Seoul City to offer glimpse of Nodeulseom's makeover

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will hold an open panel discussion to explore ways to transform Nodeulseom, a small artificial islet on the Han River, into a popular destination for Seoul residents.

The event, titled "Let's Nodeul," is set to take place at the Nodeulseom Live House on Friday at 10 a.m. All Seoul residents are invited to present their ideas for improving Nodeulseom, according to a statement from the Seoul municipal government. Joining the panel discussion are Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Seoul City architect Kang Byoung-keun, and five guest architects -- Lee Chi-hoon, Kim Chan-joong, Shin Seung-soo, Jurgen Mayer and Thomas Heatherwick, among others.

The island officially opened as a cultural complex in 2019, over a decade after Lee Myung-bak, the former Seoul mayor and president of South Korea, envisioned transforming the island into a landmark akin to the Sydney Opera House.

As Oh took office in 2021, the city government announced plans in February 2022 to turn Nodeulseom into a public art landmark featuring public art exhibitions and music performances, amid calls for a makeover of the islet.

In February, Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a blueprint on how the city government aims to shape the island into an iconic, must-visit place in the city, by proposing to add a sky trail, a pedestrian bridge connecting the islet with the banks of the Han River and a floating stage.

Alongside the panel session, ideas collected from the public will also be showcased. These will include ways to improve pedestrian access to Nodeulseom and a media facade along a concrete wall on the islet. These ideas are winners of an idea contest held by the Seoul municipal government from April 28 to June 16, where the city welcomed all forms of ideas to help turn Nodeulseom into a more accessible and iconic place. Out of 63 idea submissions, 19 will be awarded for their creativity, feasibility and suitability during the awards ceremony on Friday. Winning submissions are also being exhibited at the Seoul Citizens Hall in Jung-gu, central Seoul, through Sept. 22.

Seoul plans to closely examine the ideas presented in the idea submission contest and the opinions presented by the guest architects during the panel discussion and actively reflect them in Nodeulseom's business plan.

Those who are interested in participating in the panel event can make a reservation through the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s website, or register on-site on the day of the event. The event will also be broadcast live through Seoul Metropolitan Government’s official YouTube channel.