Gwangmyeong City Unveils Youth-Designed Nareum Youth Activity Center as a Creative Convergence Space

Reopened after Remodeling Incorporating Youth Voices
Creation of Happiness Zone, Creative Growth Zone, Exploration Development Zone, and More
Expansion of Youth Activities, Self-Governance, and Experiential Programs

The Nareum Youth Activity Center in Gwangmyeong City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Seungwon Park), has been newly renovated to reflect the voices of local youth.

Seungwon Park, Mayor of Gwangmyeong City, is communicating with youths at the reopening ceremony of the Nareum Youth Activity Center of the Gwangmyeong Youth Foundation, located on the 6th floor of the Cheolsan 3-dong Administrative Welfare Center, on the 28th. Provided by Gwangmyeong City

The Nareum Youth Activity Center of the Gwangmyeong Youth Foundation held a reopening ceremony on March 28 on the 6th floor of the Cheolsan 3-dong Administrative Welfare Center, after completing its remodeling.

This reopening holds special significance, as the opinions of young people were incorporated into every stage of planning and design, transforming the center into a youth-led space.

Youth were involved throughout the entire process, including idea meetings, space layout suggestions, and remodeling monitoring, directly influencing the design of key areas such as rest zones and autonomous activity rooms.

The newly established Nareum Youth Activity Center is a creative convergence multi-complex space with a total floor area of 479.92 square meters.

The self-use facility, called the “Happiness Zone,” has been created as a multipurpose space for meetings, relaxation, and leisure. The rental facilities consist of the “Creative Growth Zone,” “Exploration Development Zone,” “Idea Sharing Zone,” “Vitality Recharge Zone,” and “Imagination Realization Zone.”

Each of these spaces is utilized for various activities and events, science programs, youth self-governing organization activities, performing arts club practice, as well as for education, experiential programs, seminars, and dance club activities.

Seungwon Park, Mayor of Gwangmyeong (center front row in the photo), is taking a commemorative photo with attendees at the reopening ceremony of the Nareum Youth Activity Center of the Gwangmyeong Youth Foundation, located on the 6th floor of the Cheolsan 3-dong Administrative Welfare Center on the 28th. Provided by Gwangmyeong City

The reopening ceremony began with youth-led creative science activities, such as 3D pen experiences, virtual reality (VR) Meta Quest, and a character “Shrinkle” workshop (a hands-on activity where plastic is baked to create small, hard goods). The event continued with a progress report, creative science performances and congratulatory performances by youth clubs, followed by a facility tour.

One youth participant shared, “I was truly proud to see my ideas actually reflected in the space.”

Mayor Seungwon Park of Gwangmyeong City stated, “This reopening marks a meaningful change, with youth going beyond being mere users to directly planning and completing the space. We will steadfastly support young people so that they can freely imagine, take on challenges, and develop their potential here.”

Park Seongsuk, CEO of the Gwangmyeong Youth Foundation, said, “We will operate a variety of programs so that young people can showcase their dreams and talents in the new space.”

The Nareum Youth Activity Center is located on the 6th floor of the Cheolsan 3-dong Administrative Welfare Center. It supports various activities for youth aged 9 to 24, including creative science experiences, drone activities, and club programs.

The exterior view of the reopened Gwangmyeong Youth Foundation Nareum Youth Activity Center. Provided by Gwangmyeong City

The center is open from Tuesday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is closed every Monday.

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