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SPECIAL FEATURE 1 Red Bricks Link Past and Present

Seongsu-dong is an urban regeneration success story. At its core is the red brick architecture that embodies the neighborhood’s heritage, with many of the factories and houses from its heyday as a light industry hub remaining intact. Preserving them has lent a distinctive aesthetic to the landscape.

Special Feature 2 Craft Shoe Center Reboots

Seongsu-dong, once the largest hub for handmade shoe manufacturing in Korea, is being revitalized, thanks to government initiatives and young entrepreneurs taking over their family’s businesses and injecting fresh sensibilities.

SPECIAL FEATURE 3 The Pop-Up Hub

While COVID-19 had myriad repercussions for brick-and-mortar stores, the pop-up craze helped one of Seoul’s neighborhoods to take off. In Seongsu-dong, diverse pop-ups are held year-round and have become an integral part of the area’s identity.

Special Feature 4 Korea’s Social Venture Valley

Since the mid-2010s, institutions and organizations involved with social innovation have flocked to Seongsu-dong, laying the groundwork for what has become known as Korea’s “Social Venture Valley.”

SPECIAL FEATURE 5 Pioneering Novel Spaces

When the pioneers of Seongsu-dong's transformation are discussed, the name Kim Jae-won always comes up first. The director of brand strategy firm Atelier Écriture opened its first cultural space in the area ten years ago. Since then she has followed up with an eclectic series of popular spaces.

SPECIAL FEATURE 6 Breathing Room for Seoulites

Seoul Forest is a relaxing oasis in Seongsu-dong. Sprawling across an expansive 1.15 million square meter site, Korea’s first park designed with direct public input reflects the area’s ecological and geographical characteristics through four thematic zones.

Features

Arts & Culture

What's On 2024 SUMMER

Arts and Culture Calendar June to August 2024

#Calendar

K-uisine 2024 SUMMER

Mulhoe – A Uniquely Korean Summer Delicacy Mulhoe was once a quick and easy meal eaten by fishermen on their wooden boats out at sea, where cooking over fire was not an option. The dish is rooted in Korea’s long-standing tradition of eating rice as a staple food, along with the culture of pairing freshly caught raw fish with gochujang, fermented red chili paste. This combination of factors is what makes mulhoe a uniquely Korean specialty that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Thanks to its delightful blend of sliced raw fish, fresh seafood, and crunchy vegetables served in a refreshing broth made with gochujang, mulhoe is a widely sought-after delicacy synonymous with summer for many Koreans.

#Mulhoe #K-uisine

Entertainment 2024 SUMMER

Virtual Idols Retune Entertainment Virtual K-pop idol singers are increasingly shaping mainstream culture, solidifying their presence in the physical world. Through the application of artificial intelligence, virtual performers are positioned to reach even higher levels of realism and sophistication in their singing, dancing, and engagement with fans. © VLAST

#ISEGYE IDOL #PLAVE #Virtual Idols

Books & More 2024 SUMMER

A Tapestry Woven on the Loom of Fate “Whale” By Cheon Myeong-kwan, Translated by Chi-Young Kim 365 pages, $22.00, Archipelago Books, 2023 A Tapestry Woven on the Loom of Fate

#Books & More

Brick by Brick 2024 SUMMER

Organic Beauty Based on Function Chanjoong Kim, principal architect of THE_SYSTEM LAB, is known for his aesthetic designs, which have been described as demonstrating a sense of wit rarely seen in conventional Korean architecture. In 2016, Kim’s company was featured in the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory as one of 20 emerging architectural firms. Chanjoong Kim, principal architect and founder of THE_SYSTEM LAB, presents new architectural ideas. He believes that today’s rapidly evolving architecture should become an “organism” that changes with time. ⓒ Gangseok Lee

