Seoul's Gangseo-gu to hold 24th Heo Jun Festival in Magok on Oct. 10-11
Version 2: More program detail has come in: the new road course for the opening run and the children's quiz are now reported by more than one outlet, and one report states that Heo Jun was born in Gangseo-gu.
In short
Gangseo-gu in Seoul said it will hold the 24th Heo Jun Festival at Seoul Botanic Park, Magok Jungang-ro and Magok Plaza on Oct. 10-11 under the theme “embracing tradition, prescribing the future.” The district said about 40 programs will run across five zones, opening with a 7:20 a.m. run on Oct. 10 and including medical checkups, a Donguibogam exhibition, a parade and evening concerts. Traffic on a 220-meter stretch near Magongnaru Station exits 3-6 will be fully closed from 2 a.m. Oct. 10 to 2 a.m. Oct. 12.
Read the full story 3 min read
Gangseo-gu in Seoul said it will hold the 24th Heo Jun Festival on Oct. 10-11 at Seoul Botanic Park, Magok Jungang-ro and Magok Plaza under the theme “embracing tradition, prescribing the future.” The district said the festival revisits the medical spirit of Heo Jun and combines traditional Korean medicine with advanced modern medicine as a “convergence wellness festival.” The program is organized into five zones — medical health, culture and arts, Heo Jun Donguibogam, healing experience and food — with about 40 programs. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
The festival opens at 7:20 a.m. on Oct. 10 with the running event Heo Jun Run. Yonhap reported about 4,000 people are expected to take part, while Asia Economy said about 4,000 applied to join. Asia Economy and Kyunghyang Shinmun reported that a road course was added for the first time this year, alongside the existing courses through Seoul Botanic Park and Hangang Citizens Park. Health stretching with instructors follows at 11 a.m., according to Yonhap and Kyunghyang. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
A Donguibogam special exhibition zone presenting the academic and cultural value of Heo Jun and the Donguibogam through visual materials is being introduced at the venue entrance for the first time. In the Donguibogam zone, the district said it will work with the Heo Jun Museum and the Handok museum — named as the Handok Medical Museum by Yonhap and Asia Economy and the Handok Pharmaceutical Museum by Kyunghyang — on programs such as making herbal scent pouches, and invite traditional Korean medicine physicians to lecture on the Donguibogam and everyday health practices. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
In the medical health experience zone, specialists from the Association of Korean Medicine will offer pulse diagnosis and consultations, while the Gangseo-gu Medical Association, the Korean Orthopedic Association and the Gangseo-gu Pharmacists Association provide checkups and medication guidance, the district said. Body-type analysis and skin diagnosis using artificial intelligence equipment will also be available. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Participatory programs begin at noon on Oct. 10 at the Seoul Botanic Park lawn, including the Heo Jun Survival Game, Random Play Dance and family games. On Oct. 11, a Heo Jun Parade combining traditional music, traditional costume and b-boying performances is scheduled for 1 p.m., and Asia Economy and Kyunghyang reported about 500 elementary school students will take part in the Heo Jun Kids Jangwonjeon quiz at 3 p.m. The Heo Jun Concert at 7 p.m. on Oct. 10 features Melomance, Ben, An Sung-jun and EPEX; Asia Economy additionally reported an opening ceremony and a trot stage by An So-mi at 6 p.m. before it. A closing ceremony and the Muse Wind Orchestra's Heo Jun Music Concert are set for 6 p.m. on Oct. 11, and a herb-collecting stamp tour and large wall drawing activity will run throughout. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Vehicle traffic on the 220-meter section around Magongnaru Station exits 3-6 will be fully closed from 2 a.m. on Oct. 10 to 2 a.m. on Oct. 12. Asia Economy reported the district will place safety personnel and volunteers throughout the venue and use reusable containers at the festival. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
District mayor Jin Gyo-hoon said, “The Heo Jun Festival is Gangseo-gu's signature wellness festival where you can meet traditional Korean medicine and advanced medical technology together,” adding that he hopes it will be a meaningful time for whole families to take part in and be healed, beyond simply watching a festival. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The festival is the district's own event, so its schedule and the road closure around Magongnaru Station directly affect residents and visitors in the Magok area that weekend. It also brings traditional Korean medicine associations and modern medical screening into one public program, which the district presents as a wellness-oriented format. Coverage rests on the district's announcement and reads largely as an events notice.
