Busan Waves 'Land' in Dubai... Competing to Host Expo 2030 Busan at Dubai Mall

Busan City Hall.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Hwang Du-yeol] Busan City is holding a media art exhibition aimed at attracting the 2030 Busan World Expo at the Dubai Expo, which has been open since October 1 last year.

The media art promotion is being conducted by broadcasting two videos for one month each until February 4, timed to coincide with the ‘Korea Day’ at the Dubai Expo on the 16th.

The broadcast location is the world's largest OLED screen, measuring 50 meters wide and 14 meters high, located at the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo inside Dubai Mall.

Dubai Mall covers an area of 340,000 pyeong, equivalent to 200 soccer fields, and is a world-renowned attraction visited by 80 million people annually.

The first video, broadcast until the 4th, is ‘The Panoramic-Haeundae’ by contemporary artist Lee Sang-won, inspired by Busan’s landmark Haeundae and the traditional Korean painting material ‘sumukhwa’ (ink wash painting).

The video shows ink lines spreading along the texture of traditional Korean paper (hwaseonji), transforming into the horizon of Haeundae, then connecting to scenes of Haeundae’s waves, beach, and people enjoying leisure time there.

Busan City stated, “The video allows people worldwide to feel Busan’s new wave moving toward the past, present, and future.”

The second video, to be broadcast until February 4, is ‘Wave’ by the media artist unit a’strict.

The video is a public media art piece that transforms a flat screen into a three-dimensional space with turbulent waves, using the ‘Anamorphic illusion’ technique to create a sense of depth through optical illusions across the entire billboard.

A Busan City official said, “The dynamic waves, which approach powerfully as if to engulf the viewer, then hit a glass wall and subside, create an intense yet surreal atmosphere within the short span of 90 seconds.”

Both works share the common theme of the waves from Busan, Korea.

Park Hyung-jun, Mayor of Busan, said, “The promotion period includes Korea Day, making it the optimal time to promote the bid for the 2030 Busan World Expo, and it takes place at the best location in Dubai with the best weather of the year, attracting numerous tourists.”

Mayor Park added, “As the decision on hosting the 2030 World Expo will be made next year, we will use this media art promotion as an opportunity to actively pursue overseas promotional strategies.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.