'90s Generation is Coming' Writer Im Hong-taek's Special Lecture on 'How Youth Communicate with the World'

Seongdong-gu Holds Youth Hope Lecture... Delivering Warm Messages of Comfort and Courage
On November 5, Author Im Hong-taek of 'The 90s Generation is Coming' Invited to Give a Special Lecture on 'How Youth Communicate with the World'

Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jung Won-oh) announced that it will hold the ‘Youth Hope Special Lecture, Youth Empathy In(side)’ on November 5 to deliver messages of empathy, communication, and hope to young people.

As of August this year, the number of young people in their 20s and 30s who are not seeking jobs without any particular reason, known as the ‘resting’ population, reached a record high of 750,000. ‘Resting’ refers to those who answered that they were ‘just resting’ among the non-economically active population in the Statistics Korea’s economically active population survey, excluding those with illness or disability. This figure is even higher than the 660,000 recorded in 2020 when COVID-19 first occurred. The increase in ‘resting’ among young people is attributed to their inability to secure quality jobs they desire in an overheated competitive society.

Seongdong-gu has prepared the ‘Youth Hope Special Lecture’ to awaken hope through communication with society for young people who are feeling economic and psychological difficulties more than ever.

The lecture, themed ‘How Youth Communicate with the World,’ will be held on November 5 at 7 p.m. in the main conference room (8th floor) of the district office. The speaker will be writer Lim Hong-taek, widely known for his books 90nyeondae-saengi Onda (The 90s Generation is Coming) and 2000nyeondae-saengi Onda (The 2000s Generation is Coming). Based on his deep understanding of the MZ (Millennial and Gen Z) generation, he will empathize with the difficulties of modern social life and deliver a message of hope that connects and communicates with society rather than isolation or seclusion.

This special lecture is open to any young people residing in or living within the Seongdong-gu area, as well as any interested residents. Applications can be made by phone to the Seongdong Youth Support Center by November 4.

Seongdong-gu is implementing various life-centered policies to improve the quality of life for young people in employment, housing, culture, and leisure. Representative initiatives include support for language and qualification exam fees for unemployed youth newly started this year, congratulatory funds for coming of age, support for purchasing daily necessities for first-time single-person households, operation of the ‘Half-Price One-Room’ Seongdong Hanyang Win-Win Dormitory, and moving vehicle support for young single-person households. To address prolonged ‘resting’ and social isolation caused by difficulties in job seeking, a visiting mentoring service is also in operation.

Seongdong-gu’s leading efforts in youth-friendly policies have been highly recognized externally. The ‘Youth Single-Person Household Settlement Support’ project was selected as a ‘2024 Government Innovation Best Practice,’ and its efforts to create a youth-friendly environment earned the ‘7th Youth-Friendly Legislative Award Communication Prize.’

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “Through the ‘Youth Hope Special Lecture,’ I hope young people gain warm comfort and courage, communicate together in society, and overcome difficulties.” He added, “We will continue to promote customized, life-centered policies that are essential for young people.”