Jungnang Media Center... Seocho Smart Youth Center Opening

[Seoul District News] Jungnang Media Center: A comprehensive public cultural facility supporting various educational programs, video production equipment, and related facilities to help residents easily access media and engage in diverse media culture activities in the evolving digital media environment... Seocho Smart Youth Center! The nation's first youth-exclusive 4th Industrial Revolution experience center now fully operational... Dongjak-gu 'Gurip Sangdo 4-dong Youth Reading Room' remodeling completed this month... Yeongdeungpo-gu's 'YDP Creative Arts Education Center,' a place where youth creativity grows... Yongsan-gu, youth

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) held the opening ceremony of the Jungnang Media Center (209 Yongmasan-ro, Jungnang-gu) located in Myeonmok-dong on the afternoon of the 28th, officially commencing its operation.

The Jungnang Media Center is a comprehensive public cultural infrastructure facility that supports various educational programs, video production equipment, and related facilities so that residents can easily access media and engage in diverse media cultural activities in the evolving digital media environment.

Originating from a residents' roundtable proposal in 2018, the media center went through the establishment of a basic plan, enactment of related ordinances, naming contests, resident surveys, and explanatory meetings.

The opening ceremony was attended by a small number of guests including Jungnang-gu Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi and was simultaneously broadcast live on YouTube. It began with a congratulatory performance by Jungnang artist Bruna, followed by reports on the center’s establishment and operation plans, congratulatory speeches, and a unveiling ceremony.

Notably, when introducing the media center’s facilities and operations, the event was held in a virtual space of the Jungnang Media Center implemented within the metaverse platform ‘Zepeto,’ allowing residents who could not attend in person to visit and explore the media center in the metaverse.

Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi of Jungnang-gu said, “Now, anyone among the residents can easily become a media provider at the center, moving beyond the simple role of consumers,” and added, “Please look forward to the media center becoming the hub of local media cultural activities.”

Seocho-gu (Acting Mayor Cheon Jeong-wook) announced that the Seocho Youth Center will reopen on January 3 next year as a smart youth center exclusively for youth, equipped with the latest media facilities, after about a year of remodeling.

The reopened center, spanning from basement level 4 to the 8th floor above ground with a total floor area of 2,961㎡, will be known as the ‘Seocho Smart Youth Center.’ Its most notable feature is the nationwide first installation of advanced equipment for 4th industrial revolution experiential education tailored for youth.

The center is equipped with a 10-meter immersive media lounge, a chroma key studio capable of real-time YouTube broadcasting, a metaverse studio, and smart mirrors. These facilities will enable diverse and multidimensional 4th industrial revolution experiential education activities such as online lectures, 3D modeling, VR content production, smart sports, virtual presentations, and exhibitions.

Additionally, a smart emotional support center will operate using smart devices (mental health kiosks, VR-based healing). The center plans to provide a smart mental care project tailored for youth to maintain mental health, including play art therapy and speech therapy, with comprehensive psychological assessments and support available through clinical psychologists.

Since the 20th of this month, the center has been running a reopening commemorative weekly program allowing local youth to experience the center in advance.

During the pilot operation, programs such as metaverse and 3D modeling education and experiences, color therapy using immersive media, scent therapy experiences incorporating XR technology (extended reality: a mix of virtual and augmented reality), and creating personalized music videos using smart mirrors and chroma key studios are being conducted.

Regular programs starting from January next year can be registered for on the Seocho Smart Youth Center website.

Meanwhile, in October during remodeling, the district created virtual Seocho and Bangbae Youth Centers in the metaverse and held a ‘Youth Metaverse Festival.’ This event continuously presented new models of youth play culture based on future technologies, including lectures, escape room games, and youth song festivals in virtual spaces.

Acting Mayor Cheon Jeong-wook of Seocho-gu said, “To nurture youth who will lead the 4th industrial revolution era, it is necessary to shift youth policies in line with the times,” and added, “We will spare no support to enable the Seocho Smart Youth Center to operate various projects for the smart lives of local youth.”

Dongjak-gu (Mayor Lee Chang-woo) recently completed the remodeling project of the public Sangdo 4-dong Youth Reading Room (photo) and announced its official reopening on the 2nd of next month.

