20 Young Job Seekers in Dongdaemun-gu Publish Their Stories

Dongdaemun-gu held a book talk Monday at the lounge of the Seoul Youth Center Dongdaemun to celebrate the publication of two books produced through a youth career support initiative called "Nareul Pyeonaeda," or self-publishing project.

The event was organized to introduce the two books — written by young participants in the district's youth challenge support program — and to share the significance of bringing them to print.

The "Nareul Pyeonaeda" project is part of a tailored initiative under the youth challenge support program, designed to help discouraged young job seekers rebuild confidence and explore employment and entrepreneurship. It encouraged participants to reflect on their lives, document their own stories and discover new possibilities.

The young writers approached their work without being bound by any set format or genre, freely channeling their individual personalities and experiences. The result was a wide range of pieces — from accounts drawn directly from personal experience to fictional narratives reimagined from real life — spanning poetry, screenplays, photo essays and horror fiction across the two volumes.

The venue was decorated in a warm, camping-inspired atmosphere to help the young writers share their stories comfortably. Attendees exchanged thoughts on the works and the project, and listened as each writer introduced their piece and reflected on the experience.

The program opened with a documentary video of the project's activities, followed by congratulatory remarks from guests, a group photo and book talks in which all 20 young writers spoke about their work and shared their reflections. About 30 people attended in total, including the 20 young authors and staff from the youth center and program organizers.

Dongdaemun-gu District Mayor Choi Dong-min, who attended the event, offered words of congratulation and encouragement to the young writers, sharing his own experience of reaching his current position through a series of challenges throughout his life. He expressed solidarity with the young writers' spirit of taking on new beginnings and urged them to keep believing in their own potential.

Notably, Choi stayed on after delivering his remarks to listen attentively as each young writer introduced their work and spoke about what the project had meant to them.

"I think completing your own story and putting it out into the world is itself a remarkable act of courage," Choi said. "Having faced countless challenges in my own life, I feel a deep connection with each of you standing here today." He added, "I hope you will carry the experience of publishing this book as a source of confidence, and walk new paths ahead without fear. Dongdaemun-gu will be right behind you, cheering on your every challenge."

The district said it plans to continue running a range of programs to help young residents move beyond job-search preparation and discover their own strengths and potential while rebuilding their confidence.