Seoul Citizens’ Hall to open doors this weekend

When Kwon Jun-myung, 26, resident at the Seoul National University Hospital and his fiancee Seo Hyun-jin, elementary school teacher, planned their marriage, they decided they wanted to do something good for society instead of spending a lot of money to honor their once-in-a-lifetime event.

On the official Web site of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, they saw a notice informing them that the city is receiving applications from couples wanting to get married at Seoul Citizens’ Hall, a space in the basement of the headquarters of Seoul that will open on Saturday.

The city government received 17 online applications in December and eventually selected a couple after conducting an interview. The couple promised in their application that monetary gifts from guests will be donated to medical patients and students who need money for school.

They only have to pay 30,000 won ($28) for using the 703.4-square-meter (7,570-square-foot) wedding hall. The wedding hall is open to couples every Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and can accommodate up to 100 guests.

“We select couples who want to hold a simple wedding and also want to share good deeds through their weddings, as we wanted to promote a good cultural practice, unlike expensive weddings,” Lee Hyun-jeong, official of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, told the Korea JoongAng Daily.

“The maximum cost is about 5 million won, which varies based on what food or flowers are provided.”

Couples can submit their applications through its official Web page, (http://cafe.naver.com/simincheong).

The city government yesterday said the construction for the entire 7,842-square-meter Seoul Citizens’ Hall, which makes up the B1 and B2 of the city government office headquarters in Jung District, central Seoul, is finished, set to open on Saturday.

The B1 level is designed as a place where citizens can learn about the city. An information center and Seoul city tourist information center is arranged together to provide information about the hall as well as entertainment programs that will be held in the citizens’ hall and tourist spots in Seoul.

The city government also created a place it named Gungisi Relics Exhibition Hall where some 590 artifacts are on display, including bullanggijapo, a portable canon, and chongtong, firearms from the Joseon Dynasty found in the ground when constructing the new city government building.

At the B2 level, the wedding hall is part of the event hall, and a place named Citizen Plaza is provided as an open space for a flea market and open-mic concerts.

By Kwon Sang-soo [sakwon80@joongang.co.kr]