Seohun Oh Proposes 'Roof Opening'... DDP Celebrates 10th Anniversary with 'Rooftop Tour'

Seoul City Launches Pilot Operation of 'DDP Rooftop Tour'
Sharing Hidden Spaces 'Roof' with Citizens
Wearing Certified Safety Gear and Accompanied by Safety Personnel

DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza), a symbol of Seoul and a world-renowned landmark, is opening its rooftop to the public in celebration of its 10th anniversary. This event, inspired by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's idea, offers citizens the opportunity to walk on the DDP rooftop while wearing safety equipment and enjoy a panoramic view of the city center.

On the 23rd, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Design Foundation announced that they will pilot the 'DDP Rooftop Tour' from the 25th until the 17th of next month. The rooftop tour is a new attempt to share with citizens the hidden space of the 'roof,' made of irregular aluminum panels and desert plants called sedum, beyond the existing indoor and outdoor tours of DDP.

DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza) rooftop view.
Photo by Seoul City

Opened to the public in 2014, DDP is the last work of British architect Zaha Hadid, a Pritzker Prize laureate. It is composed of about 45,000 aluminum panels of varying sizes and shapes, and is characterized by its 'pillar-less curves,' designed to reflect the dynamism of Dongdaemun.

This tour consists of walking and enjoying about 280 meters of the DDP rooftop for approximately 30 minutes. After this year’s pilot operation, the course will be expanded and diversified next year to be officially operated as content in spring (May) and autumn (September to October). The tours will be held twice daily at 1:30 PM and 3:30 PM from Friday to Sunday, totaling 24 sessions, and are open to adults aged 18 to 70. Each tour session is limited to 10 participants for safety reasons.

Participants will move using a safety system certified by the global testing organization DEKRA in Germany and will wear safety equipment such as safety harnesses and helmets. Thorough preparations have been completed over nine months, including inspections by safety experts from the Jungbu Fire Station and the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency, as well as structural safety reviews of the rooftop. During the pilot period, about 220 participants will join the tours. Among them, around 120 were selected by submitting special stories or invited, including the Seoul delegation for the Paris Olympics, designers, and merchants from the Dongdaemun area, while 100 participants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

On the first day of the tour on the 25th, 20 citizens selected from 1,088 applicants who shared special stories such as marriage and entrepreneurship will participate together. Among the participants are a mother who became a late university student to coincide with her child’s elementary school entrance, a foreign exchange student deeply fascinated by Korean culture and the charm of Seoul, and a couple who met for the first time at a DDP job fair and are now planning their future lives together.

Meanwhile, citizens aged 18 to 70 (including foreigners) who wish to participate in the DDP Rooftop Tour can check detailed information on the DDP website starting at 10 AM on the 24th and apply for their preferred date. A Seoul city official said, "The DDP Rooftop Tour, held to celebrate the 10th anniversary, is another attractive content of Seoul that allows people to enjoy the charm of the city center at a glance. We hope that the view of Seoul from the rooftop of DDP, which embodies the future of Seoul, will bring joy and relaxation to citizens."

DDP (Dongdaemun Design Plaza) Rooftop Tour Course. [Provided by Seoul City]