Itaewon Again, Spring?

Yongsan-gu Launches Itaewon Healing, Recovery, and Harmony Project... Restoring the Reputation of Itaewon as a Hot Place for Young People through Culture and Arts... Until November

'Itaewon Again, Spring' Project Activated in Itaewon and Hannam-dong Areas... 'Streets with Performances' Held in Five Zones Including Itaewon from Mid-April to November

Various Cultural Events Also Held Monthly at Yongsan Art Hall... 'Falling in Love Yongsan' in April, Performances by Municipal, Boys and Girls, and Senior Choirs in May

Yongsan-gu plans to attract tourists and restore the former glory of Itaewon, a hot place for young people, through the 'Itaewon Healing, Recovery, and Harmony Project.'

To revive the Itaewon commercial district, which suffered from COVID-19 and the October 29 tragedy consecutively, cultural and artistic activities have been strengthened. The project period runs from February to November.

An official from the district said, "To recover the commercial district, it is important to create an atmosphere where people can gather as much as financial support. Through cultural performances held throughout the streets, we will revive the image of 'Itaewon you want to visit again.'"

As part of this, the district launched the 'Itaewon Again, Spring' project. Busking performances are held every Saturday in various locations in Itaewon and Hannam-dong. From April to May, in cooperation with Seoul City and Sookmyung Women's University, an exhibition of works by emerging artists and performances by Sookmyung Women's University students will be held on the 4th basement floor of Noksapyeong Station.

The district plans to continue the 'Streets with Performances' in five key areas including Itaewon until November after the 'Itaewon Again, Spring' project ends.

Seoul City is also promoting the street performance 'Every Corner Live' linked to the 'Itaewon Again, Spring' project until April 15. Every Corner Live takes place every Saturday from 2 PM to 4 PM around Itaewon. The 'Visiting Seoul Stage 11' will also be held in April.

Various cultural events are held monthly at the Yongsan Art Hall's main theater, Mir. On April 26, 'Falling in Love Yongsan' featuring orchestra and traditional Korean music performances will be held, and on May 9, performances by municipal, boys and girls, and senior choirs are scheduled.

Performances by the Seoul Municipal Philharmonic Ensemble and traditional Korean music at Sejong Center can also be experienced at Yongsan Art Hall. On the 18th, there will be a performance by the Seoul Municipal Philharmonic Orchestra, and on the 28th and April 7, as part of 'Together with Art,' performances by the traditional Korean fusion group Uri Sori Baraji, Dubeonjjaedal, and traditional musician Kim Junsu will be presented.

Additionally, the Itaewon Tourism Special Zone Association is promoting 'Hey, Itaewon' as an independent event to revitalize the commercial district. Alcohol discounts are also offered on weekends. On April 15, a flea market organized mainly by merchants will be held.

Kim Seonsu, Acting Mayor of Yongsan-gu, emphasized, "In addition to cultural and artistic projects, we will create synergy for commercial district recovery through continuous collaboration with the central government, Seoul City, and local universities."

The district is also continuously providing economic support for the recovery of the Itaewon commercial district alongside cultural and artistic events.

They have supported loans from the Small and Medium Business Development Fund at a low interest rate (0.8%) and operated the Itaewon On-site One-stop Support Center. The center provided support such as issuing certificates for emergency business stabilization funds.

To revitalize the local commercial district, on January 10, Itaewon Commercial District Recovery Gift Certificates with a 10% discount rate were specially sold. To further stimulate the commercial district, the 'Ordinance on the Promotion of the Use of Yongsan Love Gift Certificates in Yongsan-gu' was amended in February to increase the discount rate up to 20%. The district started the second sale on the 8th with a scale of 30 billion KRW.

'The Wind is Good, the Warmth is Good, This Place is Good'... Winning Entry of Jungnang Happiness Billboard Spring Edition Posted

Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi) has completed the renewal of the Jungnang Happiness Billboard with the spring edition phrase.

The spring edition phrase selected is 'The Wind is Good, the Warmth is Good, This Place is Good' by resident Kim Jun-hee. The winning phrase will be posted on the outer wall of the Jungnang-gu Office building until the end of May.

Kim Jun-hee said, "I applied the phrase with the hope that people would feel the spring wind and warmth and welcome the new season here, meaning 'Everything about spring that comes after the cold winter is good.'"

Ryu Gyeong-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said, "I hope that everyone passing by the district office will feel the warm energy of spring and receive a small comfort through the newly displayed spring phrase."

The district held a public contest for the spring edition phrase of the Jungnang Happiness Billboard from February 2 to 17. A total of 204 people participated, and one winner and five runners-up were selected. Awards and prize money will be presented on the 21st.

Dongdaemun-gu Seeks Residents' Opinions on Yongshin-dong Administrative Division

Due to Continuous Complaints about Inconvenience in Using Resident Centers, Consideration to Divide Yongshin-dong into Two Administrative Districts

Survey to Collect Residents' Opinions on Administrative Boundary Adjustment (Division) until April 30

Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) will conduct a 'Resident Survey on Yongshin-dong Division' until April 30 to collect residents' opinions before promoting the administrative boundary adjustment (division) of Yongshin-dong, one of the pledges of the 8th local government.

Yongshin-dong covers an area of 1.61㎢, making it the largest among the 14 administrative neighborhoods in Dongdaemun-gu, and it has the second-largest population of about 34,620 among the 14 neighborhoods.

Due to its large area and population, residents have continuously raised complaints about inconveniences such as the distance to visit the resident center and waiting times for civil complaints. Additionally, with large-scale apartment complexes about to be occupied due to regional development, the population and demand for civil services are expected to increase.

The district is considering dividing Yongshin-dong into two administrative neighborhoods (tentatively named Yongdu-dong and Sinseol-dong) to resolve these inconveniences.

Before proceeding, a resident survey will be conducted to gather opinions and minimize potential issues during the project. The survey includes five items, such as support or opposition to the division of Yongshin-dong and preferred boundary lines if divided.

The survey will be conducted until April 30, and any resident living in Yongshin-dong can participate. Residents can fill out the survey form by visiting the Yongshin-dong Resident Center or participate online through the district website. For online participation, visit the district website and check the 'Citizen Participation' section. To increase participation, community leaders will distribute and collect survey forms directly.

Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, "We are promoting the administrative boundary adjustment to address the inconvenience experienced by Yongshin-dong residents due to the large area and population. We ask residents to actively participate in this survey so that diverse and honest opinions can be reflected."