Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Smarter way to navigate Garosu-gil
By Kwon Mee-yoo
For a more enjoyable stroll through Garosu-gil, be “smart” and download the “itPlace Seoul” application on your smartphone from Apple’s App Store or Android Market.
itPlace Seoul is a location-based social network service application, aiming to create "urbantaining" experience or having fun in downtown areas. It gives information on places in categories such as eating, playing and drinking.
"itPlace Seoul is a mobile application for trendy urban people," Seo Sue-min, planner of SK Marketing and Company, developer of the application, said.
In Seoul, six zones ㅡ Garsu-gil, Apgujeong/Cheongdam, Gangnam Station, Itaewon, Hongik University and City Hall ㅡ are the first designated at the time of the application's launch.
Garosu-gil was selected as the first place to promote the application.
"Garosu-gil is obviously one of the trendiest places in Seoul and we want to attract people who come to the area," she said.
On the streets of Garosu-gil, stores, restaurants and cafes participating in the event have set up blue signs with a QR code. Until the end of the year, the first person and five people after Dec. 22 who checks in with itPlace Seoul after 11 a.m. everyday will get a 5,000 won discount from each store.
Those who check in on itPlace Seoul three or multiples of three times are eligible for a special paper robot toy.
The company plans to expand the service overseas as well. “We are going to introduce more hot places in Seoul through our application and later to Tokyo,” Seo said.