Seoul's Eunpyeong-gu will host its first lifelong learning festival to showcase residents' self-directed study achievements and connect them with the broader community.
Eunpyeong-gu announced it will hold the first Eunpyeong Ieum Festival at the Eunpyeong Lifelong Learning Center on Saturday.
The festival is part of the district's 2026 Learning Circle Support Project, organized by the Eunpyeong Learning Circle Federation and sponsored by the Eunpyeong Lifelong Learning Center.
The federation was founded in January to promote exchange and communication among learning circles in the district. Members are handling everything from planning to performances and hands-on activity booths, making the event the first occasion for them to share the fruits of their studies with fellow residents.
Hands-on programs open to all residents will include board games, traditional ornament making, upcycled-space design and a participatory installation art activity in which visitors create signage for the festival. Clubs will also display wood-burning artwork — pieces in which images and text are etched into wood using heat — to present each group's learning achievements.
Performances will be equally varied. A reading play by the theater club Jeonjijeoktsijeom opens the program, followed by belly dance, line dance, Korean traditional dance, folk guitar, a band set and a nongak percussion performance. Guest appearances by a Filipino traditional dance group of multicultural women and a youth dance team from the West District Welfare Center for People with Disabilities will add further significance to the event.
Organizers say the festival's particular significance lies in learning circle members not merely presenting their achievements but taking on the role of festival hosts themselves and engaging directly with residents.
Na Su-a, president of the Eunpyeong Learning Circle Federation, said the federation was glad to share with neighbors what members had built through learning together. "I hope more residents will experience the joy of learning and take an interest in joining a circle," Na said.
Eunpyeong-gu District Mayor Kim Mi-kyung said she hoped the first festival prepared together by the learning circles would serve as a starting point for connecting neighbors through learning. "We will continue to support residents in learning voluntarily and sharing their achievements with the community," Kim said.
The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and is open to all residents.
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