Seoul revives weekly night-run program through October

A promotional poster for Seoul Metropolitan Government's “7979 Seoul Running Crew" program / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

The Seoul Metropolitan Government launched the latest edition of its “7979 Seoul Running Crew” program, a free weekly night-running program that leads residents through major city districts every Thursday evening through October.

Registration opens each week Monday through Wednesday via the city's public service reservation portal or the Dongma Runners Club website, with 60 spots available per session — 30 per channel. Walk-in registration on the day of each run is also accepted. Sessions run from 7 to 9 p.m.

The program, now in its fourth year, drew a cumulative 5,013 participants last year alone. It is structured into three skill-based tracks: a beginner course centered on Gwanghwamun downtown, an intermediate course in the Banpo area of southern Seoul and an advanced course in Yeouido. Organizers note that distance and intensity on all tracks can be adjusted to suit individual pace and fitness level.

Each session is staffed by coaches with competitive athletics backgrounds who provide instruction on proper running form and technique. Six pacemakers per zone, along with one medical pacemaker, accompany runners to monitor pace and respond to safety incidents. Quarterly safety education sessions — covering injury prevention, sports taping techniques and posture correction — supplement the regular program.

This year, the city is placing added emphasis on what it calls "runtiquette" — a combination of the words running and etiquette — aimed at reducing friction with pedestrians and minimizing noise in public spaces. Participants will receive pre-run safety briefings on hand signals and emergency response, and will be instructed to run in single-file small groups at reduced speed. The city plans to produce short-form video content featuring the Seoul Haetae mascot to promote voluntary compliance with running norms.

"The 7979 Seoul Running Crew has led a mature running culture grounded in safety and consideration over the past three years," said Kim Myung-ju, director-general of the city's Tourism and Sports Bureau. "We will continue to expand the foundation for a healthy grassroots sports culture and greater civic participation."

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