Do not go gentle into that good night, old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light, though wise men at their end know dark is right, because their words had forked no lightning they, do not go gentle into that good night.
From robot football to AI art, Seoul gamifies tech for kids
A promotional poster for the fourth Seoul Future Lab Festival / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
By Jhoo Dong-chan
As the summer heat settles over the capital, Seoul is transforming one of its tech hubs into a massive, hands-on science playground designed to make cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and drone technologies accessible to everyday citizens.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Friday it will host the fourth annual Seoul Future Lab Festival on Saturday at its dedicated exhibition center and across the Magok Square plaza in western Seoul. Operating under the theme "A Summer Where Future Tech Becomes Play," the single-day event will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., offering dozens of interactive stations tailored for children and families.
The festival marks a broader push by city officials to demystify complex emerging tech, moving away from dry classroom lectures toward physical, gamified learning. The event features a diverse coalition of municipal science museums, libraries and private tech startups — including AI and robotics firms like UVnex and Yusha.
To handle the crowds, organizers have divided the outdoor plaza into three distinct interactive zones: a Tech Zone where visitors can fly rescue drones and converse with an emotional AI counselor; an Arcade Zone featuring sensor-driven reaction games and a two-versus-two "Robot World Cup" soccer match; and an Atelier Zone dedicated to creative engineering, where children can assemble mechanical claws, experiment with generative AI art tools and build solar system-themed spinning tops.
Alongside the outdoor booths, Seoul Future Lab will open its permanent indoor facilities for specialized, preregistered tracks. These include physical AI labs, virtual reality space exploration simulators and drone racing courses.
The festival arrives as Seoul Future Lab cements its role as a premier tech-education center, drawing more than 54,000 visitors last year alone. For its 2026 season, the center has expanded its curriculum to focus heavily on "physical AI" — the integration of machine learning algorithms with physical machinery.
"The Seoul Future Lab Festival is an experiential gateway where citizens can naturally absorb AI, robotics and drone tech through play," said Lee Soo-yeon, head of Seoul's Economic Policy Bureau. "We hope this gives children, teenagers and families a tangible spark to expand their curiosity and imagination about the digital tools shaping our future."
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.