Flea Market, Exhibition, Media Art, Experience, Handmade Shoes Exhibition and More Present New Culture for Citizens, Local Businesses, Youth, and Travelers
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh) opened the ‘Industrial Culture Complex Theme Space’ inside Seongsu Station on Line 2 on the 23rd.
The ‘Industrial Culture Complex Theme Space,’ which transformed the existing shoe-themed space into a space embodying the industry and culture of Seongsu-dong, covers a total area of 2,791㎡ including shops and functional rooms within the station. It consists of themed spaces such as StageSS, TheaterSS, MyStoreSS, HeritageSS, and the Metro Gallery cultural space called SS Spot, where visitors can appreciate artworks and photographs, allowing a comprehensive view of Seongsu-dong’s distinctive industry and characteristics.
StageSS, equipped with functions such as flea markets, busking, exhibitions, and a smart unmanned library, serves as an open space for citizens using Seongsu Station and supports various cultural and artistic sharing activities within the local community.
TheaterSS, set up as a media art video hall featuring a large LED wall showcasing Seongsu-dong’s past, present, and future, can be used as a stage for pop-up exhibitions promoting local companies’ and creators’ brands and works.
MyStoreSS, designed for travelers to Seongsu-dong, provides information on fashion, culture, and food through digital experiences. It analyzes individual preferences through customized route experiences to enjoy Seongsu-dong and offers a comprehensive Seongsu-dong map displaying various information such as popular restaurants, hip places, retro spots, social & sharing valleys, IT, BT, R&D, fashion accessory brands, and handmade shoe companies. The touch screen also offers the fun experience of selecting fashion items to complete a style.
HeritageSS offers a comprehensive view of the history of handmade shoes in Seongsu. The handmade shoe industry, which began in the 1970s at Myeongdong Salonghwa, relocated to Seongsu-dong in the 1990s, establishing itself as an industrial hub within the city. It has since developed into a street where heritage and trends coexist, and HeritageSS details this evolution of Seongsu-dong’s handmade shoe industry.
The design of handmade shoes has transformed from 18th-century decoration-focused styles to modern practicality and individuality, which can be seen through the actual displayed handmade shoes. Visual interest is enhanced by exhibits such as mules, French heels, Oxford shoes, and pumps, allowing visitors to closely examine their distinctive features.
At SS Spot, the Metro Gallery cultural space, visitors can view vivid photographs along the long corridor of Seongsu Station that capture Seongdong’s development from the past to the present.
As a representative center of industry and cultural arts in Seoul, the ‘Seongsu Industrial Culture Complex Theme Space,’ developed as a cultural, resting, and regional revitalization space for citizens under the theme of ‘Seongsu-ness,’ is expected to serve as a foundation for creating industrial, cultural, and artistic content in collaboration with local handmade shoe industries, companies, youth, and artists based in Seongsu-dong, allowing citizens to enjoy diverse local content, according to district officials.
A male resident, Mr. Nam 00, who visited the Seongsu Industrial Culture Complex Theme Space, said, “Through this theme space, I was able to reaffirm the reason behind the fame of Seongsu handmade shoes,” adding, “Passing through Seongsu Station, I can easily grasp the historical characteristics of Seongsu-dong at a glance and feel proud as a local resident to experience such culture.”
Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “I hope the Seongsu Industrial Culture Complex Theme Space will be a great opportunity for all citizens visiting Seongsu Station to enjoy the value of Seongsu-ness,” and added, “We will continue to make efforts for the development of Seongdong where history and the present coexist.”
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