Gangnam-gu to Host '2026 Gangnam Environmental Great Transformation Festival' at COEX

Gangnam-gu will host the "2026 Gangnam Environmental Great Transformation Festival" at the first-floor lobby of the COEX east entrance on Friday, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

September is home to several environmentally significant observances — Blue Sky Day, World Ozone Layer Protection Day and World Car-Free Day among them. The district is using the occasion to create a platform for residents, environmental groups and related organizations to come together under the theme "Less carbon, more circulation, more action," with a focus on translating awareness of the climate crisis into small, everyday actions.

The event will open with a celebratory performance, followed by commendations for contributions to environmental conservation and a "Gangnam Environmental Great Transformation Performance." Fifteen residents and others recognized for their contributions to carbon neutrality and environmental protection will receive awards, and Gangnam-gu District Mayor Kim Hyun-ki and key guests will stage a performance conveying messages of environmental commitment. The venue will also display winning entries from the Korea Meteorological Administration's weather and climate photo contest, giving visitors a chance to reflect on climate change and the importance of environmental stewardship.

Experience booths will offer hands-on programs centered on resource circulation and carbon neutrality. Activities include sea-glass crafts, sock-yarn doorbell making and coffee-grounds body scrub workshops — all focused on giving discarded materials new life. The event will also promote everyday energy-saving practices such as the Eco-Mileage program.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government's Institute of Public Health and Environment and local environmental groups will also run their own programs. The institute will offer environment-themed activities and quiz programs, while local groups will present natural soap-making, eco-friendly lifestyle product campaigns, handkerchief dyeing using plant leaves, and companion plant cultivation to help reduce fine dust.

Civic groups and companies — including Noltan, I'm Not a Baby and Ohu Dusi Lab — will also take part. Noltan and I'm Not a Baby will run a "My Eco-Type Test & Great Transformation Pledge" session, in which participants examine their daily habits, identify their environmental personality type and commit to specific actions going forward. Ohu Dusi Lab will operate a "Calculate My Carbon Footprint" station where visitors can check their personal carbon emissions.

"Change that protects the environment begins not with grand slogans but with small actions practiced in daily life," Gangnam-gu District Mayor Kim Hyun-ki said. "I hope this event gives everyone a chance to reflect on their own lifestyle and try at least one thing for themselves, so that carbon neutrality and resource circulation can take root as a natural part of everyday culture."