107 LED landscape lights and 59 image projectors installed along Bongeunsa-ro, from Seonjeongneung Station to Bongeunsa Station, in operation since Monday
Gangnam-gu has created the "Seonjeongneung and Bongeunsa History and Culture Street of Light" along Bongeunsa-ro.
The district installed 107 LED landscape lights and 59 image projectors along both sides of the 1.5-kilometer stretch between Seonjeongneung Station and Bongeunsa Station — covering a total of 3 kilometers of walkway — with the lighting system entering operation Monday.
Seonjeongneung is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and Bongeunsa Temple served as a royal funerary temple during the Joseon Dynasty. Rather than simply replacing aging streetlights, the district drew on the character of Bongeunsa-ro — the road connecting these two historic assets — to create a nighttime landscape that expresses their historical significance through light. The project focuses on ensuring a safe pedestrian environment while offering residents and visitors a new visual attraction.
The LED landscape lights feature a "Seonjeongneung symbol mark" developed by Gangnam-gu. The design links the three royal tombs of King Seongjong, Queen Jeonghyeon and King Jungjong with flowing lines, combining their historical context with the connectivity of a modern city. Beyond standard streetlight functions, the lights can produce a range of colors, with seasonal displays planned for the four seasons as well as for Buddha's Birthday, Christmas and other occasions.
The 59 image projectors installed along the walkway cast "Seonjeongneung graphic icons" and "Bongeunsa symbol images" onto the ground. By connecting the two historic assets through light, the installation allows pedestrians on Bongeunsa-ro to experience the significance of both sites as a single, continuous journey.
The district plans to use the project as a springboard to link Seonjeongneung and Bongeunsa as a unified historic and cultural pedestrian corridor, while strengthening ties with nearby tourism resources such as COEX. Drawing on Gangnam's identity as a place where history, culture, shopping, business and leisure coexist, the district aims to broaden visitor routes and encourage longer stays, bringing added vitality to surrounding commercial areas.
From 2027, Gangnam-gu will progressively improve the pedestrian environment, green spaces, and information and convenience facilities, while continuing to develop historic and cultural content centered on Seonjeongneung and Bongeunsa. Through these efforts, the district plans to transform Bongeunsa-ro into a "street where history flows" — one that residents and visitors will linger in and return to.
"I hope this history and culture street connecting Seonjeongneung and Bongeunsa becomes a safe nighttime walking space where residents and visitors can stroll with peace of mind, as well as a new urban landscape that reflects Gangnam's unique historical identity," Gangnam-gu District Mayor Kim Hyun-ki said. "We will work to extend visitor stays in connection with the promotion of nighttime tourism and bring greater vitality to the surrounding commercial areas."
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