2.5km walk through Children's Grand Park set for Saturday
Bodybuilding showcase, robot 'Neo' appearance, prizes and giveaways also planned
Gwangjin-gu will host the "2026 Gwangjin Family Autumn Walking Festival" at the Open Stage of Children's Grand Park on Saturday, organized by the Gwangjin-gu Sports Council.
The walking festival is the district's signature community sports event, held annually to encourage everyday physical activity and foster connections among families and neighbors. About 2,500 residents are expected to take part this year, walking together to promote health and community spirit.
The event will open with a formal declaration, followed by introductions of key attendees and a health message segment. Before the walk begins, participants will warm up with a fitness instructor and learn proper walking form to ensure a safe experience.
Participants will then set off from the Open Stage, pass through the amusement park area and return to the starting point — a 2.5-kilometer route expected to take about 40 minutes — taking in the autumn scenery and making memories with family and neighbors along the way.
A pre-walk showcase will feature five members of the Gwangjin-gu bodybuilding team, who will volunteer their time to demonstrate their physiques. The performance is intended to raise awareness of the team's activities and spark broader interest in community sports.
A special event tied to the Gwangjin Future Technology Experience Center, titled "Walking into the Future with Neo," will also be on offer. At the Open Stage, the robot Neo will be introduced and perform a dance routine. Participants can walk alongside Neo from the starting line and take commemorative photos for a one-of-a-kind experience.
After the walk, a prize draw will be held. All finishers will receive a commemorative gift, and families who participate across three generations — in keeping with the event's theme of "Gwangjin families walking together" — will receive a special keepsake.
Gwangjin-gu District Mayor Kim Kyung-ho said he hoped the event would give families and neighbors a chance to walk together, look after their health and share warm moments. "We will continue to build an environment where everyone can enjoy exercise close to their daily lives, making Gwangjin a healthy city," he said.
The district currently runs a range of age-tailored community sports programs, including running and slow jogging sessions, nighttime trekking on Achasan, and billiards and table tennis classes for senior residents. Going forward, the district plans to make greater use of parks and neighborhood sports facilities to spread a culture of everyday exercise, and to build what it calls a "work, live and play" Gwangjin — a community where leisure and connection go hand in hand.
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