardens that will further revive Seoul.”

More information about the competition can be found on the show's website: sigs2024.com.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]