[Seoul District News] Gangdong-gu Opens Gangdong Prehistoric Culture Festival Ceremony at Amsa-dong Ruins Special Stage on the 7th at 8 PM & Trot Queen Jang Yoon-jeong, Popular Singer Kim Bum-soo and More Spectacular Celebrations... Dobong-gu Holds 11th Dobong Hangeul Festival at Wondangsaem Park on the 9th for Hangeul Day & Rich Programs Including Essay Writing, Drawing, Poetry Exhibition, Family Motto Exhibition, and Hunminjeongeum Rubbing Experience
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangdong-gu (Mayor Lee Soo-hee) announced on the 6th that it will hold the ‘27th Gangdong Prehistoric Culture Festival’ for three days from the 7th to the 9th.
The opening ceremony of the ‘Gangdong Prehistoric Culture Festival,’ held at 8 p.m. on the 7th at the special stage of the Seoul Amsa-dong Site (875 Olympic-ro, Gangdong-gu), will captivate the audience with a beautiful and mysterious stage under the theme ‘Patterns of Light, Promises Engraved in Nature.’
The first stage, depicting a young girl living in a barren city communicating with nature in the forest, will be presented as a fantastic new genre combining musical and dance, offering a unique spectacle.
The finale of the opening ceremony will further elevate the festival atmosphere with dazzling performances by trot queen Jang Yoon-jung, top vocalist Kim Bum-soo, and girl group Saturday.
Additionally, there will be a pre-show performance by the audience-participatory percussion band ‘Jamstick,’ known for their whimsical and cheerful acts, along with the lighting ceremony of the nighttime light festival ‘Explorers of Light,’ starting at 7 p.m., promising a fun time for the whole family on a cool autumn night.
The ‘Nighttime Light Festival,’ held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the 7th and continuing for ten days, will be set up as a large media art exhibition space where visitors can enjoy beautiful light displays such as giant prehistoric figures, light butterflies, the prehistoric wish tree, and the forest of fireflies along a long walking trail, expected to attract much attention.
Lee Soo-hee, Mayor of Gangdong-gu, said, “Since this Gangdong Prehistoric Culture Festival is held offline for the first time in three years, we expect many residents to participate,” adding, “We have put great effort into preparing everything from the ‘light exhibition’ to the ‘fireworks show’ to provide sights, entertainment, and food.”
During the festival, vehicle traffic will be completely restricted on the section from Seonsa Elementary School to Seowon Village. One-way traffic will also be implemented on some sections (Seowon Village → Olympic-ro 108-gil).
Accordingly, the Gangdong 02 village bus route operating in the area will be shortened and adjusted to a detour route. Temporary vehicles will also be operated to alleviate inconvenience for nearby Seowon Village residents.
For visitors’ transportation convenience, information booths will be set up and operated at nine locations including Seonsa Elementary School. Temporary parking lots are available at Seonsa Elementary School, Seonsa High School, and Sinam Middle School for easier access.
Dobong-gu (Mayor Oh Eon-seok) Dobong Cultural Center will hold the ‘11th Dobong Hangeul Festival’ around Wondangsaem Park in Banghak-dong on October 9, Hangeul Day.
In Banghak-dong, Dobong-gu, there is the tomb of Princess Jeongui, who helped King Sejong create Hangeul. Accordingly, the district holds the Hangeul Festival every year at Wondangsaem Park to honor Princess Jeongui and raise awareness of the importance of Hangeul. Now in its eleventh year, the ‘Dobong Hangeul Festival’ has become a representative local cultural festival enjoyed by residents.
This year’s Hangeul Festival will kick off on October 6 with the ‘Hangeul Chronology Exhibition,’ which provides an overview of the history of Hangeul.
On the main event day, October 9, various programs will be offered to local residents. Competitions in calligraphy and drawing for a wide range of age groups from kindergarten to elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as the general public, will be held, along with performances by the ‘Dobong Philharmonic Orchestra’ and the creative sound group ‘Sadan, Nasso.’
Especially noteworthy is the theme performance showcase ‘Hannam Seorim: The Mystery of Hunminjeongeum,’ unveiled for the first time at the festival. The founding performance of the Dobong branch of the Korea Theater Association, ‘Hannam Seorim’ depicts a fictional episode that could have occurred when the Hunminjeongeum Haerye manuscript was excavated in Dobong-gu.
The theme performance ‘Hannam Seorim: The Mystery of Hunminjeongeum’ will be held twice at the Dobong Citizens’ Hall Small Theater on October 13 at 7:30 p.m. and October 14 at 4:30 p.m.
At the exhibition yard, visitors can immerse themselves in the beauty of Hangeul through a local poet calligraphy exhibition and a Korean language family motto exhibition. Experience booths and play areas will feature activities such as ▲drawing the Taegeukgi flag ▲making old-style books ▲rubbing the Hunminjeongeum Haerye manuscript ▲Hangeul tattoos featuring Princess Jeongui’s character ▲a slow mailbox to receive letters after one year ▲and a marketplace of local cultural artists.
Oh Eon-seok, Mayor of Dobong-gu, said, “The Dobong Hangeul Festival is a place where local residents, cultural artists, and cultural institutions come together. Through this representative festival of our district that has grown with the community, I hope people can once again appreciate the excellence and beauty of Hangeul and widely share the history of Princess Jeongui.”
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