The large display on the Seoul Library facade features Seoul's mascots gazing at a full moon over the Han River, with playful speech bubbles wishing residents a sweet holiday

A simulation of the chuseok edition of the Seoul Dream Billboard on the Seoul Library facade. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
A simulation of the chuseok edition of the Seoul Dream Billboard on the Seoul Library facade. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government unveiled a new chuseok-themed display on the Seoul Dream Billboard — the large signboard on the exterior wall of Seoul Library — Monday, featuring the message "Have a sweet chuseok."

Installed in 2013, the billboard covers the front facade of Seoul Library. The city regularly refreshes it through public submissions and recently held a contest for this autumn's edition under the theme of "clear and romantic phrases that capture the mood of fall."

The new display shows Seoul's mascots, Haechi and the Soul Friends, gazing at a full moon against a backdrop of the city's nighttime skyline and the Han River as they offer chuseok greetings to residents. The city said the phrase "Have a sweet chuseok" was rendered in a handwritten-style font to evoke the romance of an autumn night under a rising full moon and the warmth of the holiday season.

"We placed the full moon alongside Seoul Dal, the moored hot-air balloon, against the Han River night view, so that the two moons floating in the night sky playfully express the idea of a 'sweet chuseok,'" a Seoul Metropolitan Government official said.

The official added that speech bubbles around Haechi and the Soul Friends read "a little less sweet on the food" and "Seoul is just different" — conveying that holiday food is best enjoyed with a little less sugar for the sake of health, and that Seoul has its own distinct charm. The display also promotes the city's "Less Sweet Expedition" project, which helps residents monitor their daily sugar intake, the official said.

Kim Hyeong-rae, Seoul Metropolitan Government public relations planning officer, said he hoped residents would spend a relaxed and happy chuseok taking in Seoul's beautiful scenery with their loved ones and neighbors. "Just as the billboard shines with two moons, I hope this chuseok brings an abundance of joy and happiness to everyone's daily lives," he said.


ikson@heraldcorp.com