Lotte World Tower to go dark as major Korean companies join Earth Hour

This collage photo shows the Lotte World Tower, left, with a media display showing the number 60 symbolizing "Earth Hour," conveying the idea of a 60-minute rest for the earth. Another image of the tower, right, shows the building with some of its lights turned off. Courtesy of Lotte Property & Development Co., Ltd.

Lotte World Tower, GS25 and other Korean companies will join the “Earth Hour” campaign and switch off their lights for an hour on the last Saturday of March to raise awareness about the severity of climate change and environmental destruction.

Earth Hour began in Australia in 2007 and marks its 20th year this year. Hosted by one of the world’s largest environmental organizations, the campaign calls for lights to be turned off around the world for one hour from 8:30 p.m. on the last Saturday of March each year to draw attention to efforts seeking to protect the planet from climate change.

The campaign takes place in over 180 countries, with famous landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris and the Sydney Opera House. In Korea, Lotte World Tower having participated for nine years since 2018.

Lotte Group said about 50 tenants and operators at Lotte World Tower and Mall will also take part, with Signiel Seoul joining the campaign for the first time this year. The hotel plans to keep lighting in common areas to a minimum and encourage guests to switch off lights.

Lotte World Tower and Mall also produces 37,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy through solar panels, accounting for about 15 percent of total energy consumption.

Conrad Seoul, a five-star hotel in Yeongdeungpo District, Seoul, will take part in the “Earth Hour” campaign from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on March 28. Courtesy of Conrad Seoul

Major five-star hotels are also taking part in the campaign. Paradise Hotel Busan will launch “Unplugged Paradise Earth Hour,” a voluntary guest-room lights-off campaign, and stage a performance by EartH, a three-member handpan trio, on the first floor of its main building during the one-hour event to encourage guests to reflect on environmental issues.

Conrad Seoul, meanwhile, will turn off all exterior lighting, including logo lights on the building facade, during the same hour, while dimming lights in shared spaces such as the lobby and restaurants to the lowest possible level. It also plans to use digital screens throughout the hotel to encourage guest interest and participation.

GS Retail said it will switch off lights at GS Tower, GS Gangseo Tower, Gangseo N Tower and 5,000 GS25 convenience stores nationwide. Its headquarters buildings will go dark for one hour, while GS25 stores will turn off their signs for five minutes.

The number of participating stores stood at around 1,000 when GS Retail first joined the campaign, but has grown fivefold over the past four years.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.