Seoul Light DDP will return from September 3 to 13, transforming Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) into a large-scale outdoor media art venue with a program inspired by some of Korea’s most influential cultural figures and artistic traditions.
Held under the theme “K-Original Light,” this year’s festival explores the roots of Korean creativity through works inspired by video art pioneer Nam June Paik, abstract painter Yoo Youngkuk, and the Cheonggu Yeongeon, an 18th-century collection of Korean song lyrics.
Visitors can experience large-scale projection mapping across DDP’s iconic curved facade, accompanied by laser shows, live performances, and interactive media art. One of the highlights is The Break Point, a new interpretation of Nam June Paik’s experimental video art that combines live music with visuals that respond in real time.
Other featured installations include Finding the Mountain Within, which reimagines Yoo Youngkuk’s mountain landscapes through digital art, and Words That Shine at Night, a multimedia work celebrating the 100th anniversary of Hangul Day by bringing historic Korean poetry and song lyrics to life through light and animation.
The festival will also introduce DDP 365 Light, a new laser art installation that blends traditional percussion, electronic music, AI-generated visuals, and lighting effects.
Live performances will accompany the media art throughout the festival, with artists including IDIOTAPE, SION, HYPNOSIS THERAPY, and SOULSCAPE performing on selected evenings. Their music will synchronize with the projections to create a different audiovisual experience each night.
The event runs daily from 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., with free admission.
Since launching in 2019, Seoul Light DDP has become one of the city’s signature nighttime attractions. Organizers said last year’s event attracted 1.92 million visitors, while the New Year’s Eve countdown drew nearly 87,000 people.
The festival has also earned international recognition, winning major design awards and setting a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest projection mapping display on a non-standard architectural structure.
