The Seoul Metropolitan Government will build a new visual landmark at the entrance to the capital from Incheon International Airport reminiscent of the famous Hollywood sign.

At present, there are signs that read "Seoul Welcomes You" at three major entryways into the capital. They were put up in 2011 but criticized for lacking both aesthetic appeal and punch.

The new visual structure will consist of the capital letters SEOUL and shamelessly copies the Hollywood sign in the Los Angeles hills set up in 1923 and designated as a cultural landmark in 1973.

The Hollywood sign stands 13.7 m tall and is 106.7 m long. The Seoul letters will stand 15 m tall and stretch for around 100 m. The most likely location is along the riverside expressway in Mapo.

Ahn Kyu-cheol an adviser to the city government in charge of the project, said, "There were suggestions to create a different structure like the 'Haechi' or mythical animal representing Seoul's cultural heritage and tradition, but we decided to go with the English sign due to uncertainties over which symbol people would agree on."

The sign will be completed by October at a cost of W1 billion (US$=W1,126).