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Parents with young children planning a weekend during the heavy rains of midsummer

A midsummer weekend may still make you sweat even when standing because of the high temperature and humidity, and torrential rain is pouring down. It feels too long and too precious to just stay at home with two energetic children. As a mom or dad, it’s important to find spaces and programs that are educational, entertaining for the kids, and equipped with good parking and convenient facilities.

One visitor, who is currently on parental leave and raising an 8-year-old and a 4-year-old in Gwangju, was browsing the National Asian Culture Center website, searching for various exhibitions and programs. They discovered the ACCF Animation Mokkoji “Find Your Friends from Animated Films!” at the ACC Children, which was perfect as their children had become familiar with characters like those from “Bread Barbershop” through YouTube. Thrilled by the discovery, they quickly visited the event with their two children.

The 3rd ACCF Animation Mokkoji “Find Your Friends from Animated Films!”

The 3rd ACCF Animation Mokkoji “Find Your Friends from Animated Films!” was held from July 26th to 28th this year at the ACC Children’s Event Hall. “Mokkoji” is a pure Korean word meaning a gathering of people for play, celebration, or other events. The event was planned and hosted by the Asia Culture Center Foundation, which manages and operates the ACC Children, with participation from 13 animation content companies, including well-known studios based in Gwangju such as Duda & Dada, Rainbow Bubblegem, and Jurassic Cops, as well as other companies like GOGODINO Neighbors and Little Dreamer Gguda. This year, with the cooperation of Japan’s TBS and the Taipei Multimedia Production Association (TMPA) in Taiwan, DigiCon6 Asia Works, and outstanding Taiwanese animation pieces were also showcased.

The event, which was traditionally held around Hangeul Day in October, was rescheduled to late July this year. One reason for this change is that the fall season sees a higher number of outdoor activities and an increased number of competitive events in the cultural and arts sectors. In contrast, the decision to move the event to the summer, catering to parents who wish to spend enjoyable and educational time with their children during the vacation and holiday period, proved successful. It is reported that the number of visitors this year increased by one-third compared to previous years, and overall satisfaction significantly improved.

A character parade where both children and adults joyfully participate alongside costumed characters

The children rushed forward as soon as the character mascots appeared, waving their hands. They were thrilled with just a high-five, eagerly shaking hands and taking pictures with the characters. Seeing the characters they had only watched on YouTube or TV right in front of them made their eyes sparkle with excitement. The event included dance time with the character mascots, rock-paper-scissors games, and quizzes for parents on classic animation theme songs. Both the kids and the parents enthusiastically joined in. The music got everyone moving, with kids and dads alike dancing along. The highlight was not only the fun activities but also the abundance of gifts given to all participants. One attendee said that after such a long time, it was refreshing and enjoyable to have such a lively, fun, and primal experience with their children, especially after the long period of restrictions because of COVID-19.
Sometimes, having distance between people can bring a sense of relief, but the real fun comes from being together and sharing the excitement.

Experience programs were already fully booked; should I still go for it or not?

I, too, arrived at the ACC Children with a colleague and two older kids at 10:30 a.m. The event was mainly held in the Children’s Event Hall, and while admission was free, some of the experience programs required a fee. Unfortunately, the morning slots for the experience programs were already fully booked, with the earliest available time at 2 p.m. Diligent parents had already secured their reservations. I debated for a while, wondering if there would be enough engaging content and activities to keep the kids entertained for about four hours. Together with the two kids, we reviewed the event brochure and discussed how we would spend our time, ultimately creating a final plan for the day.

We agreed to first watch the character parade at 11 a.m., then enjoy the “Immersive Content” and “Media Art” exhibitions, followed by a delicious lunch at the restaurant in the ACC Children. After that, we’ll watch the animation “Let's Go! Galaxy Guards” at 1 p.m. and participate in the experience program at 2 p.m. However, after looking around at both the paid and free experience programs, the two older kids decided to choose a different program than what we initially planned after reviewing the brochure. They mentioned that the original choices didn’t seem very interesting for their age group. They also noted that many of the experience programs involved partially completed projects or activities they had already done before. Looking around, most of the children participating in the activities seemed to be around 5 to 7 years old.
The younger elementary school kids were mostly engrossed in the games in the “Immersive Content” section.

A popular festival enjoyed by parents with strollers and preschool children

There are various perspectives from which to view this event. Given that the festival’s name includes “Animation,” some might expect it to be a grand affair similar to the many industrial previews, professional animation film festivals, or markets connecting investors with companies, both domestically and internationally. However, from the viewpoint of those who attended, this event is more of a popular indoor character festival designed for the main visitors of the ACC Children. Although the target audience is children of all ages, it seems to be particularly well-suited for parents with strollers and their young children, from infancy to preschool age. This is because it offers a combination of practical features as each time parents go out, we must pack the stroller full of supplies, and deal with the children’s fussiness when it comes to napping and eating. Additionally, there must be clean restrooms, nursing rooms, stable responses to emergencies, and most importantly, accessible parking along with a balance of fun and educational elements.
Moreover, the comfortable and bustling, market-like atmosphere, which is hard to experience in regular exhibition spaces, creates a relaxed and joyful festival vibe. It’s delightful to hear a passing child exclaim, “Mom, I’m so happy!” Isn’t that amazing?

Still, Looking Forward to Even More Next Time

These are the reactions to an event bustling with parents holding the tiny hands of their children, surrounded by a sea of strollers with hardly any space to move throughout the entire duration. However, for the event to continue attracting visitors and build long-lasting engagement, I hope the planning and programming can become more fine tuned to meet the needs of its main audience. When too many goals are set, the original strengths and advantages of the event may become diluted.

Cultural and arts education experts often note that parents with young children are the most active participants, as educational aspirations become more academically focused once children enter elementary school. If many attendees find the event’s appeal in the hands-on “experiences,” there should be a concerted effort to develop or select new, specialized workshops tailored to different age groups, using unique themes, items, and materials rather than the typical ready-made kits found in after-school programs or community centers. Moreover, because this is an animation festival, curating animations with themes relevant to the current times or reflecting the interests of different age groups would require thoughtful planning. Additionally, it would be beneficial to arrange screening spaces with careful consideration of audience schedules and movement within the venue, ensuring that more visitors can enjoy the screenings.

Yoo Seung-jae, a coordinator at the Asia Culture Center Foundation, said,

Sometimes, even a well-planned event can be overlooked by the audience, while unexpected elements can lead to an overwhelming response.
I hope that ACC Children at the National Asian Culture Center, with its existing strengths as a space for children’s play and education, will carefully consider the needs of visitors who come through word of mouth and continue to grow into a beloved festival.