Hosting a major sporting event is a proven way for a city to raise its international profile. Seoul’s image was dramatically reshaped by the 1988 Olympic Games, and Incheon is preparing for a similar transformation as it hosts the 2014 Asian Games. To gear up for the event, the city is building a striking new 60,000-seat stadium designed specifically for the Games.
Although the stadium is meant to symbolize Incheon’s future, construction unexpectedly revealed traces of its past. Early foundation work uncovered ancient tombs from the Baekje Kingdom (18 B.C.–A.D. 660) and the remains of pit-houses dating to the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1897). Those discoveries offer a vivid reminder of how Korea has evolved—from a historically insular society that seldom welcomed outsiders to a nation now in the global spotlight.