[Yeouido Renaissance] The Greatest Masterpiece in Apartment History 'Sibeom'... The Pillars of Yeouido

As Yeouido has established itself as the center of modern Korean history for over half a century, self-proclaimed and widely recognized "old-timers" have emerged in Yeouido. The National Assembly Building, 63 Building, and LG Twin Towers are representative landmarks that come to mind when thinking of Yeouido.

National Assembly Building

The National Assembly Building broke ground in 1969 and was completed on August 15, 1975. It marked the birth of Yeouido-dong 1-beonji. However, its evaluation has been harsh. In 2013, the monthly magazine "Space" ranked the National Assembly Building as the sixth worst architectural work since liberation. There were continuous controversies from design to completion. Architect Ahn Young-bae, one of the co-designers, expressed in his "Ahn Young-bae Architectural Works Collection" that he "deeply regrets participating in the design of this building." Nevertheless, due to its overwhelming size occupying almost the entire western end of Yeouido and its symbolic significance for democracy, mentions of the National Assembly Building are almost always included when discussing Yeouido.

Hanwha 63 City (also known as '63 Building')

At Yeouido-dong 60-beonji stands the former Daehan Life Insurance building, commonly known as the "63 Building." The groundbreaking ceremony was held on February 19, 1980, and it was completed on May 30, 1985. With three basement floors, 60 above-ground floors, a height of 247 meters from the ground, 264 meters above sea level, and a total floor area of 166,097 square meters, it was the tallest and largest building in East Asia at the time of completion. It was 20 meters taller than Singapore’s 72-story "Raffles City" (227 meters), completed on October 3, 1986, maintaining its status as the tallest in East Asia until the late 1980s. Its glass-only exterior walls, color changes depending on the position of sunlight, and elegantly soaring shape have earned it the reputation as "one of the most beautiful and excellent architectural works in Korea."

On the 4,460-pyeong site at Yeouido-dong 20-beonji, northeast of Yeouido Square, stands the "LG Twin Towers." Construction began on April 4, 1983, and after 50 months, it was completed on June 19, 1987. These twin buildings, with three basement floors and 34 above-ground floors, not only represent high-rise architecture in Yeouido alongside the 63 Building but are also widely regarded as monumental structures that showcased the level of Korean architecture to the world.

Although Yeouido is the center of politics, economy, and finance, it was also the starting point of Korean-style residential culture and apartment culture. The pilot apartment complex, first built on the sandy plains of Yeouido, was initially overlooked but widely promoted the perception that "apartments are excellent residences and valuable commodities" through its state-of-the-art facilities and planning. Professor Park Byung-joo of Hongik University participated in numerous urban planning and city design projects, including Yeouido and Jamsil plans, Gyeongju, Masan, and Jeonju urban plans, Gyeongju Bomun complex plan, and Seoul downtown redevelopment plans. He still proudly cites the "Yeouido Pilot Apartment Complex Plan." The late Professor Son Jeong-mok of Seoul National University of Science and Technology evaluated it as "a masterpiece among masterpieces and a model for apartment complex planning in this country."

Completion Ceremony of Sibeom Apartment
Photo by Seoul History Archive

Recently constructed buildings are aiming to become future old-timers. The "Park One Tower," completed in July 2020, took the title of "the tallest building in Yeouido" from the 63 Building. It has 69 floors above ground and reaches a height of 333.7 meters. Its red external frame stands out among the monotonous gray building forest. This is a modern expression of the traditional Korean pattern called Dancheong.

LG Twin Tower

The three mixed-use commercial buildings "IFC Seoul," completed in August 2012, also form the core of Yeouido’s skyline. They incorporate world-class architectural design and eco-friendly technologies and have received domestic architectural awards as well as the Seoul Architecture Award.

The Federation of Korean Industries building was completed in 1979, demolished, and reborn in 2013 as a landmark with 50 floors above ground, 6 basement floors, and a height of 246 meters. It features a glass wall system that minimizes sunlight entering offices in summer and facilitates sunlight in winter, providing a comfortable working environment, and is rated as an eco-friendly building with the highest grade. The exterior of the Federation of Korean Industries building, inspired by the eaves line of traditional Korean hanok roofs, produces 600 KW per hour through solar panels. Architect Yoo Hyun-joon has cited it as his favorite office building in Korea.

Federation of Korean Industries Building