The 12th Mapo Neighborhood Book Festival 'Connecting Spaces and Books' Held

[Seoul District News] Mapo-gu to Host Metaverse-Based Online and Offline Events from August 18 to 20 with Unique Experience Programs and Special Lectures on Space Themes... Gangbuk-gu to Provide Eco Bags, Two Picture Books, and Bookstart Guidebooks for Birth Registrations Starting September... Jungnang-gu to Hold the 24th Reading Contest Inviting Book Reports and Letters from Students and Workers... Eunpyeong-gu to Host Youth Policy Debate... Nowon-gu Work-Life Center Recruiting Work-Life Workshop Participants Among Local Youth (Aged 19-39) Living Alone

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) will hold the ‘12th Mapo Neighborhood Book Festival’ from August 18 to August 20.

Under the slogan ‘Connecting Books through Spaces,’ this festival offers a variety of programs including hands-on experiences and special lectures prepared by a total of 21 institutions, including the Mapo Central Library.

Hosted and organized by the ‘Mapo Neighborhood Book Festival Promotion Committee,’ this event has made multifaceted efforts to ensure a substantial and safe festival while maintaining voluntary social distancing amid the COVID-19 situation.

In particular, to allow enjoyment of the festival without visiting libraries, the festival expanded non-face-to-face programs using the Metaverse, aiming to provide new enjoyment that crosses online and offline boundaries.

Unique Programs Themed on Space

The 12th Mapo Neighborhood Book Festival presents diverse and unique programs themed on space under the topic ‘The Meaning of Space Found in Books.’

At the Sogeumnaru Library, an unusual program to protect ‘the space called Earth where we live’ has been prepared. Together with author Hwang Seung-yong, who wrote ‘Earth Cleaning Manager Hwang,’ participants will experience plogging (jogging while picking up roadside trash) along the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail, and a zero-waste lecture for children will be held in collaboration with ‘Almaeng Store,’ Korea’s first refill station.

At Mapo Central Library, a performance program involving street artists will be held with the aim of transforming ‘spaces with books’ into ‘spaces with music,’ and a ‘Local Map Exhibition’ depicting spaces reflecting local characteristics on a flat surface will be prepared.

Special Experiences for Exchange through Books

The Mapo Bookstore Cooperative offers an outdoor experience program called ‘Reading Books under the Wind, Sky, and Starlight,’ where participants read books together and interact.

At the Mapo Public Seogang Library, the ‘Library Invitation Seat’ will be operated, where participants can meet author Kim Ho-yeon, who wrote ‘Mangwon-dong Brothers’ and ‘Uncomfortable Convenience Store,’ stories about special neighbors in the neighborhood. The Mapo branch of the Children’s Book Research Association will conduct activities reading books to children during the festival period.

Special Lectures by Famous Authors for Children and Adults

Special lectures themed on space will be held for children and adults, including teenagers.

The ‘Children’s Lectures’ include an in-person program ‘Building Architecture with Books’ with author Jeong In-ho, winner of the Bologna Ragazzi Award, and a non-face-to-face program with Kang Kyung-su, author of the popular children’s series ‘Codename S.’

The ‘Special Lectures’ start with a special lecture by author Jeong Hee-sook, author of ‘The Best Interior is Organization,’ teaching efficient space usage, followed by a lecture on ‘Nuriho Development and Future Plans’ by Dr. Cho Sang-yeon of the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, a key figure in the Nuriho launch. There will also be a lecture on ‘The World Our Children Will Live In: Metaverse and Virtual Humans’ by Oh Je-wook, CEO of virtual face specialist company Diobi Studio, and a meeting with author Lee Chang-min, who wrote ‘Ten-Pyeong Space.’

For more details and application methods, please refer to the Book Festival website or the websites of Mapo-gu public libraries, or contact the Central Library Team at Mapo Central Library.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “This Mapo Neighborhood Book Festival is prepared as a colorful event involving many institutions, so we ask for your great interest,” and added, “Through this festival, I hope people reflect on the meaning of space in our lives and that daily life becomes newer and richer with books.”

Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Soon-hee) will promote the Bookstart project linked with community centers from September, allowing children to receive book packages immediately upon birth registration.

The Bookstart project is a public-private partnership between Bookstart Korea and local governments to support reading activities for infants and toddlers by gifting book packages.

Until now, to receive book packages, parents had to visit distribution points such as public libraries in person and go through procedures like library membership registration or bringing a baby handbook, causing inconvenience.

To resolve these inconveniences, the district announced that from September, book packages will also be distributed at community centers, simplifying the distribution process to gift books to more families.

Caregivers can receive book packages by simply filling out a distribution ledger at the time of birth registration.

The first-stage book package (for infants under one year old), scheduled for distribution at community centers from September, includes an eco-bag, two picture books, and a Bookstart guidebook.

The books currently distributed to children include six titles: ▲Stage 1: ‘Sea Bathhouse’ (author Meli), ‘Ppujijik 123’ (author Pink Gorilla); ▲Stage 2: ‘Cheer Up Carrot’ (author Meli), ‘Tissue Roll Roll’ (author Shin Bok-nam); ▲Stage 3: ‘Ordinary Bread’ (author Jongjong), ‘Painter Hororok Solving Book’ (author Shin Hye-young).

Book packages are also distributed at 22 existing distribution points, including public libraries, public and private small libraries, childcare support centers, and the Gangbuk-gu Family Center.

For more information, please contact the Gangbuk-gu Education Support Division.

Lee Soon-hee, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, said, “We are striving to realize one-stop administration for the convenience of residents,” and added, “In addition to the Bookstart project, we will prepare measures to minimize procedures and provide prompt administrative services to residents.”

Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Kyung-gi) is holding the ‘24th Jungnang-gu Reading Contest’ until September 16 to promote reading culture in the region.

The ‘Jungnang-gu Reading Contest’ is part of the ‘Reading Jungnang’ project and contributes to establishing a reading culture in the community. Last year, a total of 151 works were submitted, showing high interest among residents.

The contest is organized by the Saemaeul Library Jungnang Branch (President Yoo Byung-do) and sponsored by Jungnang-gu. The contest has five categories: lower and upper elementary school, middle school, high school, and university/general. Participants submit works in the form of book reports or letters.

Book reports can be on any topic, but books related to carbon neutrality practice are recommended. Manuscript length is six pages for elementary school, ten pages for middle and high school, and twelve pages for university/general, based on 200-character manuscript sheets. Letters should be written within two A4 pages, conveying feelings to family or acquaintances.

The submission period is until September 16. Anyone residing in Jungnang-gu can participate, and even those not living in the district can participate if they attend school or work in the area. Only one work per person is allowed. Works must be handwritten and submitted in person or by mail to the Saemaeul Library Jungnang Branch located in the Jungnang-gu Community Center.

After judging, 30 winning works will be selected, and results will be announced on October 4 on the Jungnang-gu Office website. Winners will receive certificates and prizes, and their works will be published in ‘Jungnang Literature’ in December. Winners also qualify to participate in the Seoul preliminary round of the 42nd National Reading Contest for the Presidential Flag.

Ryu Kyung-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said, “The reading contest, now in its 24th year, greatly contributes to activating the reading culture by encouraging residents’ autonomous reading and writing,” and added, “We will continue to do our best to create an environment conducive to reading through the ‘Reading Jungnang’ project.”

The district is promoting various projects to create a ‘Reading Jungnang,’ including ‘Reading 1,000 Books Before School’ to help form reading habits in early childhood, expanding ‘Public Libraries within 10 Minutes’ to reduce distance from books, and operating ‘Jungnang Academy’ to train reading discussion leaders.

Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) held the ‘2022 Eunpyeong Youth Policy Debate’ on the 9th at the Eunpyeong Hall of the district office, where youth voiced their opinions on youth policies.

Under the theme ‘For a Happy Eunpyeong for Youth,’ various opinions on youth policies from the youth perspective were freely shared.

The Youth Policy Debate was organized as part of the ‘Eunpyeong Innovative Education District’ project, which promotes school and community activation through cooperation among the public, private, and academic sectors to help children and youth grow autonomously.

