Designer Works Worn by BTS and GD Meet Media at Apgujeong Rodeo

[Seoul District News] Gangnam-gu Exhibits Video Works of 9 Artists Including Punk Look Brand ‘99%IS-’ Designer Bajou Until Late October ... Seocho-gu Hosts Single-Person Household Empathy Talk Show with Park Seri at Seoul National University of Education on 27th ... Nowon-gu Holds 'Nowon Book Festival' at Junggye Neighborhood Park from 10 AM to 5 PM on 23rd & 'Lifelong Learning Festival' at Deungnamu Culture Park Opposite on Same Day with Various Programs Including Book Concerts, Performances, and Experiences ... Jungnang-gu, Seoul Kids O

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Gangnam-gu (District Mayor Jo Seong-myeong) is holding a “K-Fashion Designer Special Exhibition” until the end of October at the Apgujeong Rodeo Station Media Art Gallery, featuring video works by BAJOWOO, the representative of the global punk look fashion brand ‘99%IS-’, along with works by nine domestic artists.

The “K-Fashion Designer Special Exhibition” was planned to introduce works by domestic artists showcasing unique art in various fields in celebration of Seoul Fashion Week held in October.

▲ BAJOWOO, representative of the brand ‘99%IS-’ loved by global celebrities such as BTS’s J-Hope and G-Dragon (GD) ▲ Jo Soo-min, vocalist and bassist of the band ‘PATiENTS’ and head of the independent label ‘Steelface Records’ ▲ Ok Geun-nam, a graphic artist active under the name ‘OKEH’ ▲ Jo Gye-ju, director of the design label ‘M-P-Q’ ▲ Nikolai An, a photographer and visual director ▲ Lee Seul, the chief designer of the women’s clothing brand ‘WMM’ with a concept of modern femininity ▲ Bobo (Jung Min-jun), guitarist of the punk rock band No Brain ▲ Fine artists Choi Yoo-kyung and Jung Min-hyung ? visitors can experience a variety of distinctive fashion works and media art at ‘Cheongdam Media Street’ near Apgujeong Rodeo Station from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. as a media exhibition.

In addition to ‘Cheongdam Media Street,’ Gangnam-gu operates a total of four media galleries including ‘Sinsa Dynamic Grid’ at the entrance of Garosu-gil, ‘Cheongdam Intersection Urban Frame’ for appreciating fine art, and ‘Segok Intersection Urban Cloud’ shaped like clouds. At Sinsa Station Dynamic Grid, award-winning works from the ‘2022 Media Art Video Content 2nd Contest’ are broadcast from 7:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. until the end of October. Also, at the four media galleries, visitors can enjoy the relay exhibition ‘ART FESTA’ featuring nine mid-career domestic artists until December 15.

Jo Seong-myeong, Mayor of Gangnam-gu, said, “This special exhibition, which freely allows people to enjoy works combining diverse fashion and media art on the streets, highlights the unique character of the Cheongdam luxury shopping district.” He added, “We will continue to plan diverse and high-quality exhibitions at media galleries to attract the eyes of domestic and international tourists visiting Gangnam as cultural tourism resources.”

Six out of ten single-person households living in Seoul experience loneliness. Social isolation is also intensifying. This issue has accelerated and emerged as a social problem following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seocho-gu (District Mayor Jeon Seong-su) has prepared a special talk show to help single-person households, exhausted physically and mentally due to the prolonged COVID-19 situation, recover their daily lives and share sincere stories among themselves.

Seocho-gu and the Seocho Single-Person Household Support Center will hold the ‘Seoripul Single Single Talk Show’ on the 27th from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Seoul National University of Education Comprehensive Cultural Center. About 400 single-person households will participate in this event, which features a talk show under the theme ‘I Live Alone Too,’ sharing diverse stories of single-person households along with various cultural performances.

Notably, former professional golfer Park Se-ri, who appeared on the TV program ‘I Live Alone’ and showcased an entertaining single life, will serve as the talk show host. She will share sincere stories about overcoming fear through challenges and living a joyful and fulfilling life. During the talk show, there will be a raffle where attendees can take photos with Park Se-ri and receive autographs.

Before the talk show, the musical gala team ‘GALO,’ the jazz band ‘Watercolor’ featuring jazz melodies and the exquisite vocals of Kim Hyo-jung, and soul vocalist ‘Chanbro’ will perform jazz tunes and musical pieces suitable for autumn, delighting the eyes and ears of single-person households.

Additionally, eight experience booths will be operated at one corner of the venue, offering psychological tests, caricature drawing, calligraphy, diffuser and natural loofah making, providing various hands-on opportunities for single-person households.

This event is open to anyone residing, active, or prospective single-person households in Seocho-gu. Pre-registration is available until the 21st via the Seocho Single-Person Household Support Center website or Google Forms. On-site registration is also possible. For more details, please contact the Seocho Single-Person Household Support Center.