#Brick by Brick

Guardians of Heritage 2024 SUMMER

The World Reimagined in Dancheong Dancheong, the traditional Korean art of decorating buildings with intricate patterns, has been used since ancient times to preserve wooden structures. It began to flourish with the introduction of Buddhism in the 4th century and continues to this day. Artist and dancheong artisan Park Geun-deok has been involved in cultural heritage restoration for 20 years and reinterprets the traditional art’s motifs and designs in her own original style. Goldgarden Ⅱ― Peony. 2018. Pigments and gilt on silk fabric. 25 × 38 cm. Courtesy of Park Geun-deok

#Guardians of Heritage

Interview 2024 SUMMER

'Playing Well’ with Cultural Heritage LEGO virtuoso So Jin-ho (aka Colin Jin) first gained attention for his masterful reproductions of everyday objects. He then shifted to exploring cultural heritage, which earned him an exhibition in Paris this year, the latest part of a “toy story” that began at birth. So’s rendition of Jongmyo Jeryeak is a true labor of love. Created solely out of existing LEGO pieces, the masterpiece took him over a year and a half to complete. Courtesy of So Jin-ho

#LEGO #Interview

Focus 2024 SUMMER

K-Fashion Thrives on Innovative Approaches While well-established Korean fashion brands have stepped into the global spotlight, emerging young designers take unconventional, innovative approaches and make savvy use of digital storytelling to promote themselves. Mardi Mercredi’s store at Lotte World Tower. Known for its French chic casual style, the brand is loved by women in their 20s and 30s for its stylish yet unassuming and comfortable designs. Courtesy of Creative Studio UNRAVEL; Photo by Sunghoon Han

#K-Fashion

LifeStyle

An Ordinary Day 2024 SUMMER

Pharmacy Doubles as Neighborhood Sarangbang Besides filling prescriptions and dispensing health tips, Jeong Cho-rong oversees a bustling parade of customers who just want to sit and talk with friends. Her pharmacy brings to mind a sarangbang, the type of community meeting spot that is becoming increasingly rare. Jeong Cho-rong’s small pharmacy in Yeongwol serves as a neighborhood meeting spot, where senior citizens chat, passengers wait for the bus, and people drop off their bags before running errands.

#An Ordinary Day #Sarangbang

On the Road 2024 SUMMER

Jeonju – Harmony of Past and Present When asked which city best preserves their country’s traditions, Koreans often pick Jeonju, a city in North Jeolla Province that boasts many hanok, traditional Korean wooden houses. Much like its eclectic versions of bibimbap, Jeonju offers a delightfully harmonious mix of the well-preserved past and modern culture and innovation. © Shutterstock

#Jeonju #On the Road

In Love with Korea 2024 SUMMER

Fine Dining with Native Ingredients Chef Joseph Lidgerwood loves Korean ingredients. His award-winning restaurant strives to create memorable experiences that redefine the possibilities of a Korean menu. Joseph Lidgerwood’s appreciation of the character and freshness of Korean food led him to open EVETT, a restaurant where he serves a tasting menu made with local ingredients. Some of them come from his forays into the mountains and countryside.

#Chef Joseph #In Love with Korea

Greener Pastures 2024 SUMMER

Manna CEA – Leading the Future of Agriculture Manna CEA leads the future of agriculture. Combining an environmental control system and aquaponics agriculture, the company’s technology offsets the uncertainties faced by conventional farming, including vulnerability to weather, and presents alternatives that address world food shortages caused by climate change. Manna CEA’s futuristic complex in Jincheon implements the company’s environmental control system and aquaponics agriculture. © MANNA CEA

#Greener Pastures #Manna CEA

An Ordinary Day 2024 SPRING

Styling Palatal Pleasures Food stylists use food and tableware to orchestrate the presentation of table settings. They must convey the texture, taste, aroma, and appearance of food through photos or videos, which requires creativity and attention to detail. Food stylist Kim Bo-seon checks the appearance of one of her dishes. Once she is satisfied, she must get her client’s approval.

#Food #stylists

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