Four club activities — film, running, science and books — share results
The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Health Promotion Institute are holding the "Nodam Social Club Photo Exhibition" at AE Seongsu in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, Friday and Saturday, presenting the key activities and outcomes of the Nodam Social Club 2.0 campaign.
Nodam Social Club 2.0 — operating under the slogan "Hobbies become more fun, smoke-free" — is a campaign in which teenagers and young adults who share common interests take part in four club activities covering film, running, science and books, practicing a smoke-free lifestyle and spreading what organizers call "nodam culture," a culture of not smoking.
To broaden participation among teenagers and young adults, the campaign held four in-person sessions between September and October. The photo exhibition was organized to display highlights from those sessions and raise public awareness of and engagement with nodam culture.
At the Nodam Movie Club on Sept. 12, club leader Lee Seung-guk, a film YouTuber, and 98 members watched the film "Nirvana the Band" and discussed it together.
On Sept. 20, the Nodam Running Club — led by singer Shawn and 100 members — completed the 10-kilometer course at the Incheon Songdo International Marathon, then took part in a Q&A session and quiz-based exchange program.
On Oct. 3, the Nodam Science Club, led by science YouTuber Gwedo and 70 members, explored the relationship between nicotine and the brain's reward system through a neuroscience session. On Oct. 15, the Nodam Book Club, led by editor Kim Min-gyeong and 119 members, enjoyed outdoor reading and participated in a book talk on the theme of "discovery, immersion and growth through nodam."
Alongside the in-person sessions, the campaign invited influencers from various fields to the events and spread the nodam message through content produced on-site, reaching audiences beyond those who attended in person.
A video from the YouTube channel "Andoel Gwahak" (Can't Be Science) featuring Nodam Science Club leader Gwedo is also set to be used as educational material for the school smoking-prevention project.
Club members also took part in a mission to unfurl towels bearing the message "Of course, nodam" — each reflecting their own personality and daily life. The campaign produced participation videos as digital content and distributed them on SNS to spread the members' smoke-free message.
The photo exhibition presents the everyday smoke-free lives that teenagers and young adults built together, through activity photos and personal reflections from all four clubs, and is designed to invite the general public to join in spreading nodam culture.
The first floor features representative and activity photos from each club along with members' reflections, and includes a space where visitors can leave their own thoughts and messages of encouragement.
The second floor houses the "Nodam Photo Wall," a photo-taking space built around the window design from the campaign poster, where any visitor can express their commitment to a smoke-free life and cheer on others.
The exhibition runs Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. each day at AE Seongsu, and is free and open to all. After the exhibition closes, key content will remain accessible online through the official Nodam website.
On Sunday, an exchange event will be held for 100 outstanding club members. The gathering is intended to look back on the campaign's activities and recognize participants, and will include member interviews, a networking program and a celebratory performance.
Kim Heon-ju, president of the Korea Health Promotion Institute, thanked the teenagers and young adults who took part in the Nodam Social Club activities. "We will continue to expand campaigns that resonate with and engage young people, so that teenagers and youth never start smoking — including e-cigarettes — and can practice a smoke-free lifestyle in their daily lives," Kim said.
thlee@heraldcorp.com