The public Sangdo 4-dong Youth Reading Room (67 Seongdaero 11-gil), built over 32 years ago, had long faced demands from local youth and residents for facility improvements due to aging infrastructure and limited space.

Youth members of the ‘Dongjak-gu Youth Participation Committee’ proposed improvements for the Sangdo 4-dong Youth Reading Room after the premium remodeling of the Sadang 3-dong Youth Reading Room at the end of 2019 received great responses, bringing the space improvement into public discussion.

Responding to these requests, the district secured remodeling funds this year, began construction in August, and completed it by the end of this month.

With this space improvement, the reading room has been newly created with a total floor area of 200㎡ (basement 1 to ground 1 floor) and a total of 52 seats (16 male, 16 female, 20 common), including new spaces such as a lounge.

Especially, before construction began, a resident survey was conducted to actively reflect user opinions on ▲sleek library design, ▲introduction of open reading rooms, ▲securing study room spaces, ▲installation of kiosks and white noise machines, ▲replacement with the latest chairs, ▲restroom improvements, and ▲provision of multifunction devices and personal lockers.

The public Sangdo 4-dong Youth Reading Room is available for use at 3,000 KRW (youth) and 5,000 KRW (adults) per day. For more details, inquiries can be made to the Dongjak-gu Child and Youth Division or the Sangdo 4-dong Youth Reading Room.

Park Ju-il, head of the Child and Youth Division, said, “The remodeled Sangdo 4-dong Youth Reading Room, reflecting user opinions during the process, is expected to receive much love from residents,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to improve facilities of aging youth reading rooms in the district.”

Yeongdeungpo-gu (Mayor Chae Hyun-il) announced that it opened and is operating the youth self-learning center ‘YDP Creative Arts Education Center’ on the 30th of last month to help local youth enhance their artistic sensitivity and provide creative arts education programs.

The ‘YDP Creative Arts Education Center’ was created by remodeling the former Yangpyeong 2-dong Community Center building to support creative cultural and artistic activities that are difficult to learn at school, allowing youth to express their unique dreams and talents and envision their future lives.

The center is located at 8-1 Yangpyeong-ro 20-gil, Yeongdeungpo-gu, in a building with a site area of 450.6㎡ and a total floor area of 506.17㎡ spanning basement 1 to ground 3 floors.

▲The basement 1 floor is used as storage, ▲the ground 1st floor houses a shared kitchen, shared caf?, a community space called Creative Hall, and an arts education space called Jakjak Lab. Floors 2 and 3 are exclusive youth spaces: ▲the 2nd floor includes a seminar room for various program activities, a media lab for video editing, and a youth-only rest and communication space called Masil, and ▲the 3rd floor has a dedicated hideout space where youth can freely gather and communicate.

As a facility created to cultivate youth creativity and sensitivity, cultural and artistic programs for youth are operated without omission.

Under the vision of ‘A self-learning center caring for everyone’s Earth together,’ educational projects awakening the three values of autonomy, cooperation, and coexistence are conducted.

The ‘Autonomy’ project supports youth-led cultural and artistic activities and youth-driven career exploration and realization in the cultural and artistic fields. The ‘Cooperation’ project conducts guide meetings and training courses to discover and connect youth networks. The ‘Coexistence’ project supports youth communities leading voluntary experiments using creative workshops and media rooms.

This year, programs within the center are being piloted, and from next year, plans include more diverse experiential activities, formation of regional networks, and hosting youth cultural and arts festivals.

For details on center operations and program applications, inquiries can be made by phone to the YDP Creative Arts Education Center.

Chae Hyun-il, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, said, “I hope the YDP Creative Arts Education Center will establish itself as a foundation for arts education for local youth and residents,” and added, “We will do our best to create ‘Yeongdeungpo, a premium education city’ where all generations, including youth, can learn and enjoy together.”

Yongsan-gu (Mayor Seong Jang-hyun) opened the youth-exclusive space ‘Kkum;Dam’ on the 4th and 5th floors of the Yongsan Dream Tree Complex (329 Baekbeom-ro) earlier this month. This indoor playground for youth was created through the Seoul Youth Hideout Contest project.

