Since the opening of the new government building in October 2012, Seoul Metropolitan City has been organizing various exhibition programs in collaboration with citizens, aimed at transforming it into a cultural space for empathy and communication. This year, it has launched the “2024 Seoul City Hall Media Art Competition” to provide the public with the opportunity to experience various forms of media art in their everyday life.

The second exhibition of the competition, Time Travel for Seoul features six works by four artist-teams that capture the diversity of the city's scenery and landscape. This exhibition suggests a “journey” around Seoul, offering citizens a moment of relaxation and rediscovering the city's fascinating landscape through these works: Metroband: Seoul captures the futuristic charm of Seoul through the city's skyline, Seoul: The Beauty of the Four Seasons, a new interpretation of historical significance and traditional culture through the four seasons of Gyeongbokgung Palace, Gate of Light, which expresses the hope of the city by replacing the landmark Gwanghwamun Gate with light, and Hyusim: 休心 series, the landscape of a new resting space created by the difference between diverse perspectives of Seoul's past, present, and future.

Joonhyung Bae received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Korea University and his Master of Engineering from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, where he also completed his doctoral coursework. As a media artist, he uses new media to explore human-centered technology, often employing a black comedic approach in his storytelling; he has also conducted research on the visualization of sound-based virtual performers for artistic applications. Bae has participated in exhibitions at the National Asia Culture Center, Daejeon Museum of Art, the 1st Seoul Convergence Art Festival Unfold X, and the 2024 Cultural Olympics Exhibition Program.

Metroband: Seoul captures the beautiful sunshine and skyline of Seoul as seen from a subway when it comes above ground during the day. The scene featuring five robot characters playing different instruments in a bright and lively march highlights Seoul's image as a futuristic and high-tech city. The clear skies and modern skyline visible through the windows capture the unique charm of Seoul, a city that harmonizes tradition and modernity. The vibrant plants filling the subway interior evoke Seoul's green spaces and parks, symbolizing the value of nature in the urban environment. This work vividly depicts the rich variety of Seoul’s culture and its dynamic energy.