Seoul is bringing printing out of the workshop and into the public square Thursday, inviting visitors to explore centuries-old techniques, experiment with modern printing technology and discover how an industry often taken for granted continues to evolve. The 17th Seoul Printing Awards and Printing Culture Festival will open at 10:30 a.m. at Cheonggye Plaza under the theme “Printing connects the world,” the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday. This year’s Seoul Printing Awards attracted a record 277 entries, with the grand prize going to FORTUNE ART SERIES by Taeyoung Plus. The winning work reinterprets traditional Korean folk paintings using shredded banknotes, combining printed textures and colors with acrylic, laser cutting and an emphasis on resource recycling. Four entries received gold prizes, including a four-piece Hypnotic Paradise diary set by Eco de Soul, a handmade calendar and notebook collection using rice-straw paper by Seongbo Paper, a work titled “Horse,” inspired by Korean folk symbolism, by Art Printing Co., and packaging for Daewon Pharmaceutical’s