488 people applied for Friday's premiere of 'The King's Warden,' with total applications across three screenings topping 1,700; 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' screens Sept. 11, 'Aladdin' on Sept. 18
Mapo-gu successfully held the first screening of its "Onfamily Yageumyageum Cinema" outdoor film series at the district office's civic plaza on Friday, and will continue with two more family screenings on Sept. 11 and Sept. 18.
The series — whose name evokes the idea of families savoring a movie together on a Friday night — is a free cultural event that uses a large media canvas installed on the exterior wall of the Mapo-gu District Office building.
Families streamed into the civic plaza for the opening night. A tap dance performance warmed up the crowd before the film began, while caricature drawing and face-painting stations drew enthusiastic responses from younger attendees.
The plaza was set up with camping chairs and beanbag sofas, and families arrived with picnic mats and snacks to enjoy the film together on an autumn evening.
The series drew strong interest from residents even at the application stage.
The opening film, The King's Warden, received 488 applications for just 150 available spots — more than three times the capacity. Spider-Man: No Way Home, screening Sept. 11, drew 708 applications, a competition ratio of 4.7 to 1, while the final screening of Aladdin on Sept. 18 attracted 531 applicants. Combined applications across all three screenings surpassed 1,700.
In response, the district is considering ways to expand participation for families who missed the application window, including an on-site waitlist system.
The remaining screenings begin at 7 p.m. on Sept. 11 and Sept. 18. Spider-Man: No Way Home, featuring the beloved superhero familiar to children, screens Sept. 11, followed by Aladdin — a dazzling blend of music and fantasy — on Sept. 18.
"I am grateful for the strong interest and enthusiasm residents showed at the first screening," Mapo-gu District Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun said. "I hope everyone will come out on the remaining two Friday nights to watch a film and make happy memories with neighbors and family."
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