Exploring Lotte World Tower: A Must-Visit Attraction in South Korea

Lotte World Tower (Korean: 롯데월드타워), also known as Lotte Super Tower 123, is a 123-story skyscraper located near the existing Lotte World complex, which opened in 1989, in Seoul, South Korea.

With a height of 555 meters, the building became the fifth tallest skyscraper in the world when it opened in 2017. Groundbreaking initially took place in 2005, but construction was postponed until February 2010 due to height restrictions imposed by the proximity of the airport. These restrictions were lifted in 2009.

The 123rd and final floor was completed in December 2015.

The building was climbed by the duo Ontheroofs.

In December 2018, the building won the Emporis Skyscraper Award 2017, which recognizes the most remarkable skyscraper built during that year.

The Lotte World Tower, a skyscraper that aims high


After 13 years of planning and site preparation, the tower received final approval from the government to commence construction in November 2010. The first groundbreaking activities, including piling and frame assembly, were observed at the construction site in March.

On New Year’s Eve of 2016, the LED pixels on the tower’s facade displayed the number “2016.”

To celebrate the tower’s official opening, Lotte organized a fireworks display on April 3rd, 2017. Additionally, on January 1st, 2018, Lotte arranged another fireworks show along with a 7-minute LED laser show to commemorate New Year’s Day and the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

View of Seoul and the Lotte World Tower from the ramparts of Namhansanseong Fortress. 

On March 17th, 2016, before the final phase of external construction, the Diagrid lantern-shaped roof structure of Lotte World Tower was completed. This roof structure was constructed using steel counterparts, each measuring 12 meters in length and weighing 20 tons. The counterparts were made up of 6 cm thick bent metal panels. The structure itself stands at a height of 120 meters and covers floors 107 to 123 of the tower. The construction of the roof involved approximately 3,000 tons of steel parts, a high-precision 64-ton tower crane, GPS alignment systems, and highly skilled welding technicians. The roof structure is designed to withstand its own weight without the need for reinforcing pillars, capable of withstanding earthquakes up to a magnitude of 9 on the Richter scale, and resisting winds up to 80 m/s. Lotte World Tower is also the 5th tallest building in the world.

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Landmark

Lotte World Tower has become a significant landmark in Seoul and is the first 100-story building in Korea. At the time of its completion, it ranked as the fourth tallest tower in the world and the tallest in the OECD countries. The conceptual design features a slender cone shape with gently curved convex sides. The exterior of the tower, made of pale-colored glass, draws inspiration from Korean ceramics and incorporates accents of metal filigree.

Olympic-ro street. 

Seoul Sky


Seoul Sky is situated on the 117th to 123rd floors of Lotte World Tower. The 117th floor serves as the entrance floor and offers a stunning view of the city. On the 118th floor, you can find the Sky Friendly Cafe and Sky Terrace, providing a comfortable space to relax and enjoy the scenery. The 119th floor houses the Photozone, where visitors can capture memorable moments. Seoul Sky Cafe is located on the 122nd floor, while the 123rd floor features the 123 Lounge, a premium lounge bar.

There are four media stands available on the 117th and 118th floors, providing information and interactive experiences. The view floor offers breathtaking panoramic views of the city and incorporates a glass floor section and a telescope for closer observation. Notably, the skylight of Seoul Sky was the highest glass floor observatory at the time of the tower’s completion.

Lotte Tower and One World Trade Center have entered into an operation and technical service agreement, which suggests collaboration and sharing of expertise between the two iconic buildings.

A glass-floored observation deck

FloorsUse
117th~123rd floorObservation deck (SEOUL SKY)
105th~114th floorPrivate office
76th~101st floorLotte Hotel (SIGNIEL SEOUL)
42nd~71st floorResidence (SIGNIEL RESIDENCES)
14th~38th floorPrime office
5th~12th floorPodium
1st~2nd floorLobby
B1~B2Observation entrance
B3~B6Parking lot
Large-scale Media Art, a screen projecting images from South Korea. 

Sky Terrace

On the 120th floor of Lotte World Tower, visitors have the opportunity to access an open-air terrace. However, for safety purposes, the terrace is surrounded by large protective glass, which may affect the quality of photographs. Nonetheless, the panoramic view from the terrace is truly magnificent, with the Han River and Mount Namsan serving as the focal points of the scenery. From this vantage point, one can also observe landmarks such as the Jamsil Bridge in the bottom right, as well as the Cheongdam, Yeongdong, and Seongsu Bridges in the distance.

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Night has fallen, Seoul lights up with a thousand lights. 

Useful information


Address : 300, Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul (서울특별시 송파구 올림픽로 300)
Website (in English): www. lwt.co.kr/tower/
Hours : Sunday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., Friday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Prices : Adults, 27,000 won (about 21 USD); children, 24,000 won (about 18 USD). Tickets are valid for a specific day and time slot.

References 

  1. Jump to:b “Lotte World Premium Tower”CTBUH . Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  2. “World Tower should open on schedule: Lotte” . Hyungkuk F&B acquires online shopping mall The Korea Herald . August 3, 2016 . Retrieved August 8, 2016 .
  3. ↑ “Lotte World 2 Winnings Final Approval” . KBS World Radio (in English) . November 12, 2012.
  4. ↑ «SEOUL | Lotte World Tower | 555m | 1819ft | 123fl | Com» . SkyscraperCity (in US English) . Retrieved March 11, 2021 .
  5. “KPF Pen 555m Tall Korean Tower ” . October 21, 2009.


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Mohamed SAKHRI

I am Mohamed SAKHRI, the creator and editor-in-chief of this blog, 'Discover the World – The Blog for Curious Travelers.' Join me as we embark on a journey around the world, uncovering beautiful places, diverse cultures, and captivating stories. Additionally, we will delve into mysterious and, at times, even bizarre destinations.

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