Giant hand sculpture in Incheon, South Korea, draws complaints for looking ‘offensive’
A towering hand sculpture, four to five metres high and about three metres wide, has become a focal point on the waterfront of Long Beach Park in Songdo International City. Installed as a photo‑spot for visitors, the work depicts a hand with the thumb, index and pinky extended, echoing a well‑known American Sign Language sign.
The artist modeled the piece on the ASL gesture that means I love you, casting it in glass fibre‑reinforced concrete at a cost of roughly 200 million won. The intention was to celebrate love and promote sign language awareness in a globally visited district.
However, some residents argue that from certain angles the hand resembles an offensive middle‑finger gesture or a symbol associated with a far‑right online community. Complaints grew quickly, prompting authorities to cover the sculpture with a tarp while they consider how to address the concerns.
Officials have said they will install an explanatory plaque to clarify the intended message, and the local deaf community has voiced support, noting that the work could raise disability awareness and foster cross‑cultural communication.