A program inviting visitors to listen to music and meditate while watching the sky grow dark from the roof of Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) is coming soon. The Seoul Design Foundation announced on the 12th that it will hold 12 sunset tours on the DDP rooftop over six weeks, from Oct. 16 to Nov. 21, every Friday and Saturday. Fridays will feature live music, while Saturdays will be devoted to singing bowl meditation.
Saturdays: Follow the Singing Bowls and Tune In to Your Breath and Senses
The meditation sessions take place on Saturdays. Participants focus on their breathing and bodily sensations as they listen to the sound of singing bowls. Bora will lead the sessions on Oct. 17, 24 and 31, while Jeong Yu-seon will lead them on Nov. 7, 14 and 21.
Singing bowl meditation can be a relatively accessible introduction for people who find the idea of sitting still and clearing their minds daunting. Rather than being told to stop thinking, participants can follow the sounds as they reach their ears. For those whose attention has been pulled all day by screens and notifications, setting it down with a single sound can be a good first step into meditation.
Live Music on the Rooftop Fridays
Singer-songwriters and a flutist will perform on the rooftop Fridays. Moon Sang-hee will take the stage on Oct. 16 and Nov. 13, Qurim on Oct. 23 and Nov. 20, and flutist Lee Seul-gi on Oct. 30 and Nov. 6. Recordings of the performances will also be livestreamed on the large screen at DDP’s Eoullim Square.
Each Tour Lasts 90 Minutes, With Different Start Times in October and November
Each tour lasts 90 minutes. In October, tours run from 4:30 to 6 p.m.; in November, from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Admission is 50,000 won per person. Reservations can be made in advance on the DDP website, and on-site registration will be available starting 20 minutes before the tour if spots remain. Tours are guided in Korean and English, so international visitors can join, too.
When Architecture Becomes a Setting for Meditation
Kang Hee-cha, CEO of the Seoul Design Foundation, said the foundation will expand the architectural value of DDP into cultural programming that residents and visitors can experience firsthand.
The idea that meditation belongs only in quiet retreat centers or mountain temples still persists. This tour brings together music, sunset and sound meditation atop a landmark building in the heart of Seoul. It offers a glimpse of how meditation, combined with design, architecture and performance, can become part of everyday urban life.
The tours’ Korean- and English-language guidance is also noteworthy. For international visitors to Seoul, experiencing a Korean meditation program in the heart of the city could offer a small point of connection between K-meditation and the wider world. Those who find seated meditation intimidating, or who want to try meditation in a relaxed setting alongside a performance, might use a Saturday afternoon at sunset to explore what kind of meditation suits them.
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