"Cut off that bastard's head"... 'Advertising Genius's' No Smoking Sign Appears in Gwanghwamun

[Financial News] Amid a surge in foreign tourists visiting royal palaces, unique no-smoking signs depicting a Joseon Dynasty king and queen covering their noses to avoid cigarette smoke have appeared in the Gwanghwamun area of ​​Seoul.

On the 27th, Lee Je-seok Advertising Research Institute announced that it had developed five types of no-smoking signs to prevent unauthorized smoking around cultural heritage sites and had installed them on a trial basis in the Gyeongbokgung Palace area.
The newly developed sign features expressions of displeasure on the faces of a King, Queen, civil officials, and gatekeepers from the Joseon Dynasty regarding cigarette smoke. These images have been applied to standard traffic safety sign formats, including circular prohibition signs, triangular warning signs, and octagonal stop signs.
The text on the signs was written in English and Chinese, targeting foreign visitors. Along with phrases such as "No smoking in cultural heritage sites" and "Smoking is destruction," the warnings also included a message of mutual respect: "You must respect me to be respected."
The signage was written in both English and Chinese. While the English text was concisely composed mainly of "No Smoking Area" instructions, the Chinese text attracted attention with strong slogans such as "No Smoking in Cultural Heritage Sites," "Smoking Means Destruction," and "You Must Respect Me to Be Respected."

Representative Lee revealed the motivation behind creating the signs through a YouTube video, stating, "Tourists from all over the world speak different languages, but everyone recognizes pictures regardless of the language," and explained, "I felt that there was a need for easier and more intuitive visual guidance so that everyone from grandfathers to kindergarteners could understand."
He continued by emphasizing, "Leaving aside the suffering caused by the black smoke coming from that guy's mouth, our history could burn down," adding, "We have imbued this warning message with the weight of history and authority before our ancestors became enraged."
Regarding the inclusion of the word 'respect' on the sign, he said, "I have seen surveys where some foreign tourists expressed disappointment with the attitude of Koreans," adding, "I wanted to ask back whether our attitude toward them ultimately depends on their attitude."
The number of foreign tourists visiting royal palaces is on the rise. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of foreign tourists visiting Seoul last year reached 14.85 million, marking an all-time high.
According to statistics from the National Heritage Administration, the number of foreign visitors to Gyeongbokgung Palace last year also reached 2.78 million, an increase of nearly 40% compared to the previous year. However, along with the increase in visitors, violations of basic order, such as smoking and the unauthorized disposal of cigarette butts around the palace, continue to occur.
Meanwhile, the research institute stated, "We plan to distribute the original file of this sign, created through a humble talent donation, for free via the institute's website," adding that local governments, public institutions, and the general public can freely use it for public benefit purposes.

[email protected] Seong Min-seo Reporter