Large digital billboards are being installed at buildings in the Gwanghwamun area of Seoul, including the Koreana Hotel. A countdown event linked to the Gwanghwamun Square and the large digital billboards is also planned for the end of this year.
On the 10th, Jongno District announced that it held the first half of the regular meeting of the 'Gwanghwamun Square Outdoor Advertising Free Display Area Public-Private Joint Council' at the district office's planning situation room on the 9th. The meeting reviewed plans for the establishment of the Gwanghwamun Square Media Platform (GMP).
The Gwanghwamun Square project aims to transform the Gwanghwamun Square and Sejong-daero area into a 'global media landmark' that combines digital outdoor advertising with culture and art, similar to Times Square in New York City. A private council composed of Jongno District, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, building owners in the project area, and experts in advertising, law, and accounting is leading the initiative.
Currently, the Koreana Hotel has begun a trial operation of its digital billboard. The installation of a digital billboard at the Dong-A Ilbo building is scheduled for October, and nine buildings, including Kyobo Life Insurance and Dongwha Duty Free, are expected to have digital billboards installed by the end of the year. An opening event for Gwanghwamun Square will be held in conjunction with the start of operations at the digital billboard at the KT building. A 'Media Pole' project is also being promoted in the area.
Jongno District is preparing a high-level media art exhibition after signing an agreement with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Korea International Art Fair (KIAF), the country's first international art fair. A large countdown performance linked to Gwanghwamun Square is also being planned for the end of the year.
Professor Kim Jin-soo from the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at Konkuk University noted, "Gwanghwamun is a core hub of Seoul" and projected, "Once this project is on track, it will elevate the city's brand similarly to Times Square in New York and have significant economic ripple effects." It is reported that after the installation of a large billboard at One Times Square in New York in 1996, the building's value increased by approximately $500 million (about 680 billion won).
Jung Moon-hyun, the district mayor, said, "Now that the institutional foundation has been established, it is a turning point for execution," adding, "We will do our best to ensure that Gwanghwamun Square becomes a world-class media landmark that transcends simple advertising space and harmonizes media and art."