Sejong Center for the Performing Arts has transformed Gwanghwamun Plaza into Seoul's hottest pop-up destination, with corporate sponsorships reaching a record 1.6 billion won ($1.1 million) this year.
"I came to play the rope-jumping game from 'Squid Game' and take photos with the Pink Soldiers," said a visitor to Gwanghwamun Plaza in front of Sejong Center shortly after the release of "Squid Game" Season 3 in June. The plaza was packed with citizens eager to experience the show's attractions and capture memorable photos.
The surge in foot traffic at Gwanghwamun Plaza has driven growing interest in the venue as a pop-up space, Sejong Center said Wednesday. The center has maximized space utilization through various indoor and outdoor innovations, attracting not only performance audiences but also tourists and citizens visiting the plaza.
Sejong Center has positioned itself as a key hub for pop-up exhibitions and experiential content. Programs including outdoor exhibitions, piano busking, experience zones on the central staircase, and the Seoul Art Goods Festival have transformed the venue into a destination where visitors linger. The center now draws approximately 10,000 visitors daily.
The "KT Deuce Listening Session," a collaboration between Sejong Center and telecommunications company KT launched in November last year, has garnered significant attention. More recently, Disney Korea selected Gwanghwamun as its first large-scale experiential pop-up location ahead of the release of "Avatar: Fire and Ash."
The experience zone, which opened on June 12, utilizes the entire outdoor space of Gwanghwamun Plaza and Sejong Center to recreate the planet Pandora from the film while incorporating artistic exhibitions. The initiative represents more than simple movie promotion, offering "a content experience using the entire city as a stage." The project demonstrates that global content companies recognize both the symbolic significance and popular appeal of Gwanghwamun and Sejong Center.
"Sejong Center has focused on how to culturally activate Gwanghwamun Plaza, which attracts more than 15 million visitors annually, beyond being just a performance venue," said Ahn Ho-sang, president of Sejong Center. "We will continue to serve as a catalyst connecting business and culture through collaboration with the private sector."
