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.
Floating Island to open on Han River next April
By Kwon Mee-yoo
“The Floating Island,” three large artificial islets on the Han River, will open to the public in April 2011, inviting many citizens and tourists to experience the Seoul landmark.
Seoul City said Monday that currently the upper part of the floating island’s facilities is under construction and the man-made islands are scheduled to be opened to the public next year.
The opening was originally planned for September, but was postponed due to unusually cold weather last winter and a long rainy season this summer.
The Floating Island is a group of artificial islets located below Banpo Bridge, a project costing some 96 billion won.
The city government floated the first island Vista in June; the second, Viva in February and the third, Terra in May.
The entire facility is 9,900 square meters in size, including the connecting bridges. The largest islet Vista will house a 692 seat convention hall for conferences or exhibitions and restaurants.
The 3,449-square-meter-wide second island Viva will have event halls for entertainment and the smallest Terra is intended to house water leisure activity facilities.
Seoul City said it would finish the exterior of the facilities by the end of this month and complete the interiors as soon as possible.
“We will do our best to make the Floating Island an impressive tourist attraction in Seoul,” Chun Suk-hyun of Seoul City said.