[Seoul Autonomous District News] Geumcheon-gu to Host Korea's First Film Festival with 'Fashion' Theme from November 4-6 & 912 Works Submitted, Double Last Year's Entries Reflecting Film Industry Interest & 44 Films in 9 Sections Compete & 61 Films Including Opening and Official Invitations Screened ... Seocho-gu Runs 'Maljukgeori Sasasa (Eat! Drink! Everything!) Event' to Revitalize Maljukgeori Alley Shopping District Until 29th ... Songpa-gu Holds '2022' at Ogeum Park Lawn from 4:30 PM on 29th
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) will hold the ‘2nd Geumcheon Fashion Film Festival’ at Lotte Cinema Gasan Digital Branch from November 4 to 6.
Launched last year, the Geumcheon Fashion Film Festival is Korea’s first film festival themed around ‘fashion,’ held to reexamine and promote the excellence of the fashion and sewing industries, which are specialized industries in the Geumcheon-gu area.
During the three days from November 4 to 6, a total of 61 films will be screened free of charge, including 44 competition entries, 14 official invited films, and 3 opening films. Side events will feature diverse programs such as audience talks, an LED outdoor screening venue, and a fashion show hosted by Andre Kim Homme.
The opening ceremony, starting at 7 p.m. on November 4, will showcase three opening films: ‘Dad’s Sword? The Original’ (Korea) directed by Jung Yoon-chul, ‘The Refined Kingdom’ (France) directed by Jean Rencontre, and ‘Jack’ (UK) directed by Gary Friedman.
Festival attendance applications can be made on the official Geumcheon Fashion Film Festival website from October 27 to November 3. Tickets can also be purchased on-site up to 30 minutes before each screening.
Competition entries doubled from last year; 44 finalists gathered after fierce competition
A total of 912 fashion-related films were submitted to the 2nd Geumcheon Fashion Film Festival, nearly double last year’s 482 entries. Among them, 44 works that passed the intense competition will be showcased in Geumcheon over just three days.
The finalists include works by active actor-directors such as actor Lee Joo-young’s ‘Leaving the Bell at the Door X,’ director Ku Hye-sun’s ‘Dark Yellow,’ and director Yoon Sung-ho’s short film ‘Unknown World Season Two Episode One,’ well known for the Galaxy Liberation Front.
Expanded award scale and criteria considering the professionalism of film staff
Unlike last year, this year the prize money has been increased and the award categories subdivided. The grand prize money rose from 5 million KRW to 10 million KRW, and the total prize money nearly doubled to 24 million KRW. A ‘Special Jury Excellence Award’ was newly established, and ‘Special Awards’ were created in categories reflecting the professionalism of essential film staff, including acting, makeup, art, costume, and cinematography.
Geumcheon-gu, deeply connected with ‘clothing,’ unveils official poster combining fashion and film
The official poster design incorporates the Chinese character for ‘collar’ (衿) found in the name Geumcheon and film elements. Inspired by the use of the character ‘collar geum’ in the place name Geumcheon since the Goryeo Dynasty, the design adds film and stitch motifs, with a yellow background color similar to gold.
Geumcheon fashion companies and film experts unite to create Seoul’s representative film festival
The festival draws significant participation from fashion and film industry figures, including Geumcheon-gu. Co-chairmen are Hong Sung-yeol of Mario Shopping and Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon of Geumcheon-gu; Executive Director is film director Jung Yoon-chul, known for ‘Marathon,’ ‘Not So Good,’ and ‘The Merciless’; and Jury Chairperson is Lee Hae-sun, CEO of Coway.
ENA, the broadcaster that created a new K-content legend with ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo,’ also participates as an official sponsor, actively involved in discovering talented filmmakers and awarding the ENA Makeup Award. Other sponsors include Wonsin W Mall, Mario Outlet, Hyundai City Outlet, Woori Bank, Lotte Cinema, and Coway, all contributing to enrich the festival.
Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon of Geumcheon-gu said, “Through the Fashion Film Festival, filmmakers can unleash diverse imaginations, and we are preparing a festival that all Seoul citizens can enjoy. We ask for much interest and support for Geumcheon-gu’s new challenge, Korea’s first and only ‘Fashion Film Festival.’”
For more information, please visit the Geumcheon Fashion Film Festival website or contact the festival office.
‘That Old Days’ retro vibe bursts in Maljukgeori, Yangjae-dong.
Seocho-gu (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) is holding the ‘Maljukgeori Sasa-sa (Eat! Drink! Buy!)’ event until the 29th in the Maljukgeori alley shopping district near Yangjae Station.
This event was organized to revitalize small business owners and alley markets struggling due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn, offering a fun experience of 1970s retro vibes themed around the nostalgic film ‘Once Upon a Time in Maljukgeori.’
Visitors can enjoy various restaurants and pubs among 104 stores in the Maljukgeori alley shopping district. Additionally, they can create special memories by wearing nostalgic school uniforms and taking photos at 10 stores decorated with retro themes such as old classrooms.
Seocho-gu provides 60 school uniforms for free rental at the ‘Hanil Fruit & Vegetable’ store (32 Nambusunhwan-ro 356-gil) within the Maljukgeori shopping district. Stores like ‘One Glass of Wine Today’ and ‘Life Beer’ have retro photo zones equipped with props such as old school uniform hats, hairpins, and nunchaku for visitors to enjoy creative photo shoots.
Visitors who post certification photos on personal SNS or participate in on-site instant lottery events can win various prizes such as nostalgic school uniform name tags, film cameras, movie tickets, and Onnuri gift certificates.
The event runs until the 29th from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. around the Maljukgeori shopping area near Yangjae Station. For more details, please check the Maljukgeori website and Instagram account.
Earlier, the Maljukgeori Alley Shopping District Merchants Association designated October 25 as its own ‘Retro Day’ and plans to continue the event next year.
Since designating Yangjae Station Maljukgeori as the first alley shopping district in June, Seocho-gu has been promoting environmental improvement projects and held events such as giving Onnuri gift certificates to customers during the Chuseok holiday to revitalize the alley market.
Additionally, the district plans to provide full support to help the nearby Yangjaecheon-gil commercial area, selected as a local brand project by Seoul City this year, grow together.
Seocho-gu Mayor Jeon Seong-su said, “I hope the Maljukgeori Alley Shopping District will become a representative landmark of Seocho-gu. We will continue to promote various projects to revitalize alley shopping districts.”
Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) will hold the ‘2022 Songpa Romantic Tea House’ at 4:30 p.m. on the 29th at the lawn yard of Ogeum Park.
‘Songpa Romantic Tea House’ is a family festival with a DJ tea house concept popular in the 1980s and 1990s, featuring the Songpa Women’s Cultural Center Volunteer Group and local artists, providing residents with opportunities to enjoy and appreciate culture and arts.
Pre-event activities include ▲nail art ▲writing family mottos ▲photo booth for four-cut photos, with free tea and coffee provided. Participants who enter a drawing after taking four-cut photos can win small prizes.
During the main event, five stories selected from various residents’ submissions will be introduced, and invited singers and an orchestra will perform the requested songs live.
Performers include An Woong-gi, winner of JTBC’s Hidden Singer Lee Moon-se episode; Choi Seung-yeol, winner of the Kim Kwang-seok episode; vocalist Kim In-hwi; musical actor Ha Soo-bin; and the Muse Orchestra team from the Songpa Women’s Cultural Center Volunteer Group.
Additionally, picnic mats and camping boxes will be set up on the lawn yard of Ogeum Park to create an autumn night camping atmosphere, allowing family participants to make precious memories.
