[The Herald Business = Senior Reporter Park Jong-il] Jungnang-gu held the results report for the 18th Jungnang Seoul Rose Festival on Monday at the district office's below-ground auditorium, reviewing the festival's operational achievements and discussing the direction for the 19th edition.
About 300 people attended the event, including festival staff, residents, volunteers and representatives from related organizations. The gathering featured commendations and certificates of appreciation for contributors, followed by presentations on key achievements and the strategic plan for the 19th festival.
The 18th Jungnang Seoul Rose Festival ran for nine days from May 15 to May 23 at Jungnang Rose Park under the theme "Rang Rang 18." Featuring a rose parade, the Grand Rose Festival, the Jungnang Artist Festival, and a range of performance and hands-on programs, the event drew 3.07 million visitors — reaffirming its standing as Seoul's premier spring flower festival.
This year's festival placed residents at the center of the event, significantly expanding community participation. A total of 10,801 people contributed to running the festival — 7,852 Jungnang residents along with 2,949 safety personnel and volunteers, including district employees, police and firefighters. The rose parade, which saw 1,500 residents from 16 neighborhoods take part, served as the opening highlight and a symbol of community unity.
Residents' voluntary involvement extended across every aspect of the festival — safety management, performances, hands-on programs and environmental upkeep — cementing the Jungnang Seoul Rose Festival's identity as a community-driven event built and enjoyed by all.
The results report offered a comprehensive review of the 18th festival's operations and laid out the direction for the 19th edition, covering expanded resident participation, the development of signature rose-themed content, and strategies for strengthening ties with the local community.
For next year's festival, the district plans to develop signature rose-themed content, brand and package rose bread, and expand a line of rose-inspired tourism souvenirs dubbed "Rose-tem." The district also intends to increase the involvement of local artists and broaden residents' role in shaping a community garden along the Jungnangcheon stream through a community-led garden project, with the goal of growing the festival into an event that advances alongside the local community.
"I sincerely thank the residents and volunteers who helped create the safest, cleanest and most welcoming festival — one that drew 3.07 million visitors," District Mayor Ryu said. "We will work even harder to grow the Jungnang Seoul Rose Festival beyond a celebration of community harmony into a nationally representative festival that uses the rose to build the local economy and strengthen the city's brand."
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