Key facts
- The 24th Heo Jun Festival will run Oct. 10-11 at Seoul Botanic Park, Magok Jungang-ro and Magok Plaza in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The theme is “embracing tradition, prescribing the future,” presenting traditional Korean medicine alongside modern medicine as a “convergence wellness festival.” [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The program is organized into five zones — medical health, culture and arts, Heo Jun Donguibogam, healing experience and food — with about 40 programs. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The festival opens at 7:20 a.m. on Oct. 10 with the Heo Jun Run. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- A road course was added to the run for the first time, alongside the existing Seoul Botanic Park and Hangang Citizens Park routes. [ 2 , 3 ]
- In the medical health experience zone, Association of Korean Medicine specialists offer pulse diagnosis and consultations, while the Gangseo-gu Medical Association, the Korean Orthopedic Association and the Gangseo-gu Pharmacists Association provide checkups and medication guidance. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Vehicle traffic on the 220-meter section around Magongnaru Station exits 3-6 will be fully closed from 2 a.m. Oct. 10 to 2 a.m. Oct. 12. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Asia Economy reported the district will deploy safety personnel and volunteers and use reusable containers during the festival. [ 2 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The 24th Heo Jun Festival will be held Oct. 10-11 at Seoul Botanic Park, Magok Jungang-ro and Magok Plaza in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The festival covers five zones and about 40 programs and opens with the Heo Jun Run at 7:20 a.m. on Oct. 10. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Vehicle traffic will be fully controlled on the 220-meter stretch near Magongnaru Station exits 3-6 from 2 a.m. Oct. 10 to 2 a.m. Oct. 12. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- District mayor Jin Gyo-hoon said the festival is Gangseo-gu's signature wellness festival where traditional Korean medicine and advanced medical technology can be experienced together. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- A road course was added to the Heo Jun Run for the first time this year, alongside the existing Seoul Botanic Park and Hangang Citizens Park courses. [ 2 , 3 ]
- A Donguibogam special exhibition zone presenting the academic and cultural value of Heo Jun and the Donguibogam is being introduced at the venue entrance for the first time. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- About 500 elementary school students are to take part in the Heo Jun Kids Jangwonjeon quiz at 3 p.m. on Oct. 11. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- How many people will take part in the Heo Jun Run. Yonhap says about 4,000 are expected to participate, while Asia Economy says about 4,000 applied, so the final figure is not fixed.
- That trot singer An So-mi performs at an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. on Oct. 10, before the Heo Jun Concert. Reported only by Asia Economy; Yonhap and Kyunghyang list the Heo Jun Concert at 7 p.m. and do not mention a preceding 6 p.m. stage.
- That Heo Jun was born in Gangseo-gu. Reported only by Kyunghyang; the other documents do not state where Heo Jun was born.
- The exact name of the partner museum. Yonhap and Asia Economy write the museum name as “Handok Medical Museum,” Kyunghyang as “Handok Pharmaceutical Museum”; the documents do not resolve the naming.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Yonhap publishes the district's announcement of the 24th Heo Jun Festival. [ 1 ]
- Asia Economy publishes its report on the same festival. [ 2 ]
- Kyunghyang Shinmun publishes its report on the festival. [ 3 ]
- Vehicle traffic control begins on the 220-meter section around Magongnaru Station exits 3-6 (Oct. 10). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Heo Jun Run opens the festival (Oct. 10). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Health stretching with instructors (Oct. 10). [ 1 , 3 ]
- Game programs including Heo Jun Survival Game and Random Play Dance begin at the Seoul Botanic Park lawn (Oct. 10). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Opening ceremony and a stage by trot singer An So-mi (Oct. 10). [ 2 ]
- Heo Jun Concert with Melomance, Ben, An Sung-jun and EPEX (Oct. 10). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Heo Jun Parade with traditional music, traditional costume and b-boying performances (Oct. 11). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Heo Jun Kids Jangwonjeon quiz for about 500 elementary school students (Oct. 11). [ 2 , 3 ]
- Closing ceremony and Heo Jun Music Concert by the Muse Wind Orchestra (Oct. 11). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Vehicle traffic control ends (Oct. 12). [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]