Seongdong-gu Sowol Art Hall Full Remodeling

[Seoul District News] Opened as Seongdong Community Center in 1989, reopened as Sowol Art Hall in 2006, completed 11-month full remodeling ▲B1 to 4F scale, elevator replaced and newly installed, 60 additional parking tower spaces for convenience ▲3rd floor auditorium rearranged with 520 seats, stage equipment modernized with updated machinery, sound, and lighting for professionalism... Seongbuk-gu operates ‘Seongbuk-dong Simwoojang Old House Literature Experience Center’ under 2022 Old House & Jonggatjip Utilization Project... Gangbuk-gu Suyu 1-dong opens ‘Ppallaegol Living Culture Workshop’... Dobong-gu

Exterior view of Sowol Art Hall after complete remodeling

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jung Won-oh)'s representative cultural and artistic performance venue, 'Sowol Art Hall,' has been reborn as a modern performance hall with professionalism and convenience after completing a full remodeling on the 15th.

Located near Wangsimni Station, a transportation hub, 'Sowol Art Hall' was established as Seongdong Community Center in November 1989, renamed Seongdong Cultural Center in 2001, and reopened as 'Sowol Art Hall' after remodeling in 2006. It is a multipurpose performance hall capable of hosting various genres such as music and theater, holding more than 101 performances annually, attracting 230,000 visitors, and serving as Seongdong-gu's representative public performance venue.

Seongdong-gu decided to undertake a full remodeling due to the building's aging and deteriorated facilities and performance equipment after 32 years since its establishment, especially to meet the rapidly increasing cultural and artistic demands of residents.

The remodeling plan was established in July 2018, construction began in April 2021, and after about 11 months of work, the project was completed in mid-this month. A total of 7.5 billion KRW was invested, including national and city funds, transforming the space from basement level 1 to the 4th floor above ground with a total floor area of 4,462㎡ into a safer environment.

To commemorate the completion, the district held the 'Sowol Art Hall Reopening Ceremony' at 4 p.m. on the 15th. Along with the ceremony, from 5 p.m., a 'Sowol Art Hall Healing Concert' featuring popular singer Song Ga-in and others was held to celebrate the new start of 'Cultural City Seongdong.' The performance hall on the 3rd floor had already completed remodeling on December 21 last year and is operating normally.

Through this full remodeling, Sowol Art Hall expanded the 1st-floor lobby, replaced and newly installed passenger elevators, and added a parking tower with 60 additional spaces to resolve parking inconveniences, allowing visitors to use the venue more conveniently and comfortably.

Additionally, all 520 seats in the 3rd-floor performance hall were newly replaced, and stage equipment such as mechanical, sound, and lighting devices were modernized to enhance performance professionalism. To promote performances by cultural and artistic groups and the general public, a practice room of about 40 pyeong (approx. 132㎡) and a studio recording room were newly established on the 3rd floor.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, "Going forward, Sowol Art Hall will become Seongdong-gu's representative cultural landmark and cultural platform where various cultural performances can be experienced. We will do our best to create Seongdong as a cultural and artistic hub by operating diverse programs so that residents can enjoy high-quality culture and arts."

Manhae Han Yong-un Seonsaeng Simwoojang Jeonggyeong

Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) is operating the '2022 Traditional House and Head Family House Utilization Project: Seongbuk-dong Simujang Traditional House Literature Experience Center,' utilizing Simujang in Seongbuk-dong, where Manhae Han Yong-un resided (Seoul Special City Historic Site No. 550).

This project is part of the Cultural Heritage Administration (Administrator Kim Hyun-mo)'s '2022 Traditional House and Head Family House Utilization Project' public contest, hosted by Seongbuk-gu and organized by Korea Heritage Center (CEO Kim Hye-ri).

The Cultural Heritage Administration's 'Traditional House and Head Family House Utilization Project' is a program that newly discovers the value and meaning of old residences and provides opportunities to enjoy traditional culture easily and enjoyably. It includes various efforts to discover and create local cultural tourism resources where traditional culture can be experienced and to enable citizens to enjoy cultural heritage more easily.

Manhae Han Yong-un's Simujang is the place where Han Yong-un spent his later years, built in 1933. 'Simujang' is a name given by Han Yong-un himself. 'Simu (尋牛)' originates from a stage in Seon Buddhism practice of seeking one's true nature. At Simujang, Han Yong-un wrote serialized newspaper novels such as 'Black Wind,' 'Fate,' and 'Regret,' inspiring hope for independence. During the Japanese colonial period, Simujang was a space that preserved the spirit of the nation and served as a place for physical and mental cultivation and refuge.

The 'Seongbuk-dong Simujang Traditional House Literature Experience Center' operates four detailed programs from March to December under the theme of 'Independence Movement and Literary Activities' related to Han Yong-un's life: ▲ Modern Traditional House Living Experience ▲ Traditional House Figure Exhibition ▲ Seongbuk-dong Traditional House Cultural Exploration ▲ Traditional House Humanities Experience. ▲ The Modern Traditional House Living Experience teaches the history of modern hanok in the city, the architectural features of Manhae Han Yong-un's Simujang as a modern cultural asset, and the background of traditional residential life formation. It also allows participants to experience the historical meaning of south-facing traditional orientation and Simujang's north-facing orientation using a traditional compass (paechul).

