Seoul to offer hands-on art workshops at Jamsil Hangang Park this month

A promotional poster for the "Hangang Sagaksagak Art Place: Creative Experiences With Artists" / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Residents looking for a weekend activity can head to Jamsil Hangang Park, one of the public parks along the Han River that runs through Seoul, for a hands-on art program running from July 11 to 18.

The municipal initiative, officially titled “Hangang Sagaksagak Art Place: Creative Experiences With Artists,” will run from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on both Saturdays. The workshops are set to take place at Sagaksagak Place, a compact enclave of modular studio spaces established by the city in 2018. Designed to insulate emerging creators from the city's prohibitive real estate market while demystifying the creative process for the public, the complex will open its doors to participants of all ages.

Four resident artists will lead the intimate, specialized sessions, bringing together traditional Korean craftsmanship with contemporary trends. Gwak Bukku, a visual artist whose given name is Gwak So-ra, will guide attendees in fabricating custom keyrings modeled after the Han River’s native otter population, utilizing a specialized heat-shrink plastic technique. In another workshop, the artist Pudding Bbodding, or Kwon Na-kyung, will oversee a session where attendees construct otter-shaped bags using heavy felt and decorative materials.

For those seeking relief from summer humidity, Supillium Studio, spearheaded by Jeong Hye-ryeon, will host a workshop for crafting rainbow-hued hand fans. Meanwhile, Dobidio, the studio moniker of Yoo So-yoon, will introduce participants to the art of "najeonchilgi" through a workshop for using the traditional mother-of-pearl inlay to decorate keychains.

The enclave's open-air plaza will also transition into a performance space. Pollepollero, a percussion project led by resident musician Hwang Sang-yeon, will give live performances of Brazilian drumming. The rhythmic display will be flanked by the city’s ongoing “Guseokguseok Live” busking series, featuring a roster of amateur citizen musicians.

Prospective attendees can secure their space in the workshops via the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s official booking portal (https://yeyak.seoul.go.kr/web/main.do) or sign up directly at the venue, but should take note that slots are limited. The cultural hub is within walking distance of the Jamsil pier.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.