The Songpa Women’s Cultural Center Volunteer Group consists of 12 volunteer teams including orchestra, acoustic guitar, and Korean dance, with about 170 members who are students of the center’s cultural and liberal arts courses, practicing talent donation through volunteering.
Songpa-gu Mayor Seo Gang-seok said, “I hope this will be a healing time through stories and music filled with memories in the natural autumn night. We will continue to revitalize cultural and artistic activities, which had slowed due to COVID-19, to help residents relieve daily stress and enjoy together.”
Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) will hold the 2022 Dongdaemun-gu Book Festival on the 29th at the outdoor stage of Baebongsan Neighborhood Park.
The district prepared the event to spread a reading culture and provide an opportunity to promote local libraries by hosting a book festival that shares fun and emotion through books.
Notably, over 20 public, private, and school libraries, organizations, and local residents directly participated in planning and operating the festival, adding significance.
The event starting at 1 p.m. will offer 12 programs including various experiences and exhibitions, and a meeting with picture book author Cheon Mi-jin (notable work: Summer Taste), providing rich sights and activities for participants.
Library experience booths include ▲AR augmented reality coloring book experience ▲metaverse library experience ▲math board game zone ▲science playground ▲natural soap making ▲make your own book ▲Halloween book art ▲wish bracelet making ▲Hangul Day card making, operating from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Especially, the festival will hold a book exchange booth where participants can exchange three used books (published after 2019) for one new book.
Also, collecting five experience stamps from the library booths allows visitors to receive used books at the exchange booth.
From 1:20 p.m. to 2 p.m., the outdoor stage at Baebongsan Neighborhood Park will feature pre-event performances including a vocal performance by the acoustic duo Art Team and an interactive magic show by young magician Lee Hyung-woo.
At 3 p.m., a meeting with picture book author Cheon Mi-jin will be held on the outdoor stage, followed by a ‘Make Your Own Book’ program with the author at the ‘Picture Books Come Alive’ library experience booth.
A district official said, “Since this festival is planned and prepared directly by Dongdaemun-gu’s public, private, and school libraries and various reading groups, it will be a diverse and rich event. We hope it will be an opportunity for all residents to enjoy visiting libraries again.”
Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Kang-soo) announced it will hold the ‘2nd Mangwon-gyeong Festival’ at 1 p.m. on the 29th in front of Mangwon 1-dong Community Center.
Now in its second year, the Mangwon-gyeong Festival was selected as a 2022 Mapo-gu resident participation budget project, with residents forming a festival promotion committee and directly managing all aspects from planning to operation.
Among the festival programs, the ‘Story Fashion Show,’ where neighbors wear clothes filled with memories and share stories with others, stands out as a major event.
The Story Fashion Show is a fashion show that tells each resident’s story, where participants wear their favorite clothes, clothes with memories, or clothes they want to show off, communicating with other residents attending the festival.
Notably, 60 local residents ranging from 4-year-old children to seniors in their 70s will walk the runway as the show’s stars. A woman in her 30s met at the fashion show rehearsal said, “Preparing the stage with my father, who is now entering old age, allowed me to reminisce about old memories,” expressing excitement.
Also, a woman from Uzbekistan who has lived in Korea for six years said, “I’m happy to have the chance to wear traditional clothes again after a long time.”
The district expects the fashion show to become a place of harmony where residents share and empathize with each other’s stories, helping to resolve communication gaps between generations and genders, which have recently become social issues.
After the fashion show, congratulatory performances by residents’ talent donations and a resident singing contest will continue to boost the festival’s excitement.
Additionally, sales booths for local small business owners and various food markets will be held together, providing food, sights, and entertainment.
Mapo-gu Mayor Park Kang-soo said, “Mangwon-dong has become a vibrant neighborhood full of culture as tourism has increased due to Mangwon Market and Mangridan-gil. We will pay attention and support so that the Mangwon-gyeong Festival can become a representative local festival of Mangwon-dong.”
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