New slogan for DDP unveiled

The Seoul Design Foundation announced Tuesday that it has decided on a new slogan for the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the first rebrand since opening to the public ten years ago.

The new slogan, “Amazing Tomorrow,” will replace the DDP's old slogan, “Dream, Design, Play.” According to the Seoul Design Foundation, the new slogan reflects the foundation’s commitment to delivering experiences that will amaze visitors to the DDP through its exhibitions, futuristic building design and construction technology.

The DDP first opened its doors to the public in March 2014. It took the place of the Dongdaemun Stadium, which was no longer being used, and the Seoul Folk Flea Market, which has since been relocated to Sinseol-dong in Dongdaemun-gu, eastern Seoul. Designed by world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid, the DDP is famous for its spaceship-esque design.

Over the years, the DDP has hosted various events, including the Chanel Cruise Show in 2015, “The World of Tim Burton” in 2022 and other city-led events such as Seoul Fashion Week, Seoul Beauty Week and Seoul Light. It was also designated as the New York Times’ “52 Places to Go” in 2015 and saw a record number of 13.75 million visitors last year, a significant increase from the 6.88 million visitors it saw in 2014.

In honor of the DDP’s 10th anniversary, a commemoration ceremony and forum will take place on Friday at the DDP’s Design Hall, located on the third floor of its Design Lab.

The forum will include an appearance by artist Kang Yi-yun, famous for her work in “Connect, BTS,” a global public art project launched in collaboration with BTS. Kang will talk about how innovations in artificial intelligence have brought about changes in creativity. Additionally, Park Hee-yoon, the senior managing director of the HDC Hyundai Development Co. and author of "Buildings that Changed Tokyo," will share insights on how to boost Seoul's competitiveness.

In addition to the forum, an exhibition of posters made in honor of the DDP‘s anniversary will also be held. The posters are designed by 20 designers who have previously exhibited at the DDP.

The forum and commemoration ceremony will also be livestreamed on the Seoul Design Foundation’s official YouTube channel, “DDP Seoul.” Those who wish to attend the event can register through ddp.or.kr.

“10 years since the DDP was built, the area surrounding it has been revitalized and the building has become a representative landmark of Seoul,” said Rhee Kyung-don, CEO of the Seoul Design Foundation. “We will continue to host exhibits at the DDP with content that amazes our visitors.”