On September 10 and 17, Seoul’s Seocho District announced it would host the ‘2025 Disability Awareness Improvement Concert’ at the Seocho Cultural Arts Center Art Hall, exclusively for all district employees.
Beyond the legally mandated education conducted under the Disability Welfare Act, this event was organized in a new format that combines performances and lectures. The aim is to help the participants properly understand disability, experience the lives of disabled individuals through art, and engage with the content in an interesting way.
The seminar and presentation were led by Hong-yun Shin, a disability awareness improvement instructor who is active on KBS Radio and EBS. He captured attention by sharing his own childhood when he couldn’t walk due to a physical disability and his experiences abroad after rehabilitation. He also dispelled misconceptions about disabilities, using quizzes to encourage participation and garner a positive response.
The stage performances were filled with appearances by artists who have overcome disabilities. The first performance featured Nam-hyun Lee, a vocalist who overcame full-body paralysis, singing moving renditions of “You Raise Me Up” and “O Sole Mio.” Following this, Ji-won Lee, the first Developmental Disabilities recipient of a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in Korean traditional folk songs, presented a profound display of traditional Korean music.
The closing performance was by the ‘Seocho Hanwoori Orchestra’, a professional orchestra comprised of individuals with developmental disabilities. The orchestra performed pieces such as the “Centuria Overture,” a medley from the musical “The Sound of Music,” and “I Will Follow Him,” bringing the concert to a conclusion.
Seocho District Mayor Sung-soo Jeon stated, “This disability awareness concert was more than just education; it was a meeting of art and empathy. Moving forward, we will continue to strive for a warm Seocho without disabilities or discrimination.”
