[비즈한국] There is a place that comes to mind whenever winter arrives. It is the media facade that the Shinsegae004170 Department Store in Myeong-dong, Seoul, installs on the main building of its flagship store ahead of the year-end season every year. As the vibrant videos displayed on the wide wall facing the square spread across social media, the area in front of the Shinsegae flagship store has become a must-visit destination for visitors looking to soak in the Christmas and year-end atmosphere. While Shinsegae is not the only place in Korea to use building exteriors for media facades, it has established itself as a landmark by harmonizing the unique, dense atmosphere of Myeong-dong with the exterior of its historic building.
However, as if not satisfied with this, Shinsegae installed an ultra-large electronic billboard last November that entirely covers the building's front. This billboard, which is said to be about three times the size of a basketball court (1,292.3㎡), operates non-stop, showcasing everything from advertisements for luxury goods sold at the department store to flashy Christmas signage videos. This marks the emergence of the so-called "Shinsegae Square," where video content that was once limited to the year-end season is now broadcast permanently. This is part of the "Myeong-dong Square" project, which aims to install 16 electronic billboards and 80 street media displays over three stages during a 10-year period, transforming the area into a space comparable to Times Square in New York.
Opened in 1930 as the Gyeongseong branch of Mitsukoshi Department Store, the Shinsegae flagship store is a Renaissance-style building characterized by its neatly arranged vertical windows. Some say its exterior and composition were inspired by the Le Bon Marché in France, considered the world's first department store, and Harrods in the UK. Originally built with one basement level and four floors above ground, it has undergone expansions and renovations over nearly a century, growing into a six-story structure. Before the redevelopment of downtown Seoul, it was one of the largest buildings in the vicinity, and while it is now overshadowed by surrounding skyscrapers and easily overlooked, its unique antique charm remains.
The previous facade, which was installed by assembling steel frames, was a form that reflected much of the building's exterior architecture. Now, that space has been replaced by a mere giant billboard. While the overwhelming scale is certainly a spectacle, many visitors stop to watch it even during the day when it mostly plays simple advertising clips. It demonstrates remarkable technological progress, with efficient power design and natural cooling enabling it to operate for 10 years without replacement.
However, the reason the previous facade gained popularity lay in the harmony created by the mix of the building's classic style and the graphics. The charm of the original facade existed in its transformation—flickering between a department store and a canvas—functioning as an ordinary building during regular times, then providing a fantastical escape from daily life during the Christmas season. With the installation of the fixed billboard "Shinsegae Square," the front of the main store has now become a black, empty space that cannot exist without videos.
Shinsegae's flagship store has lost the character of being a representative modern architectural landmark and has become no different from any other media facade found throughout Seoul. While some aspects are inevitable due to the nature of electronic billboards, it is regrettable that the heritage accumulated over time seems to have been disregarded entirely. If people want a big screen, they can go to a movie theater. Shinsegae claims that the number of visitors increased by 59% and the average stay time by about 50% compared to the same period last year, exceeding 200,000 visitors in just ten days, but it is questionable whether this growth will be sustainable in the long run. If Myeong-dong is just like New York, would people necessarily feel the need to come to Myeong-dong?
Who is the author, Han Dong-hoon?
A typeface designer. Interested in everything related to lettering, including writing, calligraphy, designing typefaces, and teaching. Currently working at the typeface studio AlignType, designing various corporate-exclusive fonts and retail fonts. Has contributed to 'Monthly Design' and the quarterly 'Design Review', and conducts typeface design lectures on various online and offline platforms. Published the essay collection 'The Universe within Letters' in 2021.