Club bands and dance crews from 8 schools and organizations take the stage alongside rapper Heo Seong-hyeon and magician Ji Hye-jun
Thirteen experience booths — from custom-design socks to pet-rock keyrings — draw steady crowds alongside a new shaded seating and board-game picnic zone
Dongdaemun-gu in Seoul said its fourth annual youth festival, "Tension Up, Ten Festa," drew more than 1,500 young people and local residents when it was held Saturday at Baebongsan Open Plaza.
This year's event introduced a newly built shaded seating area and board-game picnic zone, offering a comfortable and inviting space for visitors to relax. The program opened with dance and kalimba performances by children from Woori Neighborhood Care Centers (branches 4 and 8), followed by an interactive magic show by magician Ji Hye-jun.
After Dongdaemun-gu District Mayor Choi Dong-min and Youth Participation Committee member Kim Geum delivered the opening declaration, youth club groups from across the district took the main stage in a spirited showcase. Eight schools and organizations — Seongil Middle School (Hyacinth), Dongdaemun Middle School (Band Club and Bliss), Kkumdeurim (Exit 10 of Sinseoldong Station), Haeseong Girls' High School (Lunch Set and Jeongnong-dong Nuclear Bomb), Kyunghee Middle School (Sempre), Haeseong International Convention High School (The Celeb), Dongdaebu Middle School (Nirvana), and the Seoul Metropolitan Dongdaemun Youth Center (Revolution) — delivered high-caliber dance and band performances that drew enthusiastic responses from the crowd. Popular rapper Heo Seong-hyeon then closed the main stage with an energetic set that brought the festival to its peak.
Thirteen experience booths set up around the venue also proved a major draw. Particularly popular were programs reflecting current trends, including custom-design sock making, pet-rock keyring crafting and one-minute caricature portraits, which kept a steady stream of young visitors coming through.
In addition, a mosaic photo zone created by the youth participants themselves became a go-to spot for visitors looking to post on social media.
"I hope this was a time for young people to express their talents and enjoy themselves with friends and neighbors," District Mayor Choi said. "We will consistently expand the spaces and opportunities for youth to rest safely and take part in a wide range of cultural activities."
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