The Traditional House Figure Exhibition is a participatory theater program where participants can engage in a fictional dialogue between Manhae Han Yong-un and Ilsong Kim Dong-sam, who established and operated an independence movement base in the Gando region, based on stories and historical facts about Han Yong-un's growth, hardships, and independence activities.

The Seongbuk-dong Traditional House Cultural Exploration is a stamp tour-style program from Hansung University entrance to Manhae Han Yong-un's Simujang, exploring various historical sites in Seongbuk-dong with local cultural explanations, learning about local cultural heritage and the appearance of the modern era in the area.

The Traditional House Humanities Experience is a program to appreciate Han Yong-un's handwriting, literary works, and articles in Simujang, his writing space, and to share the latent consciousness of the era in his works through transcription, helping participants understand the cultural memory space of Simujang and its figures.

The face-to-face programs of the '2022 Traditional House and Head Family House Utilization Project: Seongbuk-dong Simujang Traditional House Literature Experience Center' strictly comply with quarantine rules and are also operated in a non-face-to-face format where participants join from their respective locations. For more detailed information and inquiries, contact the Korea Heritage Center by phone or internet cafe.

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, said, "Utilizing Seongbuk-gu's advantage, where the entire city is called an open-air museum with numerous cultural heritages in every alley, we will promote various cultural activation projects for citizens to enjoy culture."

1. Exterior view of Ppallaegol Life Culture Workshop, completed last January

Many visitors have been coming to the 'Ppallaegol Living Culture Workshop' opened in Suyu 1-dong, Gangbuk-gu (Mayor Park Kyum-soo), attracting attention.

'Ppallaegol Living Culture Workshop' was created as part of the Suyu 1-dong urban regeneration activation project at 37 Insubong-ro 23-gil, Suyu-dong, Gangbuk-gu, with a total floor area of 498.77㎡ over 3 floors above ground.

The first floor houses a home repair workshop and an education center. The home repair workshop aims to create a desirable neighborhood together with local residents by providing home repair education, operating a woodworking workshop, and offering equipment rental services.

The second floor has a village enterprise manufacturing and sales center. Here, the in-house brand 'Suyu Handmade Beer' has been developed and sold, and a handmade beer workshop where you can make your own beer is also in operation.

The third floor operates 'Hwanjang,' a zero-waste shop & cafe and resource circulation store. Zero waste means minimizing waste output to nearly zero by using recyclable materials as part of a social movement to reduce waste. Hwanjang sells eco-friendly products and various beverages in line with this social movement.

Additionally, Ppallaegol Living Culture Workshop announced plans to return part of its profits to the local community.

Park Kyum-soo, Mayor of Gangbuk-gu, said, "If many people use the Ppallaegol Living Culture Workshop, it will not only lay the foundation for local economic revitalization and regional development but also extend warm helping hands to neighbors in need. I hope many people visit and enjoy during the bright spring when new sprouts emerge."

Dobong-gu (Mayor Lee Dong-jin)'s first joint childcare sharing center, Chang-dong branch, which has been renovated, held a reopening ceremony on the 17th and welcomed residents.

Located on the 3rd floor of Dobong Children's Library, Dobong-gu Joint Childcare Sharing Center No. 1 Chang-dong branch (opened in July 2016) was selected in November 2021 for the Shinhan Financial Group Children and Future Foundation public contest project. After internal facility construction and operational inspection completed on February 28 this year, it reopened on March 4.

Through this remodeling, the No. 1 Chang-dong branch now has an independent program room where children can freely engage in activities. The program room separates spaces for infants and school-age children, creating a safe usage environment and will be used for parent education, information sharing, and cooperative activities for caregivers.

The Dobong-gu Joint Childcare Sharing Centers are available by prior reservation, and searching 'Dobong-gu Joint Childcare Sharing Center' on Naver allows location lookup and advance booking. Note that each center has different closed days and operating hours.

Meanwhile, the 'Joint Childcare Sharing Center' provides a safe care space for children and caregivers in nearby areas and helps reduce childcare burdens by sharing childcare information.

Dobong-gu currently operates a total of six joint childcare sharing centers, the most in Seoul, with each facility located near elementary schools or residential areas by district, allowing convenient walking access for guardians and children.

Lee Dong-jin, Mayor of Dobong-gu, said, "I hope the Joint Childcare Sharing Centers will reduce caregivers' childcare stress and serve as a link combining various care networks. We will continue to strive to create convenient centers for both children and parents."

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Sung-hoon) will conduct hygiene and quarantine guidance inspections targeting delivery food establishments from the 16th to the 31st.

With the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic increasing the use of delivery food establishments, distrust and complaints about the cooking environment of delivery businesses, such as foreign substance contamination and suspicious ingredient conditions, have increased among residents.

Geumcheon-gu will conduct a full inspection of 736 delivery food establishments, including general restaurants, snack bars, and bakeries in the area. The inspection will focus on ▲ poor hygiene conditions within the business (cooking, cooking tools, etc.) ▲ use of expired products ▲ violations of food hygiene law compliance such as operator obligations. Quarantine rule compliance, mask non-wearing crackdowns, and guidance activities will also be conducted simultaneously.

Businesses found violating regulations will face strong administrative actions according to the Food Hygiene Act.

Yoo Sung-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, "Through hygiene and quarantine of delivery food establishments, we will create a food environment where residents can use services with peace of mind."

For inquiries, contact the Hygiene Division of Geumcheon-gu Health Center.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.