DL E&C's Ulleung Airport Documentary Surpasses 3 Million Views
Canakkale and Shahin Projects Also Top One Million Views
GS Construction's Modular Housing Video Hits 1.77 Million Views
Unexpected Popularity for Content Proving Technology, Not Just
Videos from construction sites are garnering millions of views on YouTube. These are not variety shows featuring idols or mukbangs, but "on-site documentaries" produced by construction companies. There is one reason viewers are clicking: to satisfy their curiosity about cutting-edge, high-level technologies. Right now, YouTube is becoming a stage for technological competition in the construction industry.
YouTube video by DL E&C covering the construction process of Ulleung Airport. YouTube channel DL D.L.
According to YouTube on October 7, the video "Construction Site Documentary: How to Build an Airport on Ulleungdo," uploaded to the "DL D.L." channel, has surpassed 3 million views. The video was posted in October of last year. Considering that the channel has just over 50,000 subscribers, it means most of the viewers were not subscribers.
This video captures, in high definition, the challenging construction environment: towering rescue-level waves, cramped workspaces, and the installation of offshore structures. The comments section is filled with positive reactions, such as "The technology impressed me even more than the airport itself." Many viewers also expressed their appreciation for the hard work of the on-site staff. With just one video, DL E&C achieved an impact far beyond simple advertising. Recently, DL E&C completed the installation of caissons, a key process in the construction of Ulleung Airport. The airport is scheduled to open in 2028.
The Ulleung Airport video is not the only example. The construction record of the 1915 Canakkale Bridge in Turkey, the world’s longest suspension bridge, and the documentation of the "Shahin Project," Korea’s largest plant, have also recorded over 1.3 million and 1.07 million views, respectively. It is said that a single video can outperform most sales staff.
This technology-focused video strategy is not unique to DL E&C. GS Engineering & Construction’s video on modular housing construction has reached 1.77 million views. The video, titled "Why Build Apartments? The Apartment Lego Method Set to Become Mainstream," documents the construction process of a modular house in Ganghwa Island, Incheon, which was completed in just 27 days. The core is the "steel modular" method, where pre-manufactured housing modules are stacked on-site.
A YouTube video by GS Engineering & Construction covering modular construction methods. YouTube channel: GS Engineering & Construction.
With this method, GS Engineering & Construction has ensured fire and earthquake resistance, reduced process errors, and minimized safety accidents. The video is regarded as a demonstration of technology, going beyond a simple construction record. GS Engineering & Construction is considered the most proactive investor in modular housing within the construction industry. By expanding beyond investment and using these efforts as promotional activities, the company is engaging with the general public, who may be unfamiliar with modular construction.
The strategy of packaging construction site processes as "documentaries" delivers significant impact relative to a limited budget. Instead of producing dozens of short-form videos for the same cost, a single feature-length video can be repurposed for employee training, external bidding materials, ESG reports, and more.
Meanwhile, some companies are adjusting their video strategies in real time based on social media viewer data. If a particular process or structure receives a strong response, they re-edit the relevant clips into short-form videos or expand them into a series. A construction company official commented, "There used to be a strong perception that construction companies had nothing to show, but when we actually present complex construction processes, viewer engagement is even higher. YouTube has become a new exhibition hall for construction."
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