Girls' Generation 6th Anniversary Subway Poster Ad in Seoul (2013)

In July 2013, a poster marking the 6th anniversary of Girls' Generation (소녀시대) went up in Seoul subway stations. The poster carries a message from fans in Japan, written in both Korean and Japanese, and is signed "J-S♥NE". Our photos show the same design in four different stations. Here is what it looked like, and how fans abroad can plan something similar.

Where was the ad displayed?

Our photos are filed under four station names: Samseong, Sincheon, Euljiro 1-ga and Hongik University. In each one, the poster sits in a framed poster slot on a tiled wall, in three of them right next to a staircase that passengers walk up and down.

We are using the station names as our photo files record them. We don't have a note of the exact exit or corridor in each station, so we have left that out.

What did the ad look like?

It is a tall, portrait poster with a night-sky background full of stars. Across the top, "6th Anniversary" is written in curved red letters with a white outline. Below it is a concert photo of the group seated on a stage set shaped like a large cake, with a castle drawn in behind them.

The lower third holds the message. In white handwriting-style Korean it says "앞으로도 일본에서 소녀시대를 응원하고 있읍니다", which means roughly "We will keep cheering for Girls' Generation from Japan." Under that, in pink Japanese, is "日本に来てくれてありがとう！" ("Thank you for coming to Japan!"). The signature "J-S♥NE" sits in the bottom right corner, with a heart in place of the letter O.

The same artwork was used in every station we photographed. It sits beside everyday local ads, which is typical for this kind of poster slot.

When did it run?

Our photos were all taken on 24 July 2013, at the four stations within about two hours of each other. That tells us the posters were up on that day. We don't have a record of the start or end date, so we are not guessing at how long they stayed.

Who organized it?

The poster is signed "J-S♥NE", and the message itself says it comes from fans in Japan. That is everything the ad tells us, so we keep to those words.

It is a clear example of fans in another country sending a message to their artist through the Seoul subway.

What is a subway poster ad?

A subway poster ad is a printed sheet placed in a fixed frame on a station wall. The frames are found along corridors, beside staircases and near exits, so people pass them on foot at close range and have time to read a few lines of text.

Because each poster is a separate slot, one design can be repeated in several stations, as this ad was. Fans often choose stations that mean something to the fandom, or spread a few posters across different parts of the city. A portrait poster suits one strong photo with a short message under it, and it leaves room for two languages, as this one shows.

How can fans overseas place a similar ad in Korea?

The fans behind this poster were writing from Japan, and you can do the same from wherever you are. In general, the steps are:

1. Choose the occasion and the date you want to mark.
2. Decide where the ad should appear: subway station posters, a city bus or another spot.
3. Prepare your message and photos, and make sure you have the right to use them.
4. Send us your idea. We will reply with the options that are open for your dates.

If you would like the same poster in more than one station, tell us that at the start, since each station is booked separately.

See How It Works for the full process. Ready to start? Request a quote and tell us about your project. Costs depend on the ad type, the stations and the dates, so please contact us for a quote.

We share past fan ads as examples of what fans have done. If you would like this page changed or removed, please use our removal request form.