Gwanak-gu (district mayor Park Jun-hee) is now accepting applications for two flagship programs of the 8th Gwanak Youth Festival: "Morning Rave: G-BOOST" and "Black & White Barista: G-ROAST."
This year's Gwanak Youth Festival will be held Sept. 5 at Gwanak District Office Plaza. Moving away from a passive, consumption-oriented event, the festival is designed as a participatory experience giving young people hands-on opportunities in pop-up operations and brand promotion. The lineup draws on youth culture trends, with running and coffee at its core.
Making its debut this year, "Morning Rave: G-BOOST" combines running, a DJ performance and coffee into a one-of-a-kind event. Rather than competing for times, participants are encouraged to run together, share positive energy and connect naturally with one another.
Runners will set off from Gwanak District Office Plaza and complete an approximately 5-kilometer round-trip course to Seoul National University Venture Town Station, then cap the morning with a DJ-soundtracked party. All participants will receive a finisher's medal, coffee and a running kit. The 5,000-won entry fee will be donated in full to support vulnerable youth.
The program is open to 100 young people between the ages of 19 and 39, with priority given to those who live or are active in Gwanak-gu. Applications open Monday on a first-come, first-served basis and will be accepted until spots are filled. Interested participants can submit an application form by scanning the QR code on the promotional poster.
"Black & White Barista: G-ROAST" is a community competition designed to discover a signature coffee that represents Gwanak-gu.
The competition is divided into two categories: "Black" — for everyday coffee enthusiasts who experiment with their own home-cafe recipes — and "White," for working baristas and cafe owners. A total of eight finalists will be selected across both categories.
Those who pass the initial document screening will compete in a live on-site round on the day of the festival. Final winners will be determined by combining scores from a panel of professional judges and a citizen evaluation committee.
The overall winner will receive a cash prize of 500,000 won ($352), a winner's plaque and a pop-up experience opportunity. Runner-up and popularity award recipients will also receive cash prizes and products. Applications for the barista competition are open from Monday through Aug. 19 via a form on the Gwanak District Office website, to be submitted by email.
Full schedules and application details for both programs are available on the Gwanak District Office website and its official social media channels.
"This year's Gwanak Youth Festival is more than just a spectator event — we've prepared a participatory festival where young people can start the morning with an invigorating run and spend the afternoon enjoying a coffee-filled competition together," district mayor Park said. "We hope many young people will take an interest in these two programs, which reflect what youth care about in their daily lives, and join us actively."
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