151 hands-on booths across four fields, including AI
Seoul's Gangseo-gu District Mayor Jin Kyo-hoon attended the 13th Dream Job youth career exploration festival at Banghwa Neighborhood Park on Friday, cheering on students' dreams and futures.
Jin arrived early at the venue that day, watched a pre-show performance with students and took part in a "dream postcard" event.
He rode a bicycle fitted with a "slow mailbox" — designed to deliver letters one year later — to the center of the stage, where he received dream postcards written by about 3,800 first-year free-semester students from school principals and student representatives. The postcards will be delivered to each student a year from now.
After the opening ceremony, Jin toured the career experience booths, encouraging students and checking on how the programs were running.
This year's Dream Job was held under the theme "Connecting AI, emotion and K-culture."
A total of 151 hands-on booths were organized across four themes — specialized and special programs (9), AI and the future (65), arts and emotion (56), and Korean traditional culture (21). Each booth was designed to let students explore career paths through hands-on making, experiences and play.
Lines of students waiting their turn stretched across the booths, and participants threw themselves into the activities with visible excitement. Cheers rang out across the grounds as students encountered new fields and professions for the first time, keeping the festival atmosphere alive.
Following Dream Job, a "Parents' Career Job" event for elementary, middle and high school students in the district will also be held with their parents on Saturday.
"I hope this becomes a meaningful time for students to explore diverse career paths, build their dreams and make decisions about their futures," Jin said. "We will be a steady pillar of support so that every student can move forward boldly toward their dreams."
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