Love it or loathe it, the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) has
become an iconic landmark in Seoul. It was the most Instagram-tagged location
in Korea of the year and really, it's no surprise. One simply can't look away
from this jaw-dropping work of art, design and engineering whenever they walk
by.
Designed by the world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid, this
curvaceous, spaceship-like building would not be out of place in a science
fiction movie. Instead, it is located right in the middle of busy Dongdaemun, a
historical district known for its ancient fortress gate as well as its 24-hour
wholesale shopping and cafes. It's a jarring contrast at first glance, but
actually, much care has been done to integrate the architectural landscape with
the ancient city wall and cultural artifacts discovered during archaeological
excavations preceding DDP's construction.
Inspired by the flow of liquid, the DDP is a building
without any straight lines or walls. Its interior is equally as impressive as
its exterior. Most of the spaces (halls and exhibition spaces) are snow-white,
with high ceilings and no internal support structures. You might also recall
that one of the halls was featured in “My Love from the Star”, recreating a set
for the fake action movie Cheon Song Yi was filming in the drama.
Beyond the architecture, the real reason why we wanted to
visit the DDP was because of a special pop-up exhibition by the World Wildlife
Federation (WWF) and French artist Paulo Grangeon. Over the weekend, 1,600
papier mâché pandas, in
various shapes and sizes, invaded the green roof of the DDP as part of an art
project to raise the awareness of environmental issues. And why the number
1,600? Well, that's the number of living pandas left in the wild.
Another meaningful art installation to look out for is the
LED rose garden that comes to life when night falls. The roses light up after
the sun sets, creating a magical sparkly field of white lights. The number of
roses is also particularly meaningful. There are 25,550 of them, representing
the 70th anniversary of Gwangbok-Jeol (Independence Day) - 365 days times 70
years equals 25,550 roses.
How to get there:
The nearest subway is Dongdaemun History & Culture Park
Station (Line 2), exit 1
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| What a long day we had! Time to sleep! |