The district invested 50 million KRW (entirely city funds) and, reflecting youth opinions over four months since June, established ‘Kkum;Dam.’

On part of the 5th floor (68.92㎡), a study and rest area with power outlets, including a raised floor, bean bags, and a bunker, is equipped with an 85-inch electronic whiteboard to facilitate small presentations and movie screenings.

On part of the 4th floor (23.19㎡), a media creation space is set up. It is equipped with soundproof booths, large monitors, lighting, professional microphones, and projectors in a general classroom to create an environment suitable for one-person media filming and production.

A district official said, “Children who used to gather in groups chatting at playgrounds or convenience store tables have lost more places to go due to COVID-19,” and added, “Kkum;Dam is a safe place for students who find it burdensome to pay repeatedly to visit cafes or PC rooms.”

Kkum;Dam is free for youth aged 14 to 24. Operating hours are Tuesday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Currently, those aged 18 to 24 require a quarantine pass (subject to change in February).

Mayor Seong Jang-hyun of Yongsan-gu said, “We will spare no support to help youth grow up healthy and safely,” and added, “I hope youth will build a healthy self-image while closely communicating with friends at Kkum;Dam during this winter vacation.”

Gangnam-gu (Mayor Jung Soon-gyun) installed 37 collection boxes for disposing of expired and unused medicines in public facilities and apartment complexes.

Medicines should be disposed of by removing packaging and placing only the medicines in dedicated collection boxes. However, collection boxes have been installed only at health centers and a few pharmacies, resulting in a significant amount of expired medicines being discarded as general waste, raising concerns about environmental pollution of soil and rivers. The disposal routes for expired medicines are identified as 8% through pharmacies and health centers, and 55.2% through trash bins and drains.

The district installed collection boxes at the district office (2nd annex, 1st floor), three health centers, five clinics, six pilot apartment complexes, and community centers in 22 neighborhoods to enable safe and convenient disposal of medicines discarded from households.

Following installation, the district plans to improve the existing collection system by having cleaning contractors collect the medicines once a month for incineration. It will also conduct publicity campaigns on the necessity of separate disposal and proper disposal and treatment methods.

Kim Young-gwan, head of the Cleaning Administration Division, said, “Please refer to the ‘separate disposal method’ when disposing of expired medicines,” and added, “Gangnam, a ‘must-environment city,’ will continue to increase the number of collection box locations so residents can dispose of expired medicines conveniently and safely.”

Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Kim Soo-young) held a completion ceremony on the 27th at the Yangcheon Park Book Shelter for the first cohort of Eco Friends and the second cohort of Garden Friends (Yangcheon Gardeners), part of the park volunteer platform ‘Friends of the Park.’

‘Friends of the Park’ consists of four activity fields: ▲Park Friends, ▲Eco Friends, ▲Garden Friends, and ▲Play Friends. Through this ceremony, a total of 39 park volunteers completed training courses: 12 Eco Friends from the first cohort and 27 Garden Friends (Yangcheon Gardeners) from the second cohort.

The first cohort of Eco Friends completed basic and advanced training courses, including ecological environment theory and practical classes, over six months since June. As ecological environment specialist resident volunteers, Eco Friends will discover and operate community participation programs at the planned expansion ‘ECO SPACE Yeonui’ (currently Yeonui Ecological Learning Center) and participate in exhibition planning.

The second cohort of Garden Friends (Yangcheon Gardeners) participated in basic theoretical and practical training on garden management starting in October. They will join volunteer activities creating gardens in various parks, street gardens, and green belts in Yangcheon-gu alongside the first cohort of Garden Friends who are actively working at Sinjeong Herb Garden and Rose Garden.

The district plans to continue raising residents’ interest in urban parks and enhancing the professionalism of park volunteer activities through ‘Friends of the Park’ training programs. Residents’ direct participation will help create forest, park, and garden cultures that reflect local characteristics and contribute to spreading a participatory park culture for all.

Kim Soo-young, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, “We plan to continue operating the ‘Friends of the Park’ training courses nurtured by residents’ hands,” and added, “I ask the graduates to actively participate with pride and professionalism to create a beautiful park culture that adds value to togetherness.”