A musical actress belts out a song on outdoor stage on a summer day, But this is not your ordinary stage. It’s in the center of the city and cars whiz by around it. What is this place?

Hello, I’m Bae Hye-sun. Thank you. It’s very meaningful for me to be here at Seoul Plaza where you can enjoy culture and arts. Now I’m going to sing your favorite “I Have a Dream” from “Mamma Mia.” Please clap along with me.

Culture and art abound every evening from spring to summer at Seoul Plaza in front of the Seoul City Hall. In this bustling urban center, Seoul Plaza offers a place of respite to busy city residents.

Seoul Plaza is right next to the City Hall Station of subway line 2. Located right in front of the City Hall’s front door, the elliptical plaza with well-tended grass offers a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of the city. The sound of rushing water emanating from a water fountain in one corner of the plaza swallows up the roar of passing cars.

Before the plaza opened in May 2004, the water fountain had served as a landmark for the intersection since 1963. The crossroads were infamous for chronic traffic congestion. But the area’s reputation underwent a big makeover. The 2002 World Cup and Koreans’ group cheering in front of the City Hall was broadcasted all over the world, kicking off a major transformation of the area. Millions of people gathered in front of the City Hall when the Korean team played and the place soon turned into a Mecca of street cheering.

Foreign tourists watched in awe as Koreans shouted, clapped, and rooted for the Korean soccer team at the public cheering session. It became evident that people needed a place to become one across the boundaries of age and social backgrounds. Hence a plan to build a plaza was born. Here’s Mr. Lee Chang-woo of the Seoul Municipal Government to explain more.

This is where people shouted “Daehan Minguk” during the 2002 World Cup. That’s what initiated the Seoul Plaza construction plan. This place is historically and culturally meaningful for Seoul and the city government wanted to do this it for its people.

The world may have come to know about the plaza in front of the City Hall during the 2002 World Cup, but the plaza neighboring Deoksu Palace provided the backdrop for one of the most significant historical events in contemporary Korean history.

Its history dates back to 1897 when King Gojong returned to Deoksu Palace after fleeing to the Russian Consulate for personal safety. Enthroned as the emperor of the Korean Empire, King Gojong attempted to rebuild the nation’s foundation by paving streets and setting up a plaza and a round altar in front of Deoksu Palace. Since then the plaza in front of Deoksu Palace’s Daehan Gate served as a venue for important historical events such as the March 1 civil uprising, the April 19th revolution, and the June democratization movement.

The construction of Seoul Plaza began in March 2004. The asphalt top was removed and Kentucky Bluegrass, the same grass variety used for the Seoul World Cup Stadium, was planted. The Kentucky Bluegrass variety is known for its sturdiness against winter chill and maintaining its green color throughout the seasons. The landmark water fountain placed in front of the City Hall in 1963 was replaced by a new fountain. At last Seoul Plaza measuring over 13 thousand square meters in total area was completed!
When looked from above a circular lawn is placed inside a square plaza. There is a reason for this particular design. Here’s Mr. Lee Chang-woo to explain more.

The lawn is circular, because the moon we used to see from hanok was the round, full moon. The lawn is supposed to remind us of the moon and the plaza is supposed to give us a place to rest and make us realize the spirit and cultural heritage of Korea.

Grass turf was placed inside the elliptical plaza and the granite walkway surrounds the lawn for pedestrians. There are also four crosswalks to the plaza, making the access more convenient for everyone.

Access is important when creating a plaza. So we made four crosswalks from all directions. People won’t have any problem getting to the plaza. Before, people couldn’t get here because it was in the middle of a motorway. Now vehicles have to take roundabout ways and the plaza is open to everyone. It’s now a venue for cultural events and other activities. That’s why there is no other structures on the plaza.

On one side of the walkway is a 9.5-by-9.5-meter ground fountain. It looks like an ordinary walkway, but when turned on the 121 sprouts on the ground shoots up water up to 2.5 meters. The sprouts can create 35 different shapes of water column. The dancing ground fountain is operated from mid-March to late November. It’s children’s favorite spot during summer.

Seoul Plaza is also a favorite photo zone for amateur photographers. The Daehan Gate of Deoksu Palace stands tall to the west of the plaza, and one can see Gwanghwamun far off to the north and Sungryemun to the south. A photographer can capture the most important relics of the city’s history from the plaza.

A green plaza was established in the middle of the city to offer Seoul residents more opportunities to appreciate culture and arts. Here’s Im Jung-hyun of the Culture and Arts Division of the Seoul Municipal Government to explain more.

It’s been four years since we started allowing cultural performances in the plaza. For the first two years the city set up a separate stage in the plaza to present cultural events during lunch hours for office workers and local residents. That project expanded and we ended up building a permanent stage in front of the City Hall building. Now Seoul residents can easily enjoy cultural events at the plaza.

The performances are mostly done pro bono by professional artists and corporate sponsors. The free events are their ways of encouraging appreciation for arts and culture.
A musical show was put on the Seoul Plaza stage on June 10th. The calls for an encore fill the air as performers showcase their best stuffs under the bright summer sky. Here’s musical actress Bae Hye-sun.

Conventional venues have roofs and limited space. But here, the sky is the limit and there is no limit to the space you can perform in. I’m a little bit more excited here. Also, people don’t have to make time to come to a musical, because the plaza is open to everyone regardless of their age or job. They can all mingle and enjoy various events that take place here.

At Seoul Plaza artists gladly share their talents and people show their appreciation by giving artists hearty applauds and cheers. Musical actress Choi Jung-won says that Seoul Plaza is the true heart of Seoul, as the plaza brings people together and makes them understand one another better.

When I perform outdoors I’m more excited and don’t hesitate to sing an encore because people really love it. It’s also pretty at night with all the lights. Our hearts are open when we perform here. I think Seoul Plaza serves as a central point for Korean people. We Koreans tend to band together when there is something to celebrate or even get made about. So it’s nice that we have a place for large assemblies like this plaza.

Rave responses from the audience for Seoul Plaza performances have lengthened the program running time from original 40 minutes to 100 minutes. Some loyal fans check the schedule ahead of time and visit Seoul Plaza like they would any performance venue.

-I looked through the programs in advance and I liked today’s performance. I come about two or three times a month.
-I come here everyday. It’s relaxing and energizing at the same time. It’s also nice and cool outside. Sometimes I bring my dinner here and eat it while watching the performance.
-It’s hard for me to go to cultural events with my children in tow. But here, I can enjoy performances without worrying about my children running around.

Seoul Plaza is fulfilling its role as a place of respite for Seoul residents. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what events are scheduled for a certain day. There is always something to see and enjoy at Seoul Plaza with its wide range of exhibitions and special events. Here’s Mr. Lee Chang-woo of the Seoul Municipal Government.

Pansies and tulips are planted around the plaza so the plaza serves as a harbinger of spring when all the flowers bloom in springtime. In summer cultural programs are presented every evening. Then, a skating rink is set up during winter, which is popular enough to draw about 300 thousand visitors per season. The rink opens in December and everyone enjoys skating. There will be a special rink for children, too. Seoul Plaza represents the capital city by providing various cultural events and seasonal attractions. The plaza is not a venue only for Korean culture, but foreign cultures as well. This is a great place to rest and relish the unique ambience of Seoul. I hope people come here to enjoy themselves and take home great memories.

Seoul Plaza offers many opportunities to appreciate culture and arts throughout the four seasons. Here’s a suggestion for summertime visitors. Lie down on the grass around sunset and see the stars come up on the night sky to signal the start of the night’s cultural gala. The plaza is like a shot of vitamin for visitors who come for culture, arts, and Seoul’s history.