In the previous article in our magazine (“The University of Seoul (UOS) Needs a New Brand Paradigm,” 2020.10), we emphasized the need for a new brand paradigm for the school. According to the survey conducted as part of this study, 43.1 percent of the students said that they did not have a clear image of the school. The study took a deep look at the psychological aspects of the need for a shift in school promotional strategies. 

However, a fundamental issue has been that there is no explicit symbol of the school on the campus. To uphold a specific image of the school, efforts have been made to create new symbols. In addition, utilizing the existing symbols could be a great solution. This article introduces the thingsthat have usually been used to represent the UOS. These iconic structures have long been with the UOS and contain the hidden value of the school.
 

Main Gate

There is a major problem with the location of the UOS. The Jeon-nong Church and large mansions prevent the UOS from being seen at the main intersection. Since they cannot be simply removed, a symbol was built to show the way to the school. It is “The Tower of the University of Seoul,” also known as “Si-dae Tap.” The open shape of the structure stands for “ㅅ” of Seoul and a Chinese character that means people. It looks similar to the image of a person walking, which signifies moving forward and constantly developing. Just like the slogan of the school, it aims to lead the spirit of the times and future values.
 

Unlike other universities, the main gate of the UOS has no door-shaped structure. This is a unique characteristic of our university. Originally, there was a door-shaped main gate. However, it was demolished as it was covered by too many plants, which increased the risk of collapse. In its place, two structures facing each other stand today, which are modeled after the emblem of the school. The emblem is an expression of “S” of Seoul and “Tae-geuk,” the iconic pattern of the South Korean people. Moreover, the main gate represents the spiritual image of an “open university” pursued by the UOS. This is why the whole campus focuses on the movement of people rather than cars; resultantly, any citizen can enter the campus freely.
 

Jang-san-got-mae

The UOS is the only university that has “Jang-san-got-mae (Peregrine falcon, in English)” as the symbolic animal. It was selected by a survey to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the school’s foundation. In South Korea, it is used in the lyrics of many protest songs and was well known throughout the pro-democracy movement. In front of the headquarters, there is a statue that has this falcon on the top, known as “The Alumni Tower.” It was designed by Kim Chang-hee, a sculptor and founding member of the Department of Environmental Sculpture.
 

This statue has many hidden symbols. It has a nine-angled shape, which is the number of institutions that form the parent body of the UOS. As all these nine institutions are educational, the statue is reminiscent of a pencil, indicating that this is a place for exploring the truth. The circular pedestal, which supports the symbolic animal, is said to mean that the alumni invariably support the school. The tower was built with donations from the alumni, and many alumni from each field donated for the development of the school. Finally, a star-shaped pattern is engraved; it is the insignia of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, which symbolizes that the school was founded by the citizens of Seoul.
 

Students are not very aware of the meaning or existence of these symbols. Resultantly, the meaning is fading away. If more students become aware of these hidden symbols, they will feel something different: pride in their school. Only then will these structures develop into true symbols of the school. The UOS Times would like to conclude the article with a student’s opinion about the last construction process of the main entrance. “Even without the presence of the main gate, the presence of the UOS will grow as time passes.” 

Kim Jae-kyeom 
kjk03161@uos.ac.kr