The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) has announced its decision to unveil a new "Seoul Color" each year, reflecting the changing lifestyles and interests of its citizens. For the year 2024, the city has introduced "Skycoral" as the designated Seoul Color.
Seoul Metropolitan Government
Skycoral draws inspiration from the pink hues of the sunset over the Hangang River and has been selected based on three key criteria: reflecting significant issues of Seoul in the upcoming year, embodying the lifestyles of citizens, and serving as a relatable and communicative color. This vibrant hue will now be prominently featured at key landmarks and in various merchandise throughout Seoul.
Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul Metropolitan Government
In fact, this isn't the first time Seoul has introduced its "Colors of Seoul." In the past, the city introduced a collection of ten "Colors of Seoul" in 2008, including Dancheong Red, Hangang Silver, Seoul Sky Blue, Kkotdam Hwangto, Palace Brown, Giwa Dark Gray, Doldam Light Gray, Namsan Green, Eunhaeng Yellow, and Sambe Beige. These colors were primarily chosen for their environmental impact on the cityscape, but their practical applications were limited, leading to their gradual fade into obscurity. However, the methodical and scientific approach used to select these colors is worth noting.
Seoul Metropolitan Government
To choose the colors, the city initially identified 250 "Seoul phenomenon colors," narrowed them down to 50 "Seoul regional colors," and finally selected 10 "Seoul representative colors" by extracting colors from Seoul's natural and artificial environments. Various methods, including visual comparison using color samples, on-site color measurement using colorimeters, and digital photography, were employed to quantify the color characteristics accurately.
Seoul Metropolitan Government 
Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul Metropolitan Government
Among the 50 Seoul regional colors, a selection of "Top 10 colors with high visual exposure frequency" was made, considering prominent locations such as Namsan, 63 Building, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Hangang River, Myeongdong, Gwanghwamun, Jongno, Daehak-ro, Seoul Station, and Deoksugung Palace. While scientifically and cultural-orientedly chosen, these colors did not gain widespread usage, possibly due to their subdued tones.
Seoul Metropolitan Government
To address this, the city has now chosen a beautiful color palette that people can use in their daily lives, adopting a more "citizen-centric" approach. Before finalizing Skycoral, the city conducted an analysis of Seoul citizens' lifestyles and trends for 2024, identifying the Hangang River as a central theme, reflecting citizens' increased interest in leisure activities, fitness, employment, concerts, shopping, cafes, trends, work-life balance, and travel. Notably, leisure activities increased by 27.3% before and after COVID-19, making the Hangang River a popular choice for recreation.
A survey involving 1,014 citizens and 45 color experts revealed that the Hangang River claimed the top spot as both the representative landmark of Seoul and a desired destination for citizens in 2024. Skycoral was then introduced as the first annual color, following a surge in searches for "pink sunset" visible during the summer months, particularly from June to September.
Fun fact: According to a survey by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, citizens associated the year 2023 with a 'Cold Color,' a sentiment attributed by some to the lingering effects of COVID-19.
(If you want to know just how special the Han River is to Seoulites, check out our other blog)
The Seoul Color program aims to illuminate key landmarks across the city and feature in exclusive merchandise. Skycoral will be integrated into various products through collaborations with corporations such as Noroo Paint, mini table from LG Chem, and cosmetic brand ToHealMe.
Seoul Metropolitan Government
Despite the ongoing challenges posed by the pandemic, the Seoul Metropolitan Government seeks to change the city's atmosphere by proudly presenting a symbolic color unique to Seoul. While the pandemic has not entirely disappeared, it will be interesting to observe if such policies can infuse warmth into the hearts that may have felt lonely and cold during the pandemic.