A demonstration of the APEC Bomun Tourist Complex nightscape project, titled “Festival of Light,” takes place at the lakeside plaza in Gyeongju’s Bomun Complex on the afternoon of October 15. During the event, media art is projected onto a giant egg-shaped APEC symbolic sculpture.
GYEONGJU, Oct. 16 (Korea Bizwire) — The ancient city of Gyeongju has transformed its lakeside resort district into a luminous showcase ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit later this month, unveiling large-scale light installations and media art displays celebrating both innovation and Korea’s cultural heritage.
The Gyeongbuk provincial government and the city of Gyeongju said Wednesday that they have invested 15 billion won (about $11 million) in a new nightscape project across the Bomun Tourist Complex, which officially opened to the public on Wednesday.
Designed around APEC’s vision of “innovation, prosperity, and connectivity,” the installations reinterpret the splendor of the ancient Shilla Kingdom through digital art and immersive lighting.
At Yukbu Village, home to the Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Corporation, a “Media Art and Light Plaza” has been created featuring a large-scale media façade depicting the founding myth of the six Shilla tribes.
On the nearby lakeside square, a 15-meter-tall sculpture inspired by the legendary birth of King Hyukgeose—who emerged from an egg in Shilla mythology—now stands as a symbol of unity among APEC’s 21 member economies.
The surrounding area, including Bomun Lake and its trails, is illuminated by a combination of laser beams, 3D projection mapping, and gold-toned lighting designed to evoke “the golden city of Gyeongju.”
Governor Lee Cheol-woo of North Gyeongsang Province described the project as more than a temporary attraction tied to the APEC summit. “This is not just a one-time spectacle,” he said. “It represents a new form of K-cultural heritage that blends advanced technology with tradition, positioning Gyeongju as a global APEC city of innovation and culture.”
Workers install a golden crown sculpture near Bomun Lake in Gyeongju’s Bomun Tourist Complex ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit.
Image credit: Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com
