TRAVEL Seoul already has
TRAVEL Seoul already has the world’s fastest wired internet network. It was the first to launch 4G services in 2006 and the government’s ‘Future Planning’ ministry is working closely with the private sector to develop a 5G network set to be launched in just five years from now. That should mean, by 2020, you’ll be able to sit on a moving subway train in Seoul and your smartphone will be able to connect to Wi-Fi fast enough to download a movie in one second. Other proposed 5G applications include holographic phone calls and 3D photos and with these extra functions consumers can expect battery technology to improve too. That’s the future, but sit on a subway train in 2015 as I am doing right now, typing this, and you’ll observe how Seoulites enjoy technology today, making use of their alreadyfast 4G LTE Wi-Fi connectivity. Research last year found that 41% of South Korean mobile users owned a phone with a screen larger than five inches, compared to a global average of just 7%. And with that larger screen, you’ll notice women commonly using the camera function to help apply make-up instead of a conventional mirror, while everyone watches lots of TV and streams entertainment shows and live football. But technology doesn’t just mean innovation, it’s also about the best ways of using what we already have. Jungmo Nam is a typical member of Seoul’s creative community: well-travelled, well-dressed and well-versed in how to apply technologies to make everyday life better socially. He’s a graphic designer and a founding member of an agency called Design Methods, which last year came up with an idea for a 25-room hotel, Small House Big Door, from a converted 1960s office block. The concept is minimalist, user-friendly and with a social attitude towards technology. All the furniture designed for the property is ‘open source’, meaning the files on how to build them are freely available on the hotel website to download, giving guests who like the items the chance to make each item at home, including all chairs and tables. Smaller items such as the lampshades, key fobs and ‘do not disturb’ door signs are made with the hotel’s 3D printers that are on view in the lobby. “We wanted to bring technology, art and culture together in this space in a friendly way,” Nam explains. “We also have a gallery and a small space for talks and ILLUMINATING DESIGN The latest and arguably greatest architectural addition to Seoul’s urban landscape is Zaha Hadid’s 65,000 sq metre Dongdaemun Design Plaza (below). Gadgets rule and are used in unusual ways, like this girl using her smartphone to apply make-up on the subway 38 j THE DYNAMIC ISSUE
I LOVE SEOUL BECAUSE THE LIGHTS NEVER GO OUT. YOU SEE OFFICE LIGHTS ON LATE AT NIGHT BECAUSE PEOPLE WORK LATE, BUT BARS STAY OPEN UNTIL MORNING AS WELL
