Jeju, ‘full of orange waves’, completes two-year seat improvement project

(Edaily Starin Reporter Heo Yun-soo) K League 1 Jeju United filled Jeju World Cup Stadium with orange light.

Jeju World Cup Stadium, which opened on December 9, 2001, has hosted various international events, including the 2002 FIFA Korea-Japan World Cup, the 2007 FIFA U-17 World Cup, and the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Since 2006, it has been used as the home stadium of Jeju United, Jeju’s only professional sports team.

As more than 20 years have passed since its opening, the facility has become outdated and the need for improvement has emerged. Jeju has begun mid- to long-term improvement work with the Seogwipo City Sports Promotion Department. Starting with lawn repair work in 2019, restroom remodeling work was carried out the following year. Starting in 2022, we began improving seats by replacing premium seats and launching new ones.

In particular, unlike before, which was achromatic, the team established its identity by installing seats in orange, the symbol of the Jeju club. The two-tone color scheme symbolizes the appearance of turning orange. The seat spacing was also widened from 35cm to 50cm to consider the convenience of spectators.

According to Jeju, the total project cost was KRW 1.4 billion in 2023 and KRW 1.5 billion in 20224, for a total of KRW 2.9 billion. The construction period was carried out over 2023 (7 months) and 2024 (2 months). All work was completed with N/S seats replaced ahead of the final home match against Gwangju FC on the 10th.

Regarding the seat improvement project, a Seogwipo City official said, “It was to provide a better environment for the Jeju World Cup Stadium, which is a public space for citizens.” He added, “For over 20 years since its completion in 2001, small, colorless chairs were changed for the convenience of citizens. It has great significance in that respect. “I hope you can sit more comfortably in the new seats in Jeju’s colors,” he said.

Heo Yun-su (yunsport@edaily.co.kr)