77th Liberation Day... '2022 Seodaemun Independence Festa' and 'Mangu History and Culture Park Concert' Held

[Seoul District News] Seodaemun-gu Hosts 'Light Resistance' Media Facade Exhibition and Celebratory Events at Seodaemun Prison History Hall on Aug 14-15 for the 77th Liberation Day... Jungnang-gu Holds 77th Liberation Day Midsummer Night Concert at Mangu History Culture Park on Aug 12... Eunpyeong-gu Hosts 'Eunpyeong Youth Festival' for World Youth Day from Aug 11-13

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seodaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Seong-heon) will hold the ‘2022 Seodaemun Independence Festa’ at Seodaemun Prison History Hall from August 14 to 15 to commemorate the 77th Liberation Day.

The citizen history festival ‘2022 Seodaemun Independence Festa,’ planned to share the joy of liberation and widely promote the spirit of freedom and peace, is composed of programs that allow participants to experience the history of independence, peace, and harmony in various ways.

On the evening of August 14, the day before Liberation Day, at 7:30 PM, celebratory performances by folk singer Seo Yoo-seok, classical crossover ensemble Layers Classic, and singer Sohyang will be held on the main stage of Seodaemun Prison History Hall. After sunset, visitors can enjoy the media facade exhibition ‘Light Resistance,’ which expresses the will of independence activists for liberation through light on the outer wall of the 10th prison building.

There are also various hands-on programs for citizens to experience directly, including the historical reenactment play ‘When That Day Comes,’ the prison escape game ‘Secret Society, Escape the Prison!’, the prison experience ‘Miru - Shouting Manse Together,’ and the citizen participation play ‘We Are Independence Fighters.’

Participants can apply in advance for these programs through the Seodaemun Independence Democracy Festival website.

At the Independence Participation Square, 17 experience booths will be operated, allowing festival visitors to enjoy diverse experiences.

As a special opening exhibition, an exhibition themed on the ‘Gwangbokhoe (光復會: Park Sang-jin, Chae Ki-jung, Kim Han-jong, Han Hoon)’ will be held year-round at the Gongjaksa located inside the prison history hall.

During the festival, uploading various photos with hashtags on Instagram will provide free photo frames and souvenirs, adding fun to the festival for participating citizens.

Lee Seong-heon, Mayor of Seodaemun-gu, said, “The Seodaemun Independence Festa held to mark the 77th anniversary of liberation will be a meaningful festival to reflect on the spirit of independence and harmony,” and added, “I hope it will be a festival that everyone visiting the prison history hall can enjoy regardless of generation.”

During the festival, anyone can enter Seodaemun Prison History Hall free of charge, and it will be open until 9 PM. For inquiries, contact the Culture and Sports Division of Seodaemun-gu Office.

Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi) will hold the ‘Mangwoo History and Culture Park Midsummer Night Concert’ to honor the noble sacrifice of the patriotic martyrs buried in Mangwoo History and Culture Park and to widely promote the historical and cultural significance of the park in commemoration of the 77th Liberation Day.

Under the theme ‘Liberation, Healing, Love,’ this concert will be held outdoors at Jungnang Mangwoo Space (photo) on August 12 from 6 PM for about two hours. It will feature a Liberation commemorative Taekwondo performance and live performances by famous singers, allowing all generations from children to seniors to enjoy.

First, the Mirme Taekwondo team will perform a Taekwondo dance reenacting the moment of liberation with Korea’s national martial art, providing a time to reflect on history and remember the noble sacrifice.

Following this, the group Dongmulwon and singer Ji-seon, formerly of Loveholic, will present songs loved by the public with lyrical and beautiful lyrics and melodies, and traditional Korean musician Song So-hee will take the stage to close the event.

The concert is free and open to all, with no prior registration required. In addition to the venue, the performance will be broadcast live on the media hall screen on the first floor of Jungnang Mangwoo Space.

It is also recommended to visit the planned exhibition room on the second floor of Jungnang Mangwoo Space during the concert. The exhibition features calligraphy works themed on six literary figures resting in the park, including Manhae Han Yong-un, Bang Jeong-hwan, Kang So-cheon, and Park In-hwan.

Ryu Gyeong-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said, “I hope everyone will spend a meaningful time reflecting on the significance of liberation at Mangwoo History and Culture Park in commemoration of the 77th Liberation Day,” and added, “We will continue to strive to make Mangwoo History and Culture Park the best attraction nationwide, where people can enjoy not only history but also high-quality cultural arts.”

Eunpyeong-gu (Mayor Kim Mi-kyung) announced that it will hold the ‘Eunpyeong Youth Festival’ from August 11 to 13 in celebration of the UN-designated ‘International Youth Day’ (August 12).

To commemorate International Youth Day, the district and local youth organizations have jointly prepared a cultural festival for Eunpyeong youth to enjoy for the first time. The festival is divided into a commemorative festival on the 13th and youth cultural experience events on the 11th and 12th.

The ‘Youth Day Commemorative Festival’ will be held on August 13 at 1 PM at the Eunpyeong Culture and Arts Center. It will include a commemorative ceremony celebrating International Youth Day and a dance festival with popular celebrity Aiki.

The ceremony will feature awards for six exemplary youths and seven youth leaders, as well as congratulatory remarks from the mayor. The first part of the dance festival will showcase dance performances by eight youth dance teams from the Eunpyeong area.

The second part will be a talk concert with ‘Aiki.’ Aiki, the promotional ambassador of Eunpyeong-gu, is a famous choreographer who led the street dance craze by appearing on Mnet’s ‘Street Woman Fighter’ last year. After performing an opening dance with her dance team HOOK, Aiki will engage in a free-topic conversation with Eunpyeong youth.

The youth cultural experience events will be held from 1 PM to 6 PM on August 11 and 12 at seven youth hub institutions. Eunpyeong youth can participate free of charge, and 500 youths who participate in four or more of the seven hub institutions will receive a small gift and an admission ticket to the commemorative festival on a first-come, first-served basis.

The experience events include ▲Eunpyeong Youth Culture House ‘Great Escape Fun’ ▲Galhyeon Youth Center ‘Become the Pirate King’ ▲Eunpyeong Youth Counseling and Welfare Center ‘Making Worry Dolls’ ▲Eunpyeong Youth Support Center ‘Together? Value! Dream Dream’ ▲Eunpyeong Municipal Youth Center ‘Let’s Play Earth! Fantastic Eunpyeong Christmas’ ▲Eunpyeong Municipal Youth Future Career Center ‘Future! Hands Up! AR, VR Edition’ ▲Eunpyeong Municipal Youth Sexuality Culture Center ‘Ask Anything About Sex!’ among others.

To facilitate mobility during the cultural experience period, a ‘Youth-Only Shuttle Bus’ will operate six times a day from noon to 5 PM. It departs from Jeungsan Station and circulates through the Shin-naneun After Center, Eunpyeong Youth Center, Galhyeon Youth Center, and 14 nearby locations. Youth aged 9 to 24 in Eunpyeong can use the shuttle freely and free of charge at any section.

Details such as operating hours of experience programs by hub and shuttle bus routes can be found on the website of the Eunpyeong Youth Culture House Shin-naneun After Center.

Kim Mi-kyung, Mayor of Eunpyeong-gu, said, “We prepared this festival hoping that Eunpyeong youth will be respected as autonomous beings in celebration of International Youth Day,” and added, “I hope the first Youth Festival will be successfully held and become a representative youth festival of Eunpyeong-gu.”

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