Two jewelry-making programs — rings, bracelets and necklaces — run every Saturday from June through November at Korea Jewelry Center; first-come, first-served registration open on Seoul's public service booking system
Jongno-gu (district mayor Jung Mun-heon) will run the "Play with Jewelry in Jongno" program every Saturday from June 13 through Nov. 21 at Korea Jewelry Center Co.
The program is designed to let domestic and international tourists and residents experience the appeal of Jongno's jewelry special district by crafting and designing their own pieces. The district is a key industry hub, home to a large concentration of Korea's jewelry businesses. The district government hopes the program will give ordinary residents a hands-on look at the manufacturing process while offering tourists a distinctive experience found only in Jongno.
A total of 20 courses are available — a making track where participants craft rings, bracelets, necklaces and phone grips by hand, and a design track where they express their personal style through sketching, color combinations and layout.
Sessions are held in the fourth-floor seminar room of Korea Jewelry Center (41 Donhwamun-ro), near Jongno 3-ga Station. Three 60-minute sessions run each Saturday afternoon — at 2 p.m., 2:40 p.m. and 4 p.m.
The program is open to anyone aged 8 and older. Children 12 and under must be accompanied by one guardian. Each session accepts up to 10 participants, with a maximum of 12 on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tuition, including materials, ranges from 9,900 won (about $7) to 25,000 won depending on the course. Participants can register online through Seoul's public service reservation system and pay the materials fee through Naver's "Jewelin Store."
"I hope this becomes a time when people craft something truly one-of-a-kind by experiencing firsthand how jewelry comes to life," Jung said. "We will continue to spare no effort in supporting the jewelry industry so it can take even deeper root."
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