Seoul's Dobong-gu district office has wrapped up its "2026 Youth Idea Product Development Competition Exhibition" to strong public response.
The showcase featured 23 creative Fourth Industrial Revolution product ideas made by elementary, middle and high school students as well as youth with developmental disabilities, drawing enthusiastic reactions from local residents.
Standout entries — each tackling everyday problems through a young person's fresh perspective — included AI-crafted custom fragrance goods, shopping bags made from recycled banners, personalized T-shirts printed using ultraviolet technology, career-roadmap goods themed around future occupations, and a humanoid robot choreography performance.
Every entry was a project that students led themselves over four months, from initial concept to working prototype.
Maker School Dobong, a local program providing Fourth Industrial Revolution education and equipment, supported the production process throughout.
This year's exhibition focused on improving accessibility and making the experience more tangible for visitors.
Organizers noted that holding the previous year's event during the school term had made participation difficult for some students, and moved the schedule to the summer vacation period, running from July 24 to July 31.
The district also significantly expanded a permanent hands-on experience booth for residents by making use of the district office lobby.
The changes produced immediate results. A total of 1,050 visitors came to the venue over eight days to cheer on the young participants — an average of about 130 per day.
Some 583 people took part in the hands-on programs, and an on-site satisfaction survey gave the event a score of 4.75 out of 5.
District Mayor Kim Dong-wook, who examined each student's work at the exhibition, said seeing the creations born from the students' hands gave him confidence in Dobong's unlimited potential. "We will spare no effort in providing sustained and carefully tailored support so that our young people, who have turned their imaginations into reality using technology as their tool, can grow into the convergence-minded talent who will lead the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution," he said.
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