Oh Se-hoon: "Public art should not be frightening... The 'monster' sculpture on the Han River must be removed"

"Considering Relocation of Other Places Including the Film Museum"
Seoul City to Review Demolition Decision Next Month

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon recently expressed his opinion regarding the removal of the 'Monster' sculpture in Hangang Park, which has been a subject of controversy.

On the 25th, a short video titled "Decision to Break Up with ○○" was posted on Mayor Oh's official Instagram and YouTube accounts. In the video, Mayor Oh said, "Public art is different in nature from art viewed inside a gallery," adding, "Even those who deeply understand art may just pass by, but public art is something that people who are not interested in art can glance at as they pass by." He continued, "Artworks installed in such places should not be chillingly scary, frightening, or terrifying. In that sense, the 'Monster' from the movie does not meet the standards of public art, but it has been installed for an excessively long time," explaining, "I judged that it should be removed from the Hangang riverside."

A sculpture from the movie "The Host" installed at Yeouido Hangang Park in Seoul. [Photo by Yonhap News]

However, Mayor Oh expressed that moving the sculpture to another location would be better than discarding it. He said, "I also feel sorry for the film director and those who liked the movie 'Monster,'" and added, "Instead of just removing and discarding it, since the budget has already been spent, I am thinking about relocating it to a place like a film museum where people who want to see it can visit."

Post titled 'Decision to Break Up with ○○' on Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's Instagram [Image source=Captured from Oh Se-hoon's Instagram, Yonhap News]

The controversial Monster sculpture reproduces the monster from director Bong Joon-ho's 2006 film "The Host," which attracted over 10 million viewers. The movie depicts fish in the Hangang River turning into a mutant creature due to toxic chemicals released from a research institute, attacking citizens at Hangang Citizen's Park. Currently, the sculpture is located at Yeouido Hangang Citizen's Park between Mapo Bridge and Wonhyo Bridge. The sculpture is 3 meters high and 10 meters long, created in 2014 with a budget of 180 million won. It was originally intended to create a tourism product linked with storytelling along the Hangang, but since it depicts a monster, it has been criticized as an eyesore that spoils the cityscape and a waste of budget since its installation.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will hold a Public Art Deliberation Committee meeting next month to review the removal of the Monster sculpture and other sculptures installed in Hangang Park. After going through procedures such as the Public Art Deliberation Committee and expert consultations, the city plans to begin removing sculptures as early as the first half of the year. A city official explained, "We plan to remove sculptures that are severely deteriorated, spoil the aesthetics, or pose safety issues," adding, "Considering the various controversies surrounding the Monster sculpture, we have decided to proceed with its removal."