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We commonly associate coloring books with children, but some months ago, coloring books designed for adults were all the rage in many countries, including Japan. Grown-up coloring books have been around for some time, but the sudden trend triggered off a new supply-and-demand chain reaction, filling the market with more coloring books for adults than ever.

However, in recent months, a somewhat similar yet new hobby has been silently enchanting adults in Korea with its simplistic beauty. Known as “Scratch Night View”, these scratch-off art projects promise breathtaking night views upon completion, and all you have to do is scratch the special board in the specified areas to unveil the beauty hidden in the darkness!

The new boom for adult coloring started when people began raving about how the activity improved their mental well-being by helping them to relieve stress and unwind. Some art therapists have even been known to use coloring books during their sessions as a therapeutic tool to help their patients. Therapeutic effects aside, coloring is also an activity that many of us have tried our hands at as kids, so it is a rather straightforward and approachable activity for those in search of a new hobby.

Making things even easier are these Scratch Night View boards produced by Seoul-based design studio Lago Design. Instead of filling in blank spaces with colored pencils, all you need is the scratch pen that comes in the set, and you’re ready to unravel the colors hidden underneath the gray scratch-off areas on the black board. It’s a no-brainer! After patiently scraping off every little dot and line, the initially monochromatic boards reveal gorgeous night-time scenery of various famous cityscapes and landmarks.

▼ All lit up!

▼ The Scratch Postcard series features landmarks of the world.

The Scratch Night View series retails for 19,000 Korean Won (US$16) per set on its official website, and there’re also similar postcard-sized versions that retail for 15,000 Korean Won (US$12.70) each. Lago’s official online store does not ship internationally, but the company also has official retail outlets on Ebay and Taobao catering to customers outside of Korea, although both international outlets appear to be out of stock at the moment. Keep an eye on their website or Facebook page for updates on their products!

Source: Zhaizhai News
Top image: Facebook/Lago Design