A visual journal through South Korea showing places and moments where children, parents, grandparents and communities come together for play, participation, and belonging across generations.

Shoes

Taking off outside shoes before going inside shows respect. The entrance is a transition point from the outside to the inside. Wearing indoor slippers, or socks, inside is common. Outdoor shoes are dirty, taking them off keeps homes cleaner. Traditionally floors were heated. Heat from a fire was channelled beneath the floor to keep it warm. While heating may be different now, it is still an important custom that is passed from generation to generation. Taking off shoes, turning them around to point toward the outward door (arranging them neatly), is a ritual that is taught to younger people by older generations. (This is because there is an old saying that good fortune enters through a clean and tidy entrance. Older generations would sometimes also teach younger people to turn the toes of their shoes toward the door.)

Apartment Playgrounds

Most Korean families live in apartments. The South Korean Housing Act and Building Act require complexes to build community infrastructure; playgrounds are a mandatory part of this. Playgrounds are social spaces, children play and neighbours socialise. Playgrounds are designed for children, but sometimes also include outdoor exercise equipment used by adults.

Pop-up green spaces

All over Seoul there are small pocket parks and public gardens. As part of “Garden City Seoul” project, empty lots, old sites, and paved corners are being transformed into green space. Newer builds plan pocket parks deliberately. The goal is for everyone to be able to find a bit of nature within a five-minute walk from their home, office, or school.

This neighbourhood pocket park is alongside a walking path from apartment complexes towards the main road in the Songpa district in Seoul. There are spaces to sit alongside the water fountains, looking into the trees and flowers. The sound of the water is louder than the sound of the nearby traffic. There are stepping stones or bridges to cross the water; children and adults jump and skip from stone to stone. It is a place to sit and take a moment, a place to gather with family groups and friends, and a meeting place.

Korean baseball

All ages gather at the baseball. Professional baseball games are played Tuesday through to Sunday nights from late March through to October and in Seoul there are 16 stadiums that can host more than 10 000 spectators at one time. Jamsil is the largest of these with a capacity to host over 24 000 fans. Team supporters sit together, the home team around first base, the away team around third. Fried chicken is enjoyed by many fans alongside tteokbokki and other specialities. Professional cheerleaders and a DJ lead supporters in personalised chants for each player. Each player has a melody, customised lyrics and choreography; the crowd sing and dance these as the player steps up to the plate. Colourful cylinders, flags, and towels are waved by fans with the beat of the music to create a wall of colour and sound. There are games off the pitch too – using large screens spectators are invited to participate in dance cam as they instantly break into fun dance moves, cheering cam to capture team spirit, impromptu dance-offs between spectators, and shared games and quizzes with many prizes. There is also a Water Festival on the outfield where fans get soaked by dozens of high-powered water cannons as they dance to music during breaks.

The Songpa Children’s Library

The Songpa Children’s Library is a community space for families with regular children-focused cultural events, storytelling sessions, and play spaces. Local residents volunteer at the library. Senior citizens teach children about Korean history and culture through storytelling programs and workshops.

Community Wishing Tree

At the bottom of the Seoul Plaza, alongside the Seoul City Hall and Seoul Metropolitan Library, is a community wishing tree installation. Wishes for the future are written down on coloured pieces of paper and hung on the tree creating a living sculpture. Children and adults all contribute.