The 'Jeju Youth Club Cultural Olympics’ event hosted by the Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Youth Activity Promotion Center was held on Saturday, October 28, 2023, at the Jeju Citizen Welfare Town, South Korea.

Due to the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 and the Itaewon incident, it was the first time this event was held outdoors in four years.

More than 2,000 people, including 45 youth clubs belonging to Jeju area youth training facilities, organisations, institutions, and schools, participated in the event on that day.

Jeju Island Deputy Governor, Kim Hee-hyun, expressed her gratitude to the people who actively participated and to the officials who prepared a festival venue for youth to express their dreams and talents at the event held in the area of Citizen Welfare Town Square.

At the start of the festival, a special event, the '2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics torch, which came all the way from Seoul, Busan, and Sejong, brightened the festival.

The 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics took place from the 19th January to February 1st 2024, with 1,802 young athletes from 78 National Olympic Committees (NOCs).

Athletes between the ages of 15 and 18 competed against each other by playing winter sports such as bobsleighing, ski jumping, snowboarding, ice hockey, figure skating, and so on.

Kim Hee-Hyun stated, “The flame of the torch of 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympics, which symbolises efforts to overcome one’s limitations and unquenchable passion, is lighting up Jeju,” and supported the successful hosting of the Winter Youth Olympics held in Korea for the first time in Asia.

Kim Hee-hyeon also emphasised, “The Jeju provincial government will continue to provide opportunities for young people to fully demonstrate their capabilities.”

After the special event, many teenagers and their parents were able to participate in the festival, enjoy various booths and watch fun performances.

For instance, experience programs included various booths, such as making colourful macarons, solid toothpaste, mug cups, and microplastic bookmarks so that you could enjoy and learn about various activities.

Many activities were centered on the theme of the environment and saving the Earth.

Furthermore, Operation Headquarters 1 provided eco-bags, and Operation Headquarters 2 provided drinks and stamp rally gifts.

In addition to this, they also operated a youth club performance team and an experience booth.

The "ㄱㅇ ㄷ zone" provided practical information and held fun events for teenagers, such as sex stories and Q&A about part-time jobs for teenagers.

Instead of participating in various booths, they also could enjoy the performances prepared by many groups of teenagers.

The concert zone performance program provided an opportunity for youth to show off their unique style and talents, including a guitar ensemble, Taekwondo demonstration, rope jumping performance, band ensemble, and K-pop dance.

A parent with her 12-year-old child participated in the event and said that she was very grateful that many youth organisations gathered together in good weather and were able to partake in various experiences.

She hoped there would be more meaningful events like this.

Her daughter also agreed with her by saying that this event has provided many fun activities she could do and is willing to come to this event next year as well.

BoYoung Ryu

Year11

North London Collegiate School, Jeju