Suncheonman National Garden, Official Opening on April 1

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Suncheonman National Garden will reopen on April 1st after more than six months of maintenance.

Last year, the 2023 Suncheonman International Garden Expo held by Suncheon City, Jeollanam-do (Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu) attracted nearly ten million visitors, earning a reputation as the most successful international event in history.

[Photo by Suncheon City]

It was not just the visitors. Over 510 institutions and organizations visited Suncheon to benchmark the urban changes achieved through the expo, and even after the closing, lecture requests for Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu, who successfully led the expo, poured in, reflecting the elevated status of the city.

Building on the success of this garden, the city plans to further strengthen the analog elements of the national garden while introducing a completely transformed Suncheonman National Garden that combines artificial intelligence (AI), digital technology, and animation elements.

Renewed under the theme "Suncheon, where even astronauts come to visit," the Suncheonman National Garden is expected to become the perfect place to glimpse "K-Disney Suncheon," a space filled with richer sights and activities for three generations to enjoy together.

The names and contents of major spots have also been completely changed. First, the EcoGeo greenhouse in the West Gate area and a neglected drainage channel were refurbished to create the 350-meter, 4,700-pyeong (approx. 15,500 sq meters) "Space Hub." This space, which previously only connected the East and West gates, has risen to become a core attraction comparable to the Ocheon Green Plaza through various floral displays and environmental improvements.

Artist Kang Ik-jung’s "Dream Bridge" has also entered a renewal process. The existing work, made from recycled used containers, has reached the end of its lifespan after 10 years, suffering from leaks and fading colors, making it difficult to maintain its artistic value.

Accordingly, the city redesigned the exterior of the bridge to resemble a landed spaceship, expressing the core theme of "Suncheon, where even astronauts come to visit," while the interior features media displays blending water, Suncheonman, and space, reborn as the gateway connecting space and the garden, the "Space Bridge."

The East Gate area is also awaiting visitors with even richer content.

Near the Sunset Garden and Kids Garden, which were beloved by young children, works by nature-inspired environmental artist Park Bong-gi have been installed, incorporating characters from the popular EBS animation "Dudadakung." Additionally, cutting-edge technology using artificial intelligence (AI) has been introduced to provide a special experience where visitors can directly interact with the characters from "Dudadakung."

The Maze Garden has been renewed as "Yumi’s Garden," targeting the MZ generation by featuring characters from "Yumi’s Cells," which has accumulated 3.5 billion views. The previously analog-focused garden has been transformed into a more friendly and lively space through animation characters.

Moreover, the Secret Garden, one of last year’s key national garden contents, has been reborn as "Secret Adventure" by introducing experiential immersive content. Utilizing cutting-edge digital technologies such as 4D video systems, the garden has been upgraded from a place to simply view to a garden where visitors become the main characters and enjoy the experience.

The Garden Stay Shillange, which offered a special night in the garden, has been transformed into a space for workation. Under the new name "Garden Workation," it plans to develop into a workation sanctuary that satisfies both work and rest, based on its differentiated status as Korea’s top garden.

Mayor Noh Gwan-gyu of Suncheon said, "Since nearly ten million people visited Suncheonman National Garden last year, I understand that there is high interest nationwide in this year’s national garden reopening," adding, "We are preparing surprising changes under the theme ‘Suncheon, where even astronauts come to visit,’ so we hope for your great interest and love."

Suncheon City will hold an opening ceremony at the newly created Space Hub (South Gate Plaza) on April 1st and officially begin operating the national garden.

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