The Seocho Single-Person Household Support Center was established by Seocho-gu in 2019 as the first basic local government welfare institution dedicated to supporting single-person households by providing various services including health, safety, convenience, and relationship care. Last year, it held ‘Single Day’ for single-person households, offering painting psychological counseling, diffuser making, and book curating (customized reading information), which received great responses from about 100 single-person households.

Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “I hope this event will bring hope and anticipation to single-person households and become a place where they can openly share their concerns.” He added, “We will continue to strive to create various trustworthy and reliable policies and programs for single-person households.”

Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will resume the ‘Book Festival’ and ‘Lifelong Learning Festival,’ featuring various experiences and performances centered on books, after three years.

□ Nowon, a City of Reading Culture, Hosts ‘2022 Nowon Book Festival’

This year’s Book Festival is planned in connection with the ‘Nowon-gu One Book Reading’ project. The ‘Nowon-gu One Book Reading’ project is a social reading campaign where participants read a selected ‘one book’ based on a single theme and engage in discussions and experiences together.

In June, Nowon-gu announced four ‘Books of the Year 2022’ by age group under the theme ‘Caring for Each Other Amid Change: Family.’ As an extension of this project, the theme book for this Book Festival is the youth book ‘Pilgrimage House.’

On the 23rd, various book-related programs will be held at Junggye Neighborhood Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. In particular, at 3 p.m., there will be a book concert by author Yoo Eun-sil, and at 4 p.m., a performance by the classical vocal group UN Angel Voice is scheduled.

The Book Festival is organized into four themes considering the park’s many side paths: ▲ ‘See Street’ ▲ ‘Live Street’ ▲ ‘Play Street’ ▲ ‘Eat Street.’

At ‘See Street,’ about 2,000 books on various topics will be available in a ‘park library.’ Visitors can enjoy free reading comfortably in the open park using chairs, beanbags, and mats installed in the park, with book curation recommended by the library staff.

‘Live Street’ operates a neighborhood bookstore and art market where visitors can purchase independent publications, stationery, and young artists’ works.

‘Play Street’ features various related organizations such as local universities, Nowon Astronomy and Space Science Museum, and small libraries participating to operate experience booths including making personalized constellation bookmarks, bag making from book covers, braille label book experiences, and solar system observation.

□ Connecting Learning, Reading Family: ‘2022 Lifelong Learning Festival’ Held

On the same day as the Book Festival, the ‘8th Lifelong Learning Festival’ will be held at Deungnamu Cultural Park across the street. Under the theme ‘Connecting Learning, Reading Family,’ the festival shares the achievements of lifelong learning students who have diligently engaged in learning both offline and online with residents.

The Lifelong Learning Expo will feature 30 institutions including local universities, lifelong education centers, neighborhood learning centers, and community centers operating 50 booths. Various experiences and exhibitions such as AR (Augmented Reality)/VR (Virtual Reality), casino experiences, pottery hand-painting, free consultations on fate studies, calligraphy, and succulent planting will be available.

Additionally, a concert featuring lifelong education students will be held. Nine institutions and 13 teams will participate, showcasing their honed skills in samulnori (traditional percussion), violin, dance sports, and live acoustic guitar performances.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “I hope the Book Festival and Lifelong Learning Festival, held for the first time in three years, will provide residents with the leisure of reading and motivation for lifelong learning.” He added, “We will continue to do our best to foster a lifelong learning culture where people learn and practice together through books.”

Jungnang-gu (District Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi) is taking the lead in creating a child-friendly city in cooperation with Seoul City.

The district announced on the 18th that it will start operating the ‘Seoul Kids OK Zone,’ part of the Seoul Mom and Dad Happiness Project, to create an environment where families with children can comfortably and enjoyably dine out.

The ‘Seoul Kids OK Zone’ is intended to counter ‘No Kids Zones’ that refuse entry to children by designating local restaurants and food and beverage stores as Seoul Kids OK Zones, creating a child- and caregiver-friendly environment.

Before full operation, the district is recruiting bakeries, buffets, fast food outlets, general restaurants, and food and beverage stores in the area wishing to be designated as Seoul Kids OK Zones. Applicants must meet conditions such as having a reported area of 80㎡ or more, selling kids’ menus, and providing dining aids such as utensils and high chairs for children. Recruitment is ongoing throughout the year.

Businesses designated as Seoul Kids OK Zones will receive related goods worth about 300,000 KRW and strategic promotional support. Their information will be posted on Seoul City’s promotional media such as websites and SNS, and the OK Kids Zones will be marked on the Seoul Smart Map, with plans to also display them on portal site maps in the future. Continuous broadcasting and media coverage will also be conducted to promote participating businesses.

A recognition mark reading ‘Seoul Kids OK Zone’ will be attached at the store entrance so families with children can easily identify and visit these places.

Ryu Gyeong-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said, “We will do our best to create a child- and caregiver-friendly environment starting with the designation of Seoul Kids OK Zones so that families can enjoy dining out and outings without worry.”