Seoul to remove ‘The Host’ monster sculpture
A monster sculpture inspired by the film “The Host” at Yeouido Hangang Park will be removed, according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Thursday.
Along with the sculpture, some other public artworks that are deemed to detract from the city’s aesthetics will be removed. This move follows criticisms regarding the perceived misuse of taxpayers’ money on public art projects.
Currently, there are 46 public artworks in parks along the Han River under the management of the city government.
One of these is the monster sculpture, which cost 180 million won ($130,975) to create, situated between Mapo Bridge and Wonhyo Bridge. The sculpture measures three meters in height, 10 meters in length and weighs five tons, making it quite imposing.
It was initially installed in 2014 with the intention of adding a cultural and tourism element related to the Han River. However, the sculpture has faced increasing criticism over time for its perceived lack of aesthetic value and people pointed out that it is a waste of money.
Responding to these concerns, the city government decided to initiate an assessment of public art in riverside parks and decided to remove those that were deemed aesthetically detrimental, such as the monster sculpture.
This decision aligns with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon’s objective of creating policies to enhance the city’s visual appeal through improved public sculpture design.
Additionally, the government plans to address the proliferation of low-quality public art overseen by local governments. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced, Wednesday, that it will elevate the overall standard of public art and implement measures to prevent the misuse of tax money for these artworks.