Seoul design exhibition wins global gold award as visitors pass 1 mil.

An exhibition designed to help people see Seoul not just as it is but as what it could become has earned international design recognition, with more than 1 million visitors passing through its doors in less than nine months.

My Friend Seoul Pavilion, an interactive exhibition space introducing the capital’s current landscape, future vision and urban policies, received a Gold rating in the exhibition category of FRAME Awards 2026, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday.

The pavilion opened Feb. 5 and had attracted about 1 million visitors by the end of October, reflecting strong public interest in its presentation of the city’s development plans and ambitions.

Organized by FRAME, a Dutch magazine specializing in interior design, the awards recognize work across 31 categories spanning architecture, interiors and exhibitions.

The Seoul pavilion was among six finalists for Exhibition of the Year before receiving its Gold rating in the final judging announced Oct. 22.

City officials said the recognition highlights how exhibition design and digital content can make complex urban policies more accessible while allowing visitors to experience the story of a changing city.

The pavilion is divided into two sections, each offering a different perspective on Seoul.

The first features a scale model of the entire city at 1:1,600, alongside models of major development sites that illustrate planned changes and key policy initiatives.

The second centers on a 2-meter-diameter media sphere presenting Seoul’s global competitiveness, future vision and perspectives from around the world.

The city plans to expand the pavilion’s role as a public engagement space in November with “Seoul Explorers,” a program designed for children and families.

Participants will compare urban spaces and facilities, answer quizzes about history and nature, and document their observations through photographs, drawings and writing as they explore both exhibition halls.

They will also create postcards describing what they have learned and what they hope to see in Seoul, encouraging families to discuss the city’s future.

Kim Chang-kyu, head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Urban Space Headquarters, said, “My Friend Seoul Pavilion is a space where citizens can encounter Seoul’s diverse aspects and future vision from their own perspective.”

He added, “With the Gold rating from FRAME Awards, we plan to highlight the value of exhibition-space design while expanding opportunities for people to understand and experience Seoul through the Seoul Explorers citizen participation program.”

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.