4.3 Billion Banpo Raemian 'Changa Monument'... "It Might Look Embarrassing"

Engraved on the 'Changa' Sculpture Written by a Poet

A 'Praise Monument' installed inside a high-rise apartment in Seoul is gaining attention among netizens. While some criticize it as embarrassing, others respond that it is a monument meant only for residents to appreciate, so it is not a big issue.

Recently, a photo of a monument placed inside an apartment was shared on various online communities. The monument is an installation at the Raemian Prestige Apartment in Seocho-gu, Seoul, with a praise poem titled "Eternal Paradise" by poet Gu Dalseo engraved on it.

[Image source=Online community capture]

The poem describes the apartment, saying, "Seoul is the face of the nation, Banpo is its pupil / Receiving the spirit of Umyeonsan and the energy of the Han River / Our majestic palace, Prestige, has risen." It continues to praise the residents: "Talented people like the sun and handsome gentlemen like the stars / With passionate enthusiasm and cool reason / Noble families who are the heart of the nation."

The poem concludes with the lines, "For a proper life, with my burning sincerity / Sowing seeds and nurturing them, growing beautiful dreams in paradise / An ideal place in the flower forest of those with ambition."

Netizens' reactions to the poem were mixed. Some criticized it, saying, "It sounds like a school anthem," "Wouldn't residents feel embarrassed?" and "It's cringeworthy," while others responded, "If only the residents see it anyway, it probably doesn't matter much."

Banpo Raemian Prestige is an apartment complex rebuilt from the former Banpo Jugong Phase 2, consisting of 28 buildings with up to 32 floors above ground and a total of 2,444 households. In July this year, a 84㎡ (34-pyeong) unit, a popular size, was traded for 4.3 billion KRW.

Meanwhile, as the photo of this monument gained attention, a monument erected in 2020 at the Godeok Gracium Apartment in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, was also reexamined. That monument features a poem titled "On the Occasion of Moving into Godeok Gracium," which includes praises such as "An apartment worth living in" and "An apartment where one is truly happy living."