[Anchor]

A festival is underway in downtown Seoul where people can lie back on bean bags on a midsummer night, enjoy jazz and classical music, and savor food. The "DDP Vacations" event at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) kicks off today (July 31) and runs through this weekend.

Reporter Yun Nara has the details.

[Reporter]

As the scorching heat and sudden heavy downpours make it difficult to head out of town for a vacation, an event is being held right in the heart of Seoul where people can relax while enjoying music and food.

The Seoul Design Foundation is hosting the "DDP Vacations, DDP Music Festival" at Dongdaemun Design Plaza from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM today (July 31) and throughout the weekend.

Jazz performances are featured today, classical music tomorrow, and folk music the day after, creating a unique summer night atmosphere every day. Spaces are also set up where visitors can enjoy a variety of food, including beer and ice cream.

In line with the Seoul Metropolitan Government's direction to vitalize the nighttime economy, the event will run late into the night so that office workers leaving work and night tourists can participate.

[Cha Kang-hee / CEO, Seoul Design Foundation: We are operating from 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Office workers are welcome to drop by after work, and we hope families and friends alike will come and enjoy.]

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The Seoul Metropolitan Government held a Seoul Learn communication special lecture, attended by 80 Seoul Learn members and university student mentors preparing to enter society.

Seoul Learn is an online educational support platform operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government since 2021 to bridge the educational gap for out-of-school youths and low-income students.

Mayor Oh Se-hoon also took the podium as a lecturer, delivering a special lecture aimed at enhancing the communication and collaboration skills necessary to adapt to new environments.

[Oh Se-hoon / Mayor of Seoul: The Seoul Metropolitan Government will continue its efforts so that youths can start their lives from a fair starting line right before entering society (through Seoul Learn).]

The event also featured small-group hands-on training sessions across four different fields: reading comprehension, delivery, writing, and speech.

(Video by Joo Beom | Video Editing by Choi Hye-ran)