Gwanghwamun Geulpan 35th Anniversary Ceremony Held... Kyobo Life Chairman Shin Changjae Says "Comforted the Pains of the Times and Delivered Hope"

"Best Gwanghwamun Geulpan" Chosen by 22,500 Citizens Revealed
Jang Seokju's "A Single Jujube" Ranks First
35th Anniversary Commemorative Book Published
Chairman Shin Changjae: "We Will Strive to Make It a Cultural Window of Hope"

Kyobo Life Insurance announced on the 12th that it held a book concert at the Kyobo Building in Gwanghwamun, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 11th to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Gwanghwamun Geulpan and unveiled the best Gwanghwamun Geulpan phrases as selected directly by citizens.

A total of 22,500 citizens participated in this online vote. The phrase that resonated most was poet Jang Seokju's "A Single Jujube." It was noted that, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the message of "patience and recovery that ripens while enduring" offered gentle comfort to people's daily lives.

Other top-ranked phrases included Do Jonghwan's "A Flower Blooming While Swaying," Na Taejoo's "Wild Flower," Moon Jeonghee's "Winter Love," and Jeong Hyeonjong's "Visitor." These were followed by Kim Gyudong's "The Sun Is Setting," Yoo Heekyung's "Conversation," Heo Hyeongman's "Walking on the Winter Field," Pablo Neruda's "The Book of Questions," and Lee Saengjin's "A Worm-Eaten Leaf."

Shin Changjae, CEO and Chairman of Kyobo Life Insurance, is speaking at the Gwanghwamun Geulpan 35th Anniversary Book Concert held at the Kyobo Building in Gwanghwamun, Jongno-gu, Seoul on the 11th. Kyobo Life Insurance

The event was attended by over 300 people, including ordinary citizens, university students, and literary figures. The ceremony opened with a virtual reality performance by media artist Yeom Donggyun, depicting the journey of personal growth while experiencing the Gwanghwamun Geulpan throughout the stages of life. The program continued with recitations of the best Geulpan poems, a commemorative book talk, and a performance by singer Yozoh, reflecting on the 35-year philosophy and journey of the Gwanghwamun Geulpan and reaffirming the power of "a single line of text" together with the citizens.

In his welcoming remarks, Shin Changjae, CEO and Chairman of Kyobo Life Insurance, said, "For 35 years, the Gwanghwamun Geulpan has grown as a companion to citizens, comforting the pains of the times and delivering hope," adding, "Even during difficult times such as the IMF financial crisis and COVID-19, the Gwanghwamun Geulpan has always remained with us in the same place."

He continued, "The reason a single poem could change someone's day and a single line could bring comfort to the heart was thanks to the empathy and participation of citizens. Kyobo Life Insurance will continue to ensure that the Gwanghwamun Geulpan remains a cultural window that offers brief respite and hope for the future in citizens' daily lives."

On this day, Kyobo Life Insurance presented plaques of appreciation to poets Jang Seokju, Do Jonghwan, Na Taejoo, and Moon Jeonghee, whose works were selected as the best phrases, commemorating the significance of the Geulpan, which has been created together with citizens over the past 35 years. The poets took to the stage to recite their poems, sharing a moment of empathy with the attendees.

In the subsequent book talk titled "The Present and Future of the Gwanghwamun Geulpan," panelists included phrase selection committee members Kim Yeonsu (novelist), Yozoh (essayist and musician), Yoo Heekyung (poet and bookstore owner), and Jang Jaeseon (poet and journalist). Moderated by committee member Yoo Heekyung, the discussion covered three topics: "The Gwanghwamun Geulpan in Memory," "The Gwanghwamun Geulpan Here and Now," and "The Next Gwanghwamun Geulpan."

The panelists described the Gwanghwamun Geulpan as an art of language that prompts people to pause amid the busy city life, serving as an anchor for unsettled minds. They noted that a single short phrase can stop passersby, reminding them of the beauty of the Korean language and the philosophy of life, making it a representative cultural symbol. Recently, they agreed, it has also become a window for foreign visitors and Korean language learners to experience the beauty and emotion of Hangul.

The commemorative book for the 35th anniversary, "Reading, Strolling, and Feeling at Gwanghwamun," includes interviews with phrase selection committee members, seasonal Geulpan photos, and citizens' stories, offering a comprehensive look back at the 35-year history of the Gwanghwamun Geulpan.

The Gwanghwamun Geulpan began in January 1991 at the suggestion of Kyobo Life Insurance founder Shin Yongho. The first phrase was "Let us all unite and restore economic vitality." In its early years, the Geulpan mainly featured educational slogans.

The transformation into its current, more emotional form began in 1998. At the end of 1997, as many suffered from the IMF financial crisis, founder Shin Yongho proposed, "Let us not focus on corporate promotion, but instead operate the Geulpan to comfort citizens." The following spring, a phrase inspired by poet Ko Un's "Unknown Place"-"Leave for an unknown place, away from the worn repetition of your days"-was displayed, and the Gwanghwamun Geulpan was reborn as a poetic feature of the cityscape.

Since 2000, Chairman Shin Changjae has established a phrase selection committee composed of writers, journalists, and critics to facilitate genuine communication with citizens. The committee, under the principle that "this signboard is a public asset of the citizens, and the citizens are its owners," officially named it the Gwanghwamun Geulpan and continues to operate it today. Since 2003, the replacement of phrases has been standardized to four times a year, in line with seasonal changes.

Over the past 35 years, the Gwanghwamun Geulpan has delivered messages of hope, love, and comfort through a total of 117 phrases, resonating with the lives of citizens. These phrases have been displayed not only in Seoul but throughout the country, marking the changing seasons and establishing themselves as a leading cultural icon of the humanities in Korea.