13 essay authors and 15 character artists graduate — books published on Kyobo Bookstore, works listed on Naver platforms; Women's Tomorrow Academy expands beyond job placement into creative and entrepreneurial fields
"After leaving my job, I had no idea what to do next — but publishing a book gave me the confidence to believe I could start over."
Those are the words of Seok Jeong-hyeon, who published the essay collection "I Was So Anxious I Got My Fortune Read." Women who had long been known only as "someone's mother" or "someone's wife" after stepping away from work for childbirth, child-rearing or family caregiving are now meeting readers and visitors under a new title: author.
Songpa-gu in Seoul, led by District Mayor Seo Gang-seok, announced that its Women's Tomorrow (Job) Academy produced 28 graduates in the first half of this year — 13 essay writers and 15 character artists — and held a graduation exhibition titled "Space of Dreams" to showcase their work.
The exhibition runs free of charge from June 18 through June 28 at Culture Experiment Space Hosu (256 Songpanaru-gil).
Starting in March, Songpa-gu ran two courses — "Starting Today, I'm an Author!" and "Character Creator" — at the Songpa Women's Career Reconnection Center to help women with interrupted careers re-enter the workforce and resume economic activity. Participants ranged in age from their 20s to their 60s.
The program focused on producing tangible results rather than hobby activities. Of the 13 essay course graduates, 12 wrote and published their own books on Kyobo Bookstore's online platform, while all character course graduates listed their original stickers and emoticons on Naver Line and OGQ Market.
The exhibition was organized to share the graduates' work with local residents. Visitors can read the books the graduates published and take part in a coloring program using the character artworks on display.
The Women's Tomorrow (Job) Academy has operated since 2022, when the eighth directly elected district administration took office. It initially focused on helping career-interrupted women who held social welfare licenses find employment, but this year expanded its support to cover creative and entrepreneurial fields.
In the second half of the year, the district plans to offer training for women preparing to launch or who have recently launched businesses, covering market development, AI applications, and tax and accounting skills.
"Reconnecting a career interrupted by childbirth, child-rearing or family caregiving requires not only personal effort but also institutional support," District Mayor Seo said. "We will continue to expand support policies so that women with career experience can keep pursuing new challenges."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
