Seocho-gu Seoripul Musical Instrument Street Transforms into a 'Classical Music Design Street'

Installation of music shadow lights featuring 4 images including BI, musical notes, and instrument silhouettes on Akgi Street... 412 anti-adhesive sheets with Akgi Street logos attached to utility poles and communication poles... Since 2019, installation of symbolic manholes, musician introduction design fences, and music score-shaped communication lines on Akgi Street

Musician Design Fence

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seocho-gu, aspiring to be South Korea's premier music culture city, is transforming the 'Seoripul Instrument Street' (Seocho Music Culture District) into an even richer classical music street.

Seocho-gu is carrying out various landscape improvement projects utilizing music themes to establish the area around the Seoul Arts Center, known as 'Seoripul Instrument Street,' as a classical music landmark. The target area covers approximately 410,000㎡ around 1415 Seocho 3-dong.

Seoripul Instrument Street is a music hotspot densely packed with over 160 venues, instrument workshops, and music practice rooms. Recognizing the unique characteristics of classical music culture, it was designated as the nation's first music culture district in 2018.

First, to showcase the distinctive features of the music culture district, the district is installing 'music shadow lighting (logoprojectors).' The 'music shadow lighting' sequentially projects four images every 15 seconds at night, featuring the instrument street's BI, musical notes, and instrument silhouettes, along with encouraging messages of hope. Especially, the installations near elementary schools are expected to have a CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) effect. Starting from one location at the intersection in front of the Seoul Arts Center on the 15th, the district plans to install these lights at 14 locations, including Sinjung Children's Park and in front of Sinjung Elementary School, by the end of the year.

Additionally, on the 7th, the district completed attaching anti-advertisement sheets engraved with music themes and the instrument street logo on 412 locations, including utility poles, communication poles, and street lamp posts throughout the street. A district official stated, "By attaching these sheets, we not only block illegal advertisements at the source and improve the street's aesthetics but also expect a triple effect of static electricity prevention and promotion of the cultural district."

This year, the district is replacing 50 old and worn-out store signs with energy-saving LED signs designed to match the characteristics of the instrument street. They are also promoting street art designs such as murals and sculptures to give visitors the feeling of walking through the streets of Vienna, Austria.

Moreover, in 2019, the district installed manholes engraved with designs symbolizing the instrument street, design fences introducing famous musicians, a design gate at Sinjung Elementary School evoking classical music, and music score-shaped communication lines neatly organizing tangled wires.

In the future, Seocho-gu plans to strengthen not only the hardware aspect of landscape improvement but also the software side. They will create a children's music park within the instrument street, where young artists will hold various music performances such as the 'Flower Seat Concert.' Alongside this, they will continue the 'Classic Dabang (performance hall revitalization project)' at nearby small venues to reinforce the instrument street as a 'classical music-specialized street where music flows.'

Seoripul Instrument Street was also awarded the grand prize at the first Regional Culture Awards hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism this year, recognized for continuously presenting cultural content that residents can share and for organizing related systems.

Cheon Jeong-wook, Acting Mayor of Seocho-gu, stated, "We will continuously develop the 'Seoripul Instrument Street' brand, where music and art flow throughout the street, and make it a nationwide landmark that attracts citizens and visitors."