Painting the summer night in light: Seoul Light DDP 2025 Summer begins

Located in the heart of Seoul, Dongdaemun Design Plaza, DDP, is well-known for an iconic light festival which has dazzled fall and winter nights for years.

Now the festival is lighting up summer for the very first time.

Park Hyo-been takes us there.

As night falls in summer, the curving aluminum surface of Dongdaemun Design Plaza bursts into color, shimmering with wave after wave of vivid digital light.

"This is the first time media art is being showcased here at Dongdaemun Design Plaza during summer. Amid the tropical nights, it's the perfect place to cool off and enjoy art."

The first summer edition of Seoul Light DDP expands beyond the iconic structure, turning the surrounding park and the historic Seoul City Wall, a defensive wall built during the Joseon Dynasty, into a stage for immersive storytelling.

Cascading visuals resembling waterfalls flow over ancient stone, while nearly 200 droplet-shaped LED sculptures change color, creating a vibrant rhythm with the night.

The central theme, Textures of Light, unfolds across multiple zones.

Visitors are invited to walk along the city's fortress wall and encounter projections, laser shows, and kinetic installations along the way.

"It's a lot of fun. I like the music. It's loud, it's exciting."

Artists from around the world also joined the summer edition of Seoul Light DDP.

Through pulsing lights and sound, a Polish art team transforms invisible algorithms into an experience that feels like a peek into the future.

"The installation you see behind me is called 'Flux', it's done by art studio that's called Ksawery Komputery. We're from Poland. We're grateful to be here. Thank you for inviting us to Korea. It's always nice to be here."

One of the standout moments from the opening ceremony is a hanbok fashion show, where traditional Korean garments are reimagined through light.

The fashion show blends tradition with innovation, as models in contemporary hanbok walk through radiant displays of media art.

Since 2019, Seoul Light DDP has attracted over a million visitors annually and earned global acclaim, most recently sweeping the top three international design awards.

The summer edition runs nightly from 8 to 10 PM through August 10th.

As the city swelters, this luminous escape offers a breath of visual cool.

Park Hyo-been, Arirang News.