Seoul's iconic Dongdaemun Design Plaza has opened its entire 652-meter rooftop to visitors for a special month-long tour program in November, offering participants a unique aerial perspective of the South Korean capital. The DDP Rooftop Tour, branded as "Sailing Over Seoul," provides adventurous visitors with an unprecedented opportunity to walk across the curved metallic surface of one of the city's most distinctive architectural landmarks.
The experience begins with a comprehensive orientation process that includes safety briefings and equipment fitting. Participants receive specialized gear including harnesses, helmets, earphones for English-language narration, and eye-catching jumpsuits designed by eco-friendly Korean fashion duo Kanghyuk. The outfits come in bright cyan or pink colors, creating what many visitors describe as a "Squid Game"-like atmosphere that adds an unexpected entertainment element to the architectural tour.
Designed by renowned architect Zaha Hadid and opened to the public in 2014, the DDP represents a bold architectural statement in Seoul's urban landscape. Hadid's metonymic landscape approach aimed to capture the city's historical layers, cultural depth, and street-level energy within a structure that appears to ripple and flow like water. The building has hosted more than 1,000 major exhibitions and fashion-forward events over the past decade, with visitor numbers expected to reach 20 million by the end of 2025.
The rooftop tour is structured as a "time-traveling urban experience" divided into four distinct sections: design, history, panorama, and future. Under the concept of "Seoul drifting," each segment immerses participants in different aspects of the city, reflecting the layered approach that Hadid originally envisioned for the structure. Safety remains paramount throughout the experience, with participants tethered to safety rails via retractable leashes and strict guidelines prohibiting loose items and requiring maintained distances between tour members.
Access to the rooftop begins through the building's fourth-floor hallways, leading to a safety room vestibule with a rooftop access hatch reminiscent of submarine entrances. Once participants emerge onto the open rooftop, they encounter a surprisingly flat, terraced pathway that contrasts sharply with the building's dramatically curved exterior appearance. The November landscape presents a moonscape-like environment with brown grass lawns contrasting against reflective silver panels covering the curved slopes.
The tour route offers spectacular 360-degree views of Seoul's diverse neighborhoods and landmarks. From the southern rooftop's highest point, participants can observe Dongdaemun Market spreading in all directions, while the western view provides a clear sightline down Euljiro toward Mount Nam and its iconic tower. The northern section features designated photo zones with backdrops including Dongdaemun Gate and portions of the historic Seoul City Wall.
One of the tour's educational highlights involves learning about the building's remarkable construction details. The DDP's exterior consists of 45,000 unique aluminum tiles, each different in size and shape with no duplicates throughout the entire structure. This complex jigsaw puzzle design enables the building's signature flowing curves and represents a significant engineering achievement in contemporary architecture.
Historical context enriches the rooftop experience as guides point out remnants of the site's past, including two remaining light towers from the former Dongdaemun Stadium. The surrounding area showcases Seoul's evolution from post-war reconstruction to modern fashion hub, with views of Pyeonghwa Market, one of Korea's largest wholesale clothing markets, and the bustling Dongdaemun Fashion Town featuring prominent shopping centers like Doota Mall and Migliore.
Safety protocols are strictly enforced throughout the tour, with guides closely monitoring participants' adherence to designated pathways and equipment usage. The experience maintains a careful balance between adventure and security, ensuring that while participants feel the thrill of walking on the building's distinctive surface, actual risk remains minimal due to comprehensive safety measures and the rooftop's surprisingly stable terrain.
The DDP continues to rank as one of Seoul's most impressive landmarks, earning recognition as the city's third-most-impressive destination among international residents in recent surveys. Its convenient location, directly connected to Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station on subway lines 2, 4, and 5, makes it easily accessible for both residents and tourists interested in this unique architectural adventure.
The rooftop tour represents a creative approach to urban tourism, combining architectural appreciation with adventure tourism while providing educational insights into Seoul's urban development and cultural evolution. This innovative program demonstrates how historic landmarks can be reimagined to offer new perspectives on familiar cityscapes, literally elevating the visitor experience to new heights.
