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.
Gangnam District to mark Children's Day with 2 family festivals
Gangnam District Office building in southern Seoul / Courtesy of Seoul Gangnam District Office
By Jhoo Dong-chan
Gangnam District will hold a pair of festivals for kids to celebrate Children's Day, offering hands-on activities, performances and outdoor play across two venues in the southern Seoul district.
The first event, “Play, Laugh and Dream,” runs May 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Irwon Eco Park in the southern outskirts of the capital.
The interior of Irwon Eco Park will feature eight themed zones — including “All Yellow,” “All Pink,” “Play With Hinoki Cypress,” “Play With the Sea,” “Memories of the ’70s and ’80s,” “Glamping Go Go,” “Dinosaur Alert” and “Green Jungle Party” — designed to engage children’s five senses.
An outdoor play zone will offer big blocks, a rail train, spinning riders and bouncy castles, while the surrounding lawn area will host photo opportunities, face painting and keyring-making activities.
The second event called “Wriggling Playground of Hope” will take place on Children's Day on May 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Gangnam Children's Hall. Programs will be spread across the building from the basement to the sixth floor, divided into two sessions.
The basement level will operate bouncy castles and a hinoki cypress sandbox play area. The first floor will host fire safety activities in partnership with the Gangnam Fire Station.
The second floor will feature a magic show, the third floor Lego activities and the fourth floor will operate hands-on craft sessions including keyring decorating and flower bead bracelet making. On the fourth floor, a native English-speaking instructor will lead a picture book reading from noon to 2 p.m.
The sixth floor will stage the children's musical “The Ugly Duckling's Dream” in sessions capped at 100 audience members each, requiring advance reservations.
Gangnam District Mayor Cho Seong-myeong said the events are designed to give children space to run freely and explore in the heart of the city.
Registration for “Play, Laugh and Dream” opens April 20 at www.gncare.go.kr. Reservations for “Wriggling Playground of Hope” are available from April 16 at www.gangnami.org.
Walk-in registration is available on the day for most programs excluding ticketed performances. Admission is free.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.