Improving Community Child Center Environments... Lotte Holds Ceremony for 100th "Mom Pyeonhan Kkumdarag" Branch

Renovation of 100 Community Child Centers Nationwide
Contributing to Bridging Regional Childcare Gaps

On January 14, Lotte announced that it will hold a commemorative event for the opening of the 100th branch of the "Lotte Mom Pyeonhan Kkumdarag Community Child Center" at Lotte Concert Hall in Songpa-gu, Seoul.

This event, under the theme "100 to the Kkumdarag," has been organized to reflect on the progress of Lotte Group’s social contribution initiative "Mom Pyeonhan Kkumdarag" and to share the value of giving.

Mom Pyeonhan Kkumdarag 100th Branch Opening Ceremony Poster. Provided by Lotte Corporation

The event will begin with a ribbon ceremony to commemorate the opening of the 100th Lotte Kkumdarag Center, followed by a celebratory performance by the classical ensemble "Layers Classic" and an original musical capturing the meaning of "Mom Pyeonhan Kkumdarag." The musical, titled "Kkumdarag," tells the story of a child who once nurtured dreams at the first Lotte Kkumdarag Center, later returning as an assistant teacher to support the dreams of other children, illustrating a virtuous cycle of giving. Children who use the Lotte Kkumdarag Center will take the stage themselves, and Kwon Hyukjun, who became a university student after attending a community child center, will appear as an assistant teacher, adding further significance. Alongside the performances, there will also be programs to explore Seoul Sky at Lotte World Tower and the Lotte World Aquarium.

Lotte began with the first Lotte Kkumdarag Center in Hoehyeon-myeon, Gunsan-si in 2017 and, as of December last year, has improved the environments of aging community child centers across 15 cities and provinces nationwide, reaching the 100th branch in Dong-gu, Busan. Notably, more than 60% of all Lotte Kkumdarag Centers are operated in provincial areas, helping to reduce disparities in childcare environments between regions. The company does not stop at one-time renovations but also provides ongoing maintenance support, having completed over 800 environment improvement projects in 2024 alone.

Lotte is also committed to providing emotional support so that children can nurture their dreams in daily life. Reflecting children’s preference for attic-like spaces, it has created multi-level "Kkumdarag" areas and provided books, equipment, and a variety of educational programs.

A Lotte representative stated, "Over the past eight years, the expansion of Mom Pyeonhan Kkumdarag to 100 branches nationwide has laid the foundation for a virtuous cycle, where children grow into responsible members of society and give back the love they have received. We will continue to play a vital role in bridging regional childcare gaps and support positive change throughout local communities."