Five relay lectures by SNU professors run Oct. 2–Nov. 6, with new sessions in psychology, medicine and astronomy; 300 seats per class available on a first-come, first-served basis via the Yangcheon-gu Lifelong Learning Portal starting Tuesday
Yangcheon-gu will run a lifelong learning program called "Yangcheon Knowledge Brunch" — featuring relay lectures by Seoul National University faculty on topics drawn from everyday life — at Haenuri Hall in Haenuri Town from Oct. 2 through Nov. 6.
The program is a humanities and liberal arts lecture series that has operated under an MOU signed with SNU's Continuing Education Center in 2023. Designed to bring expert knowledge and insight within easy reach of residents, it has drawn more than 3,200 participants across 21 lectures to date and has consistently received strong support.
This year, the district expanded the program's scope by actively incorporating feedback gathered in last year's satisfaction survey. Three new subject areas — psychology, medicine and astronomy — have been added to the lineup, joining architecture and education to bring the total to five fields, each represented by an SNU professor.
The series opens Oct. 2 with Kwak Keum-joo, emeritus professor of psychology at SNU, speaking on "Finding Myself Through Anxiety" — an exploration of everyday anxiety and self-reflection. On Oct. 16, landscape architecture and rural systems engineering professor Bae Jeong-han will examine the relationship between cities and green spaces in "Parks: Reviving the City," followed on Oct. 23 by education professor Kim Dong-il, who will offer a fresh perspective on learning in "What Is Intelligence? How to See Things Wisely."
The series continues Oct. 30 with physics and astronomy professor Hwang Ho-sung presenting "Stories of the Universe: Astronomy as Consolation," and wraps up Nov. 6 when Seoul National University Hospital emeritus professor of gastroenterology Jeong Hyeon-chae delivers "A Happy Life Through the Study of Death" — rounding out the newly added astronomy and medicine sessions.
All lectures run 90 minutes beginning at 10:30 a.m. and are free and open to all Yangcheon-gu residents. Each session is capped at 300 participants, with registration available on a first-come, first-served basis through the Yangcheon-gu Lifelong Learning Portal.
The district has maintained its "Lifelong Learning City" designation from the Ministry of Education — a status it has held for 21 years since first receiving it in 2005 — and has consistently broadened its lifelong learning offerings. It has expanded future-oriented learning opportunities through a generative AI and digital program tied to a lifelong learning festival, while operating hands-on lifestyle education courses in cooking, horticulture, crafts and sewing at the Sinwol Lifelong Learning Center, a technology-focused learning hub, to build a learning environment that spans generations and interests.
"I hope this becomes a wonderful opportunity for residents to encounter lectures by SNU professors — experts with genuine depth in their fields — right in their own neighborhood," District Mayor Lee Gi-jae said. "We will continue building a lifelong learning city where learning connects to the everyday joys and personal growth of our residents."
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