Goethe in Seoul

Shin Kyuk-ho founded the candy factory 'Lotte Confectionery' many decades ago. The name 'Lotte' is derived from the character Charlotte from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's 'The Sorrows of Young Werther', as the founder was an admirer of German literature. He hoped that the company's products would become as lovable and popular as the literary character. Additionally, he aimed to evoke positive associations of sweetness, charm, and attraction – perfect for a candy company. Today, the Lotte Group is one of the largest and most influential conglomerates (Jaebeol) in South Korea and has a strong presence in the daily lives of Koreans through its robust B2C business in retail and tourism. The conglomerate has built the tallest building in Korea in Seoul: the Lotte World Tower. At 555 meters, it is also the fifth tallest building in the world. We wander around a bit in the luxurious shopping center at the foot of the tower and finally find, thanks to directions from friendly staff, the entrance to the elevators that take us to the 'Seoul Sky' observation deck, which extends over 7 floors. Confidently, I use the automated ticket machine, paying with my credit card, but I don't receive a ticket on my smartphone. The staff quickly resolves this issue and soon we zoom up into the sky at a speed of 10 meters per second. At the top, we are greeted by a breathtaking sunset: Lotte World Tower in Seoul. I specifically chose the visiting time so we could see the bird's-eye view in daylight, but also admire the lights of Seoul at night. We circle the tower at one level before ascending one more floor. Each level has a special feature: a café, an outdoor platform, a glass deck where it feels like you're floating in the air. Decorative flowers, souvenir shops, and portrait artists enhance the ambiance. We skip the bungee jumping and prefer to stay behind the glass panels. We spend some time in the café, looking out the window at the small world below and waiting for it to get completely dark. We then take a few night photos, which isn't so easy due to the reflective glass panels. Then we zoom down again with the high-speed elevator, where you can't feel the movement at all. You only notice the speed by the pressure in your ears. Before we take the metro back to the hotel, we visit the small park next to the skyscraper to see the Goethe monument, which was erected in collaboration with the Classic Foundation Weimar in honor of the origin of the company's name.