1600 Pandas in SEOUL

When I was younger I had a massive obsession with pandas. Anyone that grew up with me knew this (seriously it was pretty bad), however over the years I can say that the obsession has diminished more and more.

Yet when I found out that French sculpture Paulo Grangeon’s 1600 Panda Exhibit was coming to Seoul I was determined to see it!. The exhibit is pretty much hundreds of adorable papier-mâché pandas – 1,600 of them!

I realized that most people didn’t actually know the story behind the pandas they mostly thought it was just cute. But there’s more to these paper animals than how cute they are. These pandas are here for a good cause and to create awareness of animal welfare. (Something i am quite passionate about) These 1,600 pandas are a symbolic representation of the number of pandas still left in the wild.

The pandas would travel all around Seoul and pop up in difference places throughout the month. The very first place that they stopped was 세종문화회관 Sejong PAC on Saturday May 25th. My boyfriend thankfully wasn’t busy with school too much and came with me. It was a little sad that you had to stay outside a roped off line and couldn’t really take pictures with the pandas but i understood. (They would yell in Korean please do not cross the ropes! every 2 minutes)

We wandered around took pictures had a fun time. As well as bought some panda swag. You can purchase cute little panda bags and gifts. (I opted for buttons, postcards, and a bag (not pictured).) 

I actually ended up seeing the pandas twice here as well as at Dongdaemun Design Plaza 동대문디자인플라자(DDP) with another friend, because she had no idea about this event. The Dongdaemun one was pretty cute too, because they are hidden in the led flowers. (but it was just too hard trying to take pictures because it is such a confined space!)

The pandas never stayed in the same place very long and bounced around all of Seoul. They were only out for a few hours then moved on. They will move around all of Korea and make their way down South. If you want to know their schedule you have to check in their facebook page weekly. They seem to add places as they go along. (Also with MERS outbreak be warned that events may be canceled)

I like that at this event they were trying to tell people about animal welfare. however i noticed most people just kind of weren’t paying attention or were too busy taking picture. But is was nice that they tried informing them!