The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) kicked off its city brand development project in August 2022 to renew its city brand that best represents Seoul for enhancing its city competitiveness to take a leap forward as a global city.

As part of the first phase to discover Seoul’s unique identity, charms, and vision, the city held a public contest from August to September 2022, collecting various opinions from a total of 10,714 participants, including 1,647 internationals from 10 countries.

The city collected public opinion to draft a shortlist of slogans that contain the city’s vision based on the core values of “coexistence of tradition and the future” and “solidarity with the disadvantaged,” and conducted a preliminary poll on by 2,000 domestic and international participants.

The shortlist of slogans include: “Seoul for you,” “Amazing Seoul,” “Seoul, my soul,” and “Make it happen, Seoul.” The city will conduct a follow-up public preference survey to finalize the city brand and slogan project.

“Seoul for you” is a slogan that contains the philosophy of inclusive municipal administration that is in solidarity with the disadvantaged, signifying that Seoul, the capital of Korea, is a city for you (for all)—including culture, economy, and education.

“Amazing Seoul” is a slogan that captures the amazing image of Seoul that expresses a lively and cheerful atmosphere as the center of art, culture, enjoyment, and tradition.

“Seoul, my soul” is a slogan conceived from the fact that “Seoul” and “soul” are homonyms, signifying that the global elements of Seoul pertains to my, your, and everyone’s soul.

“Make it happen, Seoul” is a slogan that contains the potential of Seoul as a city that makes everything possible, signifying that it is a dynamic city where everything can come true. It was selected in consideration of the fact that international preference is higher than it is domestically.

The public preference survey will be open to both domestic and international participants, conducted online and offline for one month from December 28, 2022 to January 31, 2023.

Seoul will select the final brand and slogan based on the results of the public preference survey and expert review (scheduled to announce in February 2023).