About 100 participants, including ‘Voice 2nd Generation’ youth advocating for youth rights and general youth, attended the debate. The agenda was selected based on a preliminary survey of about 500 Eunpyeong youth on necessary policies.

The agenda included seven topics: ▲Enhancing tailored career activities by target group ▲Increasing participation and rights in schools ▲Supporting youth cultural activities ▲Activating youth-led project activities ▲Operating a detailed youth welfare support system ▲Strengthening support for out-of-school youth ▲Improving the effectiveness of youth policies.

Youth divided into groups by agenda topics conducted roundtable discussions, sharing agenda content and freely exchanging opinions, then summarized and presented the results. Youth showed particular interest in the topic of career activities.

The opinions from the debate will be distributed as materials for youth policy and project operation to the district and youth institutions in Eunpyeong. The debate contents can be viewed on the Sinaneun After Center website.

A representative of the Eunpyeong Youth Culture House Sinaneun After Center said, “We plan to operate various projects so that youth can live as subjects, and we ask for active participation from youth.”

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “I hope youth had a meaningful time identifying problems and proposing policy measures themselves,” and added, “We will strive to reflect the good opinions from the debate well and promote youth policy development.”

Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it is recruiting the ‘Work-Life Workshop Group,’ a gathering of single-person household youth in the area, through the Nowon Work-Life Center, and supporting youth life by linking various programs.

The Work-Life Workshop Group refers to a gathering of single-person household youth (aged 19-39) registered at the Nowon Work-Life Center. Youth who join the group can participate in various programs for single-person household youth conducted by the center.

First, they can participate in programs sharing various life skills. The Work-Life Center selects lecture topics on difficulties and concerns commonly experienced by single-person household youth and holds special lectures once or twice a month. Professional instructors are invited by topic to provide practical solutions applicable to daily life.

On the 26th, a class titled ‘Space that Enhances Style’ will be held. It offers consulting for single-person household youth whose living spaces are small and hard to organize, and attendees will receive a simple daily necessities kit as a gift.

In September, a self-defense skills class for single-person household youth vulnerable to various crimes will be held, followed by a lecture on self-expression skills in October.

Next, youth can receive counseling from experts. The Work-Life Center runs a one-on-one mind coaching program called ‘Mind Grammar for Living as Myself’ for single-person household youth.

The counseling provides youth with opportunities for reflection to find life direction, teaches how to establish action plans to solve problems, and helps relieve depression and stress by sharing life concerns and feelings.

Finally, youth can participate in the youth proposal meeting project ‘Simsim, Shwimshwim.’ This project supports youth network formation by providing 400,000 KRW operating funds when groups of 3-6 youth, including single-person household youth, form meetings on free topics. Currently, youth groups on various themes such as making side dishes, camping, musical instruments, and social dining are ongoing.

Additionally, youth participating in the Work-Life Workshop Group receive advance information and benefits such as priority use of the center’s shared kitchen ‘Cookdamsso.’

The Work-Life Workshop Group automatically enrolls single-person household youth registered at the Nowon Work-Life Center, and registration is also possible via the website or phone. For inquiries about registration and programs, contact the Work-Life Center website or Nowon Youth Work-Life Center by phone.

The district operates the Work-Life Center in Gongneung-dong, where the largest youth population resides, to comprehensively support youth work, life, and cultural activities.

The center holds monthly meetings called ‘Neighborhood Ban Sanghoe’ serving as a hub for the Nowon youth network and runs various youth-specialized projects such as work experience support for unemployed youth and an online virtual company ‘Loose Company’ for reclusive youth, in addition to supporting ‘single-person household youth.’

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “Through the Work-Life Workshop Group, we aim to share and solve concerns of single-person household youth together,” and added, “We will continue to implement various projects supporting single-person household youth centered on the Work-Life Center.”

Jung-gu, Seoul (Mayor Kim Gil-sung) is providing various customized support policies for the rapidly increasing number of single-person households.

