The 63 City skyscraper in Yeouido has already become a major Seoul landmark, commanding spectacular views of the city. Standing 249 meters (817 ft) high and comprising 60 floors and three basement levels, 63 City is one of Korea’s tallest and most recognized skyscrapers. Soon the landmark will have an additional feature to attract lots of tourists with the Hanwha Galleria Timeworld Duty-free Shop making its debut in December.
Hanwha Galleria said it plans to advance the renovation of the 63 City building, originally scheduled for September, to the earliest possible date. The renovation will be made to some inside facilities, including the duty-free shop and the Aquaria at 63 Sea World.
Hanwha Galleria has been selected as one of duty-free shop operators by the government. Hanwha Galleria said the selection was owed to the company’s presentation of a plan to develop the 63 City building, Hangang and Yeouido area into a new tourism resource; making tourism-related software and hardware Seoul’s new major tourism attraction; and Hanwha Galleria’s ambition of becoming a duty-free shop operator contributing to the development of the domestic tourism industry.
Hanwha Galleria said the duty-free shop at the 63 City building will be ultimately divert foreign tourists from downtown Seoul to the Yeouido area and create a new tourism environment combining tourism, culture and shopping.
The company also said it will devote itself to becoming an exemplary duty-free shop operator by translating into action such corporate social responsibilities as the support of SME products’ quality management and market exploration, and the contribution of regional social development.
“Hanwha Galleria will develop theme tourism products combining the latent tourism infrastructure of the Hangang and Yeouido area and hallyu (Korean Wave) cultural content and introduce a new duty-free business concept, and retain the group’s corporate image as a ‘trustworthy, beloved corporation’ to be true to the group credo of ‘Going Further Together,’” Hanwha Galleria President Hwang Yong-deuk said.
63 City Skyscraper, a Tourism Mecca
The tower isn't just an observatory for panoramic views of the city, it is a multi-venue leisure complex featuring an aquarium, art gallery, IMAX cinema, performance hall and wax museum, making it a popular spot for dates and family outings.
63 City’s distinctive gold color is the real deal; each of the 14,000 panes of glass was coated with a thin film of 24-carat gold, which catches the sunshine, reflecting gold, red and silver as the sun sets, giving the tower its stunning multi-colored sheen. In total, 5 kilos of solid gold was used on the outer surface of the building, equivalent to 0.36g per sheet of glass. It is not just the outside of 63 City, which is remarkable. The observation elevators, which serve the viewing platform, ascend at a speed of 460 meters per minute, taking just 25 seconds to reach the top, giving passengers the sensation of a rocket-powered take-off as they enjoy breathtaking views.
The 63 Sea World welcomes visitors to a magical marine experience with its large aquarium, animal shows, musicals and a variety of daily performances. Around 20,000 sea creatures from 400 different species live here in a range of specially recreated natural habitats, from tropical forests and jungles to polar regions, giving visitors a glimpse into the lives of some of the world’s rare aquatic creatures.
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