"Why Involve China Specifically?"... Incheon Landmark Plagiarism Controversy Spreads

Controversy Arises Over Exterior Similarity to Guangzhou Tower, China
Incheon City Officials Say "Plan to Introduce Private Creative Design"

As Incheon City’s planned landmark was criticized for resembling the Guangzhou Tower (Canton Tower) in China, interest among netizens from both countries has grown. The controversy arose on the 19th of last month. Incheon City revealed the image of the ‘Oculus Tower’ at a public briefing for the Jemulpo Renaissance Project, aimed at developing Incheon Port and the nearby old downtown area into a cultural tourism hub. Mayor Yoo Jung-bok of Incheon emphasized that this tower would become a landmark for both Incheon and Gimpo.

However, once the promotional video was released, reactions comparing it to the Guangzhou Tower located in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, China, quickly followed, sparking controversy. When plagiarism allegations surfaced, the promotional video production company explained that the design was based on the Palmi-do Lighthouse and the Incheon Meteorological Observatory located in front of Incheon Port, and that it neither copied nor referenced the Guangzhou Tower.

Despite this, the controversy did not subside. On the 16th, Incheon City stated, "The Oculus Tower represents a basic conceptual stage," adding, "The tower’s design will incorporate creative ideas from the private sector through future private proposals and competitions. It is difficult to discuss design plagiarism at this stage."

Not only the Oculus Tower but also ‘K-Cube,’ planned as a global complex cultural space, faced criticism. It was pointed out that it resembled the LED screen with a total area of 3,788㎡ installed at a famous spot in Chongqing City, China. Incheon City acknowledged using Chongqing’s screen advertisement but responded that they legally purchased the copyright and are using it properly, so there is no issue.

The matter also became a hot topic as it was reported by Chinese media. Chinese netizens criticized through Weibo, saying things like, "Korea’s architectural plagiarism is so blatant that it’s embarrassing worldwide," "Isn’t this ‘tower theft’?" and "Were they trying to make the Guangzhou Tower smaller as a ‘Korean version’?" On the other hand, Korean netizens who saw this expressed opinions such as, "Regardless of the facts, just hearing that it plagiarized a Chinese building is humiliating," "They plagiarized a Chinese building and are even using bamboo instead of rebar," and "It’s shameful just to be associated with China."