Dongdaemun Design Plaza transforms into giant open-air getaway

Not every summer escape requires a coastal highway or a mountain trail.

This year, the Seoul Design Foundation is betting that live music, open-air lounges and a curated night market can turn the city's sleekest architectural landmark into a premier vacation destination.

The foundation said Wednesday it will host the DDP Vacance: DDP Music Festival from July 31 through Aug.

2 at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza’s (DDP) Eoullim Square.

The three-day event is explicitly designed as a metropolitan retreat, inviting worn-out office workers, local residents, and international tourists to experience Seoul’s nightlife without leaving the urban core.

Operating from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily, the festival aims to rewrite the script for city events.

Organizers noted that unlike conventional music festivals where audiences scatter immediately after the headliner finishes, DDP Vacance is engineered to make people linger, relax and explore long after sunset.

The festival’s sonic backdrop will change each night, featuring three distinct, themed evenings of live music.

A lineup of smooth jazz will ope ...