Songpa District Selected as Best in Seoul's 2025 Tourism Special Zone Revitalization Project
Spotlight on Songpa-Style Tourism Content Including 'The Sphere' and 'The Gallery Lake'
Distinctive Strategies Stand Out, Linking Public Art and Local Businesses... 8.62 Million Visitors During Cherry Blossom Season
Songpa District (District Mayor Seo Kangseok) announced on April 27 that it ranked first among the eight tourism special zones in the '2025 Tourism Special Zone Revitalization Project Evaluation' organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, securing 120 million won in municipal funding.
A tourism special zone is an area designated under the Tourism Promotion Act to attract foreign tourists and improve tourism conditions. In 2012, a 2.31 km² area stretching from Lotte World to Seokchon Lake, Bangimatgol, and Olympic Park was designated as the 'Jamsil Tourism Special Zone' in Songpa District.
In this evaluation, the district was highly praised for its multifaceted approach, such as public-private cooperation public art projects centered on Seokchon Lake, the only natural lake in Seoul, and the operation of customized tourism content for foreigners.
In fact, Seokchon Lake has transformed into a space where culture, art, and daily life blend together, attracting visitors throughout all four seasons. Cultural and artistic facilities such as 'The Gallery Lake' and 'Hosugyo Gallery' have been expanded throughout Seokchon Lake, and the 'Art Balloon' exhibition in collaboration with Lotte continues to be held.
In particular, 'The Sphere,' unveiled on the west side of Seokchon Lake in April this year, is gaining attention as a new landmark. This spherical sculpture, 7 meters in diameter, showcases 27 different media art works. It encourages tourists to move beyond the lakeside to nearby commercial districts, positively impacting the local economy.
Other highly rated initiatives include the 'Luminarie Festival' to boost tourism during the off-season, cooking classes and walking tour course development for foreigners, revitalization of alley tourism connecting Songridan-gil and Bangimatgol, and strengthened safety management in response to tourist crowds.
These efforts have led to tangible results in attracting tourists. During the 12-day (April 2 to April 13) 'Lake Cherry Blossom Festival' and the blooming season in April this year, a total of 8.62 million people visited the Seokchon Lake area.
The district plans to use the newly secured municipal funds to continue revitalization projects within the tourism special zone, including the Seokchon Lake Nightscape Festival, customized tourism programs for foreigners, and the operation of cultural tourism interpretation services.
Seo Kangseok, Mayor of Songpa District, stated, "We will continue to discover unique local resources and creative content so that the Jamsil Tourism Special Zone can become a global tourist destination that everyone wants to visit," adding, "We will further enhance the city's brand value and invigorate the local economy with tourism policies that embody the spirit of Songpa."
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