Songpa District, Where "Waaah~" Is Heard Most Often in Seoul, With 3,600 Births a Year

Mayor Seo Gangseok: "Children's Laughter Is a City's Competitiveness"
New "Hahahoho Kids' Cafes" Opening in Succession
Toy Library and Public Daycare Centers Also Opening

"Ha-ha ho-ho~"

On the afternoon of February 6, on the first floor of the Songpa Children’s Culture Center in Ogeum-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, young parents holding their children's hands and pushing strollers gathered in small groups. In front of the newly opened "Haha Hoho Playground Branch No. 6," the sound of children’s laughter never stopped, just as its name suggests.

Seo Gangseok, mayor of Songpa District, is talking with children from Ogeumsup Daycare who gave a celebratory performance at the opening ceremony of the "Hahaha Playground" on the 6th. Provided by Songpa District.

A special stage was prepared for the opening ceremony. Seventeen 7-year-old children from the nearby Ogeumsup Daycare sang a "Blessing Song," brightening up the event. Mayor Seo Gangseok of Songpa District and other attendees gave round after round of applause as the children continued their song in their youthful voices.

On this day, Songpa District held the official opening ceremony for the Seoul-style kids' cafe "Haha Hoho Playground" Branch No. 6 in Ogeum-dong. Branch No. 6 is designed mainly for infants and toddlers aged 0 to 4. Two dedicated staff members are on site at all times. It is a space aimed at parents raising children in the most demanding stage, from babies who have just started to walk to four-year-olds.

Haha Hoho Playground is a district-run kids' cafe operated by Songpa District. Starting with Branch No. 1 (474.65 square meters) in Jamsil-bondong in May 2024, additional locations opened one after another in Songpa 1-dong, Wirye-dong, Bangi 2-dong, and Jangji-dong. While Branch No. 1 mainly serves children aged 4 to 9, the district is filling age-specific gaps by also providing spaces dedicated or tailored to younger children, such as Branch No. 2 (ages 0 to 3), Branch No. 4 (ages 0 to 6), and Branch No. 6 (ages 0 to 4).

Songpa District has the second-largest number of district-run kids' cafes among the 25 autonomous districts in Seoul. Once an additional location opens at the Seoul Hanseong Baekje Museum in Oryun-dong this June, and another opens at the new district office building (district-run) in Macheon-dong in the first half of next year, the network of kids' cafes in the district will become even denser.

Next month, four public daycare centers will open in line with the move-in schedule for the Jamsil Raemian I-Park and Jamsil L-lel apartment complexes. In the same month, Pungnap Library, which offers programs for infants and children, and a toy library will each open in Pungnap-dong.

There is a reason Mayor Seo Gangseok is putting so much effort into expanding the childcare infrastructure for infants and toddlers. Among all autonomous districts, Songpa District ranks first in the number of birth registrations, with 3,603 newborns, indicating that many families are raising children there. Its child population, at 84,942, is also among the highest in Seoul.

Mayor Seo said, "Korea is facing the enormous crisis of low birth rates, and cities must contemplate and choose how they will survive. We are fulfilling our promise of being 'a city that is good for having and raising children' through concrete policies. We will continue working so that Songpa stands at the center of a city where children's laughter becomes its competitiveness and where having and raising children is a source of pride."

Seo Gangseok, district mayor, and parents are touring the facilities of Haha Hoho Playground Branch No. 6. Provided by Songpa District.