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Gwanghwamun turns into stadium as Jongno hosts epic World Cup gatherings
A giant screen displays a live World Cup football match between Korea and Czech Republic at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Jongno District Office
By Lee Kyung-min
In the heart of Seoul, one of Korea’s most iconic civic spaces is being recast as an open-air stadium, where thousands of fans are expected to gather to watch World Cup qualifiers together on a screen that normally carries advertising and cultural content.
Jongno District said Monday that it will host three large-scale street cheering events at Gwanghwamun Square on June 19 and June 25, using the KT WEST digital display in Gwanghwamun Square’s advertising zone to broadcast matches featuring Korea’s national team live.
The district said the kickoff event, held on Friday, marked the first time sports content was transmitted through the Gwanghwamun Square advertising zone, a system typically reserved for commercial and cultural media.
Officials said the square and adjacent public areas, including Yukjo Madang and Nori Madang, will function as a unified viewing zone where fans can join to watch the games.
The broadcasts will be accompanied by K-pop performances, artificial intelligence-driven stage effects and promotional giveaways, as the district seeks to turn matches into broader cultural events.
Jongno said the production builds on technical trials conducted during a BTS event in March, when large-scale visuals were displayed across Gwanghwamun Square and surrounding landmarks, drawing international attention and turning the area into a nighttime attraction.
The district plans to expand Gwanghwamun into a global media and cultural hub through continued public viewing events and cultural programming tied to major sporting moments.
It said the district will continue to build on street cheering events beginning this month, as it positions the Gwanghwamun corridor as a central stage for large-scale public gatherings and media art installations.
Officials said the initiative is part of a longer-term plan to develop a 220,000-square-meter media arts zone stretching from Gwanghwamun Square to Sejong-daero by 2033, integrating digital signage, public performance and broadcast infrastructure.
The district said the effort relies on cooperation between local authorities, private operators and Seoul city agencies to manage and expand the networked display system.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.