Moviegoers on Aug. 1 watch a film held under the Grass Hill Cinema Program at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul’s Jung-gu District (Seoul Design Foundation)
By Yoo Yeon Gyeong
The weather is scorching. After the long monsoon season, it became hard to breathe because of the heat, with many wishing to head to the mountains or the beach and leave everything behind.
But life is never this easy. Escape from the daily grind often remains a fantasy. So the next best thing is Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul, an oasis in the city and the best place to escape from the sun.
From Aug. 1-3, the DDP Summer Festival: Design Vibe turned the complex cultural space into a vacation spot where people could enjoy a picnic in the city.
Visitors relaxed at Oullim Square and Grass Hill, enjoying diverse programs like films, concerts and one-day classes featuring design and imagination.
“Grass Hill Concert” on Aug. 1 is held at Oullim Square of DDP. (Seoul Design Foundation)
Before entering DDP, Oullim Square hosted street performances across the plaza.
“Grass Hill Concert” was a cultural project launched in 2011 by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to have the public enjoy art as part of the daily routine. People sang and danced to the music and took photos with their smartphones, making the city’s landscape even shinier.
DDP Design Dullegil (Trail), the first and longest indoor art gallery in the country, hosted the “Red Bull 400 Uphill Challenge.” Runners ran a 400-m inclined path while enjoying images of a school of dolphins, offering new fun and a sense of achievement for visitors.
Visitors on Aug. 1 walk a 400-m inclined path filled with pictures of swimming dolphins at DDP. (Yoo Yeon Gyeong)
City Brewery at DDP Palgeori Plaza offered for sale famous craft beers across the nation were on sale, allowing a cool way of temporary relief from the summer heat.
DDP Design Hall hosted a wine talk show in which visitors sampled varieties from Tap Shop Bar while seeing a poster exhibition marking DDP’s 10th anniversary. Everyone seemed to enjoy wine culture and the space in a comfortable setting. 
Tap Shop Bar Director Park Su-cheol on Aug. 1 hosts a talk show on wine and space at DDP Design Hall. (Seoul Design Foundation)
DDP Grass Hill was transformed into an outdoor cinema where families saw movies like “Minions 2” and “Despicable Me 3,” creating lovely memories of a summer night.
DDP also hosted exhibitions such “AI Fusion: The Next Epoch of Humanity” by artist Hodoo and “Greencanvas in DDP” to mark the facility’s 10th anniversary, plus events like “DDP Showroom x Mega Boopoo,” featuring the 5-m tall balloon character Boopoo with thousands of chrome balloons on DDP Showroom Stage.
DDP hosts unique exhibitions and events to offer rest and relaxation to modern people with busy lives. Thanks to its efforts, the cumulative number of visitors to the space reached 100 million in June, making DDP a Seoul landmark.
DDP is also highly accessible by mass transit thanks to its proximity to the subway station Dongdaemun History and Culture Park. An underground path leads right to DDP from the station.
August is a month of sweltering heat and tropical nights. So for those unable to hit the beach or mountains, DDP offers a summer treat in the capital for “dream, design and play.”
dusrud21@korea.kr