According to Statistics Korea data from 2020, 41.4% of households residing in Jung-gu are single-person households, totaling about 22,000 households. This is the second highest among Seoul’s 25 districts, following Gwanak-gu.

In response, Jung-gu is actively implementing various policies to create a ‘Jung-gu Good for Living Alone,’ including communication and education programs, creating a safe environment, and establishing spaces for social relationship formation.

First, from June to November, the ‘Jung-gu Single Study’ program is operating. This program supports single-person households to maintain a healthy, safe, and independent life through various education sessions, consisting of eight parts: ▲Financial Management ▲Lifestyle Culture ▲Diet ▲Home Care ▲Upcycling ▲Neighborhood Walk ▲Life Safety ▲Healing.

On the 19th, a ‘Horror Movie Night’ will be held under the Lifestyle Culture section. This is the second movie night following July, featuring a summer special to cool off the heat.

On the 26th, a social dining event called ‘Bap Tojeong’ will be held. ‘Bap Tojeong’ means ‘rice to affection,’ where young people living alone gather to cook together and build social networks.

Applications for ‘Horror Movie Night’ and ‘Bap Tojeong’ can be made via the KakaoTalk channel ‘Jung-gu Single Household Toktok’ or the Naver cafe ‘THE Singles.’

Jung-gu is also making efforts to ensure safety for people living alone.

Since July, Jung-gu has been supporting safety equipment for female single-person households. Fifteen households were selected to receive smart doorbells (mandatory), home cameras (mandatory), double locks, and portable emergency bells (choose two types) by October.

Earlier in June, the district began replacing 147 old security lights in the Hoehyeon-dong area with smart security lights. Hoehyeon-dong has about 2,700 households, with approximately half (1,324) being single-person households.

Smart security lights maintain low brightness when no one is nearby but automatically brighten when a person approaches, improving energy efficiency. They use white LED lighting, providing better visibility than the previous orange bulbs.

The smart security lights are linked with the Seoul ‘Ansim-i App,’ which, when the smartphone is shaken during an emergency, immediately contacts the police station and causes nearby smart security lights to flash. This helps police and passersby quickly identify the location of the emergency.

All replacements are scheduled to be completed by November this year.

A communication space is also being prepared. Located at Nangye-ro 17-gil (Hwanghak-dong), it will be a 214.67㎡ facility with basement one to second floor, scheduled to open in September. It will include program spaces, rest areas, and small meeting rooms. The district expects this to prevent social isolation of single-person households and support social relationship formation.

Meanwhile, Jung-gu established the city’s first ‘Single Household Support Team’ in July last year to proactively respond. It has launched various customized supports such as the ‘Hongdangmu Market’ flea market for single households, social dining for young single households, financial management lectures, safe rental contract assistance, and counseling services.

Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Soo-hee) is one of the most active local governments in Seoul in terms of SNS activities.

To quickly deliver news at the resident contact point, the district uses homepage postings, district administration text alerts, newsletter distribution, and various social media to provide timely and necessary information.

Important district projects and information that residents must know are regularly sent via text messages, and monthly newsletters packed with rich content about district news across the area are published.

Especially in disaster situations such as heatwaves or heavy rain warnings, SNS is actively used to immediately inform residents of the current situation and evacuation guidelines.

Various lifestyle information such as benefits, support, programs, and events provided by the district are promoted in various forms through Naver Blog, Instagram (photos), Facebook, KakaoTalk Channel (KakaoStory), YouTube, and Twitter, timed to application periods.

Short-form videos using YouTube creators also attract attention. Visiting the official Instagram account of Gangdong-gu Office, residents can see lively local introduction videos and creators experiencing various events and programs held by the district to encourage participation.

A district official said, “We have opened various promotional channels so residents can conveniently receive district news anytime and anywhere,” and added, “We hope everyone checks district news in their preferred way and does not miss useful lifestyle information and benefits.”

To receive district news via text, residents must agree to receive texts through the district homepage’s district news alert application at the top right. Adding the Gangdong-gu Office channel on KakaoTalk allows more convenient receipt of lifestyle information and major district project and event news.