The underground passage entrance in front of the Central Post Office in Jung-gu, Seoul. The railing has been replaced with transparent tempered glass to make it easier to photograph the media facade of the Shinsegae Department Store main branch. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]
The underground passage entrance in front of the Central Post Office in Jung-gu, Seoul. The railing has been replaced with transparent tempered glass to make it easier to photograph the media facade of the Shinsegae Department Store main branch. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Monday that it has completed a project to improve pedestrian conditions and create rest spaces in Myeong-dong, carried out jointly with Jung-gu as part of its design landscape initiative. The work wrapped up at the end of July.

Residents and tourists visiting Myeong-dong — home to the Shinsegae Department Store main branch — can now enjoy media art displays and rest comfortably along the street. A canopy with enhanced nighttime lighting has been installed at the Myeong-dong entrance, while the area in front of Myeongdong Arts Theater has been transformed into a cultural plaza for performances and leisure.

The underground passage entrance in front of the Central Post Office — a spot that draws large crowds during New Year's Eve countdown events — has had its opaque railings replaced with transparent tempered glass, allowing an unobstructed view and clear photos of the Shinsegae Department Store media facade.

The city said the changes improve pedestrian sightlines and openness while enhancing safety, and it plans to promote the spot as a new nighttime photo destination in Myeong-dong.

Sites selected for the 2027 design landscape project. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]
Sites selected for the 2027 design landscape project. [Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]

A cultural arts street combining K-pop, media art and nighttime lighting will be created around Seoul Arena in Dobong-gu, which is set to open next year. The street will be developed in connection with the arena to give concertgoers a place to linger and enjoy themselves before and after performances.

An observation and rest area offering views of the Seoul city center and fortress walls will be established on the upper section of Naksan Park in Jongno-gu. In Gangbuk-gu, the 4·19-ro corridor will be renovated — with aging rest shelters and the surrounding streetscape upgraded — to better serve hikers visiting Bukhansan and local residents.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government also announced that it has selected five sites for its 2027 design landscape project, chosen through a review of 13 proposals submitted by nine autonomous districts.

The top-rated proposal — Nowon-gu's Danghyeon Stream waterfront cultural project — calls for transforming the area beneath the Sanggye Station overpass and along Danghyeon Stream into a cultural and leisure space. The district plans to develop it into a waterfront landmark for the northeastern part of the city, linking it to the Sanggye New Town redevelopment and the Digital Bio City development project.

Gangseo-gu will redesign the green space along Magok Culture Street into a cultural plaza, while Yangcheon-gu will create a linear garden connecting Sinmokdong Station and Yongwangsan Neighborhood Park.

Dobong-gu will convert the area beneath the western overpass at Changdong Station into a small plaza, and Gangdong-gu will build a rest space called "Han River Greenway Warming-Up Station" linking Cheonho Bicycle Street to Han River Park.

"We will expand the design landscape project — which connects culture, tourism and commercial districts — to turn underutilized spaces across Seoul into destinations where residents and tourists can linger," said Choi In-gyu, the city's design policy director.


ken@heraldcorp.com