In front of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts at Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul, you can find a statue of a middle-aged man sitting on a wooden bench, engrossed in reading a book. Citizens often join him to read books or take commemorative photos.
“The Star by Poet Jeong Ji-yong”
The book that the middle-aged man in the statue is reading is “The Star” by the poet Jeong Ji-yong.
This statue was erected by Lee Chae-hyung, the CEO of Design People, an advertising agency, in 2010. He mentioned, “I wanted to introduce poetry to the citizens and supported the ‘Seoul Flowing with Poetry’ project. As part of this project, I created this statue.” Thanks to this, the statue’s title is also “Seoul Flowing with Poetry.” He added that he hoped people would become more interested in poetry after seeing this statue, and that’s why he chose a poem by a renowned Korean poet for the statue.
Additionally, the reason why the statue depicts a man reading a book is that the majority of the audience coming to watch performances at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts are women. Having a statue with the gentle image of a man reading here can create a more harmonious atmosphere with the surrounding women.
“Statue of a Woman Reading a Book Behind Sejong Center for the Performing Arts”
Behind the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in the park, you can also find a statue of a woman reading a book, harmonizing with the sculpture “ㅎㅎㅎ.”
This statue was also created by Lee Chae-hyung. It was inspired by the image of female office workers taking a break during lunchtime. The poem the woman is reading is “Ser Shi” by the poet Yoon Dongju.
The “Statues of People Reading Books” project, established as part of the “Seoul Flowing with Poetry” initiative, offers another attraction to be found in the Gwanghwamun area.