Guro-gu 'Anyangcheon Love Family Health Walking Contest' Held Online

Using Smartphones to Verify at 7 of 11 Designated Spots for Completion... Film Festivals, Concerts, Education, and Various Online Events Presented Amid COVID-19

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] “Walk alone, clean up, and enjoy the scenery!”

Guro-gu (Mayor Lee Sung) is holding the ‘Anyangcheon Love Family Health Walking Contest’ online.

Guro-gu announced on the 14th that, as part of efforts to hold various events while maintaining social distancing amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the existing offline event ‘Anyangcheon Love Family Health Walking Contest’ will be conducted online.

The ‘Anyangcheon Love Family Health Walking Contest’ began in 2003 with the purpose of keeping Anyangcheon, the region’s representative stream, clean and green. About 1,000 residents gathered once a month on Sunday mornings to walk a 4km course around Anyangcheon and carry out environmental cleanup activities.

However, Guro-gu temporarily postponed the contest earlier this year to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Following requests to hold the walking contest, a combined online and offline method was devised so that residents could participate without gathering.

This walking contest is conducted by participants visiting Anyangcheon at their convenient time with a smartphone and receiving certification at designated points. Participants who get certified within this month will be recognized as participants.

Any resident with a smartphone (excluding iPhones) can participate. By accessing the Guro-gu Smart Tourism Electronic Map website, logging in, and entering the ‘Stamp Tour’ at the center bottom, participants can enter the ‘Anyangcheon Love Family Health Online Walking Event’ page. When a participant passes within 20 meters of a designated point, the red dot on the smartphone screen changes to a yellow star, confirming the visit.

The designated points are 11 locations around Anyangcheon: ▲In front of the water fountain at A Soccer Field ▲Water Playground ▲Sports facilities under Ogeum Bridge ▲Entrance to the Rose Garden ▲In front of the Fine Dust Traffic Light ▲Exit of the Ecological Flower Garden ▲Entrance to the Park Golf Course ▲Rural Experience Center ▲In front of the Dog Park ▲Jokgu Field ▲Stepping Stones. A completion certificate is issued to those who pass at least 7 of these points. Guide signs are installed at each point.

A prize event will also be held for completers. The certificate numbers of completers will be randomly drawn to award prizes to 57 people.

An excellent photo contest is also underway. Participants who submit their completion certificate along with photos taken at Anyangcheon to the district office website by the end of this month will be judged, and 5 winners will receive gift certificates worth 50,000 KRW. Detailed information can be found on the district office website.

For residents unfamiliar with smartphone use, guidance on how to participate in the contest will be provided every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10 a.m. until the 31st of this month at the open space under Gocheok Bridge.

A Guro-gu official said, “We hope this walking contest will help clean Anyangcheon and relieve stress caused by COVID-19.”

Guro-gu has been developing various online projects in response to changes in the environment during the COVID era.

The recently concluded Seoul Guro International Children’s Film Festival was held mainly as an online and non-face-to-face event. The opening and closing ceremonies were live-streamed online with minimal attendance, and unique programs such as an online free screening room and drive-in cinema were operated.

Earlier in March, to comfort residents exhausted by COVID-19 and fill the cultural gap, an online concert ‘Delivered Home’ was held. YouTubers MIGI, Yoyomi, Han I-jae, Kwak Jong-mok, and Hongsi performed no-audience shows through online platforms. On World Citizens’ Day (May 20), an ‘Online World Citizens’ Day Festival’ was also held.

Non-face-to-face online lectures were also provided. These included a live special lecture on the education system titled ‘Asking About Education in Korea,’ online home training for residents’ health promotion, after-school learning support programs to address educational gaps, resident informatization education, and training for reading discussion leaders.