The Fruit of the Ji·San·Hak Win-Win Project
Where did the light that illuminated the Busan Gwangbok-ro Tree Festival this winter come from?
The Jung-gu Gwangbok-ro Winter Light Tree Festival, designed by Dongseo University (President Jang Je-guk), has been showcasing dazzling lights for 55 days since December 2 last year.
This year’s theme for the Gwangbok-ro Winter Light Tree Festival is ‘Shining Heritage 345.’ Inspired by the Choryang Waegwan, which served as a diplomatic gateway with Japan from 1678 and was located around Yongdusan Park in Jung-gu, the festival captures 345 years of Jung-gu’s past, present, and future historical and cultural stories through light. It is, in other words, a form of ‘story lighting.’
As the old downtown area of Gwangbok-ro lost its former vitality and vacant stores increased, Jung-gu Office and Dongseo University’s Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation joined forces for 90 days to create this festival.
Professor Kim Su-hwa of Dongseo University (Department of Visual Design, College of Design), along with master’s student Kim Tae-eun and graduate Kim Ro-a, formed an academic service team to develop this design.
The project was enhanced by Dongseo University LINC 3.0 Project Group’s ‘DSU Industry-Academic Cooperation Win-Win Program.’
Dongseo University introduced that last year, through the LINC+ Project Group’s ICC support program, Professor Kim’s team utilized an interactive LED movement control system they developed. The main tree, created as a responsive illumination light bubble content that changes color instantly when touched by tourists, captures attention.
The design team explained that the main tree, ‘Veil of Time 345,’ was produced as a new emotional content, offering an interactive light experience different from other street light festivals.
Additionally, at the spot where the future fountain plaza will be located, the ‘Light Fountain of Liberation,’ modeled after the exterior of a modern merchandise display hall, was installed to highlight Gwangbok-ro as Busan’s commercial and cultural hub. A tram that once roamed the busiest Gwangbok-ro in modern times was transformed into a light content photo zone where tourists can take pictures.
Tourists can enjoy fantasy storytelling content that allows them to become time travelers, moving between the past and the future.
This DSU Industry-Academic Cooperation Win-Win Project was realized through proactive matching fund participation by companies according to the needs of local basic government units. Industry, academia, and local communities joined forces to create future-oriented and practical regional cultural content.
Professor Kim Su-hwa, the project leader from Dongseo University, said, “Since the first light festival 15 years ago, we have been able to develop illumination design content based on historical research, and through Dongseo University’s specialized field of design, we feel proud and joyful to have created ‘K-Design cultural content’ that resonates with all generations.”
Professor Kim added, “I hope Dongseo University will stand tall as a university that creates future-oriented regional cultural content.”
This year’s Gwangbok-ro Winter Light Tree Festival was organized to restore the function of the old downtown and create economic value, aiming to revitalize the commercial district to pre-COVID-19 levels. It is evaluated as a challenge that pursues an advanced model of light festivals by combining corporate expertise and university creativity.
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