[Photo] Oh Seung-rok, Nowon District Mayor, Attends '2022 Nowon Book Festival & Lifelong Learning Festival'

[Seoul District News] Mapo-gu to Host 1st Mapo-gu Mayor's Cup Sports Climbing Competition on 23rd ... Choi Ho-gwon, Yeongdeungpo-gu Mayor, Attends Yeongdeungpo Representative Education Festival 'Popo Festa' on 22nd ... Gangseo Residents' Trot Song Festival & Outdoor Movie Screening Successfully Held on 22nd

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] On the 23rd at 10:30 a.m., Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, attended the ‘2022 Nowon Book Festival & Lifelong Learning Festival’ held at Junggye Neighborhood Park and Deungnamu Cultural Park.

At the Book Festival, about 2,000 books on various topics were provided to operate a ‘Park Library,’ allowing visitors to freely read using chairs and mats installed in the park. The festival also offered many enjoyable activities such as book talks, performances, experience programs, art markets, and food.

The Lifelong Learning Festival shared the achievements of lifelong learning students who diligently studied during the COVID-19 pandemic with residents. The skills honed through various experiences, exhibitions, and performances were showcased.

The event was held with the attendance of Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, members of the National Assembly, city councilors, and other guests, and proceeded with congratulatory performances, speeches, awards for meritorious persons, and rounds of experience booths.

Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “A festival was held to share and encourage the achievements of libraries in parks and lifelong learning,” adding, “We will actively support making Nowon a lifelong learning city where everyone from children to seniors learns together, and a city with a culture of reading books.”

Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) held the ‘1st Mapo-gu Mayor’s Cup Sports Climbing Competition’ on the 23rd at the Seoul Mountain Culture Experience Center.

This competition was held to inherit the adventurous spirit of the late mountaineer Captain Park Young-seok, who was from Mapo, and to pass on the indomitable spirit of challenge to growing youth, marking the 1st anniversary of the Mountain Culture Experience Center’s opening.

On the day of the competition, 200 sports climbing enthusiasts and Mapo-gu youth participated, competing in team open matches and individual onsite matches.

In the team open matches, a total of 29 teams climbed top-rope and two routes per category, while in the individual onsite matches, 50 participants (26 men, 24 women) competed in top-rope, showcasing their honed skills.

Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “Sports climbing is a wonderful sport that sublimates the human instinct to challenge the unknown world,” adding, “I applaud our youth who passionately challenge their goals by overcoming limits without fear of failure.”

The Seoul Mountain Culture Experience Center, located in Noeul Park, Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, is a complex cultural space combining nature and culture, equipped with exhibition facilities to view mountain culture and the best indoor and outdoor climbing gyms in Seoul.

Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, attended the 2022 Popo Festa held at Yeongdeungpo Park on the afternoon of the 22nd and carefully toured the exhibition and experience booths at the event site.

On that day, Mayor Choi watched the Titan Robot Performance and congratulatory performances, stamping his handprint on the stage video to proclaim the educational vision of ‘Yeongdeungpo, a Future Education City’ full of hope.

Mayor Choi Ho-kwon said, “Through Popo Festa, held face-to-face for the first time in three years, I hope that the youth, the future leaders, will fully demonstrate their abilities and enjoy joyful times with family and friends,” adding, “We will continue to vigorously support the dreams and futures of youth and implement various policies tailored to their perspectives.”

Seoul’s Gangseo-gu, which had relatively lacked cultural and artistic infrastructure, is newly emerging as the cultural center city of the southwestern region.

At 5 p.m. on the 22nd, the lawn square of Seoul Botanical Garden in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu (Mayor Kim Tae-woo) was filled with crowds eager to watch the Trot Song Festival.

About 10,000 citizens from all over the country, including visitors who came from provinces early in the morning, families, and couples, gathered to watch the performance in front of the stage.

The Trot Song Festival opened with a vigorous opening speech by Mayor Kim Tae-woo.

Kim Tae-woo, Mayor of Gangseo-gu, said, “Despite the suddenly chilly weather, I deeply thank everyone who came to the Gangseo-gu Trot Song Festival,” adding, “Enjoy freely with your precious family and loved ones, and I hope you blow away all the pent-up feelings and stress.”

As the first trot song festival held by the district, it proceeded amid great interest. A total of 93 teams participated, and 12 teams who passed the fierce first preliminary round heated up the stage in the finals that day.

Applause poured out every time the contestants’ performances continued, and the audience sang along and cheered.

Especially, to brighten the festival, trot national singer ‘Lee Chan-won’ and actor-singers ‘Noh Hyun-hee’ and ‘Sejajeongeo’ gave passionate congratulatory performances, raising the atmosphere to the fullest.

The grand prize of the Gangseo-gu Trot Song Festival went to Kim Myung-hwan (Hwagok 1-dong), who energetically sang ‘Jinttobaegi.’ The excellence award went to Kim Seon-ah (Deungchon 1-dong), the merit award to Park Sang-jae (Banghwa 3-dong), the encouragement award to Han Geon-sang (Banghwa 2-dong), and the popularity award to Yoon Hye-seon (Balsan 1-dong).

The trot song festival was streamed live on the official Gangseo-gu YouTube channel ‘iGangseoTV.’ It recorded over 40,000 views, with a maximum simultaneous connection of about 4,600 viewers.

After the festival, the musical film ‘La La Land,’ suitable for the whole family, was screened.

Mayor Kim Tae-woo said, “We planned this trot song festival to support residents’ daily recovery through culture and arts and to revitalize the local economy,” adding, “Through various cultural events, we will provide residents with opportunities to enjoy culture and invigorate the local economy to create a ‘Gangseo full of culture and arts’ where everyone prospers together.”