Late at night, Gwanghwamun Square becomes more colorful with lights.
Water of various colors springs up from the fountain, adding to the coolness and attractions for children.
On one side of the wall, there is a media wall containing the scenery of the Joseon Dynasty,
Waves crash on the extra-large media façade outside the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts.
■ Gwanghwamun Plaza re-opening for the first half of the year…More
It has been over a month since Gwanghwamun Plaza, which is full of things to do and see, reopened.
Despite the continuous heat and heavy rain, many people visited Gwanghwamun Square.
As of the opening day on Saturday, the 6th, the floating population around Gwanghwamun Square reached 28,000 a day.
Compared to the 19,000 people who visited on the Saturday one week before the opening, this is an increase of more than 40%.
■ History, nature and night view of Gwanghwamun Plaza
There are many places to enjoy taking pictures in the square.
Gwanghwamun Square photo spot map
① ‘Gwangjang Forest’ – ‘Statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin’ – ‘Gwanghwamun’ at a glance
First, the ‘Gwangjang Forest’ at the entrance to Gwanghwamun Square from the city center.
There are zelkova trees, hackberry trees, and elm trees planted here, and you feel as if you are walking through a forest.
Even if you look at the statue of Admiral Yi Sun-sin from ‘Gwangjang Forest’, you can see the wonderful scenery at a glance.
This is because you can see the statue through the branches and even Gwanghwamun in the distance.
Even the ‘Myeongnyang Fountain’, which commemorates the Battle of Myeongnyang, where Admiral Yi Sun-sin greatly defeated the Japanese, can be captured in one picture.
② ‘Gwanghwamun’ seen through the ‘Tunnel Fountain’
This time, let’s go to the Tunnel Fountain, where 77 streams of water gushing out.
There are 77 streams of water in this tunnel for a reason.
This year is the 77th anniversary of liberation.
You can also look at Gwanghwamun through the arch-shaped passage.
In the late evening hours, lights of the Milky Way flow on the floor on the left, and media art spreads on the wall of the hatch yard on the right, giving you a beautiful night view.
③ Find the hidden Hunminjeongeum!
In front of the stairs at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, three consonants are engraved: ‘ㄱ, ㅇ, ㅅ’.
Consonants in front of the stairs of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Gwanghwamun Square
These three consonants symbolize Jang Yeong-sil, a scientist during the reign of King Sejong the Great.
There are 28 Hunminjeongeum characters hidden throughout the square.
You will feel as if you are searching for a hidden object as you search for each one.
Some letters are only visible in the evening following sunset, so you can enjoy finding hidden letters.
④ ‘Garden of Time’ where you can feel the traces of government offices in the Joseon Dynasty
From Gwanghwamun Plaza Saheon
In the Joseon Dynasty, in front of Gwanghwamun, that is, in the place of Gwanghwamun Square, various government offices from the Joseon Dynasty were gathered.
It was called ‘Yukjo Street’ because the six groups of Ijo, Hojo, Yejo, Byeongjo, Hyeongjo, and Gongjo, including Uijeongbu, were clustered together.
During the construction of the Gwanghwamun Factory, the site of ‘Saheonbu’, a government office that supervised management during the Joseon Dynasty, was unearthed.
If you pass by here, you can get a glimpse of the history of Yukjo Street in the old Joseon Dynasty, including drainage ditches and wells.
At the same time, you can enjoy the pine trees and Gwanghwamun and Bukaksan that you can see through them.
⑤ Along the waterway from the founding of Joseon to the present day
A ‘historical waterway’ engraved with 630 years of history from the founding of the Joseon Dynasty to the present day.
It is also a good place to take a break from the heat.
⑥ Find traces of , in Gwanghwamun Square
If you have watched the Netflix drama, some of you may remember the logo ○ △ □.
This logo also refers to the principles of the creation of Hangeul: cheon ○, ji □, and in △.
In the square, there is a ‘Hangeul Fountain’ that rises in the shape of ○ △ □.
You can see the shape more clearly when viewed from a high place.
Gwanghwamun Square Hangeul Fountain (top) Gwanghwamun Square Hackberry (bottom)
In addition, the hackberry from the popular drama is also located in ‘Open Madang’ in Gwanghwamun Square.
It’s not big and lush yet, but there’s room to rest in the shade.
⑦ ‘Media Art’ to light up the dark night
High-resolution ‘Gwanghwahwajeop’ can be viewed on the media wall at the entrance to Haechimadang in the square, and extra-large media art is displayed on the exterior wall of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and KT office every evening from 8:00 to 11:00.