Seoul to hold friendship festival to link foreign, local residents through beauty, culture

Seoul will host a cultural festival on Friday, uniting local and foreign residents to immerse themselves in Korean beauty, wellness, and lifestyle programs, according to city officials. The second Better Together Seoul Culture & Wellness Festival will take place from 1:30 to 5 p.m. at Oullim Square, located within Dongdaemun Design Plaza, a notable landmark in central Seoul. Notably, Friday is Hangeul Day, a national holiday in Korea.

Organized by the Seoul Foreign Resident Center with support from the city, the event will be attended by embassies of Colombia, Vietnam, and Uzbekistan, as well as a Spanish cultural center. International student associations will assist in managing various booths throughout the festival.

Visitors can look forward to a K-beauty and health zone offering advanced skin analysis using artificial intelligence, personalized color diagnosis, face painting, as well as monitoring blood pressure and blood sugar levels. A virtual reality safety program and CPR training will also be available for participants.

The K-culture zone will showcase traditional Korean experiences, including the creation of key rings resembling the gat, a distinctive horsehair hat, as well as the practice of calligraphy and engaging in folk games such as jegichagi. This game involves players maintaining a shuttlecock aloft using only their feet.