A city wellness festival where visitors can experience exercise, food, art, relaxation and meditation in one building is coming to Hannam-dong, Seoul. Hanwha General Insurance said on the 15th that it will hold Wellness Cruise Hannam, an urban wellness culture festival, at its Hannam-dong headquarters for five days, from the 21st through the 25th.
Hanwha General Insurance’s first wellness culture project
The event is the first wellness culture project from Hanwha General Insurance. It was designed to let visitors experience firsthand different ways to care for their physical and mental health in everyday life. More than 30 brands will take part, including PLUS CLOVR, a wellness brand for women during pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood from PLUS, the Hanwha Financial Group’s joint brand. The headquarters will feature 12 themed spaces focused on exercise, food culture and relaxation.
Meditation through sound, lighting and scent
The relaxation and meditation area may be of particular interest to meditation enthusiasts. A separate space spanning about 200 pyeong will host meditation programs using sound, lighting and scent, along with a healing service. SASASA will also set up an ondol-style sauna.
Sensory-based meditation can offer an approachable entry point for people who find it daunting to sit still and focus only on their breathing. By listening to sounds and paying attention to changing light and scents, visitors can experience what it is like to let their attention settle in one place instead of constantly jumping between smartphone screens. For those new to meditation, the festival’s relaxed setting may be a chance to explore which sensory experience suits them.
Artistic exercise equipment and regional food classes
At Yachaegym (GYM), which combines art and exercise, artists Jongwan Jang and Junho Jang of the artist duo BBK will present exercise equipment they created. Visitors can try the equipment, which is designed like works of art.
The food culture research project Ip-mal Food will introduce traditional foods and seasonal ingredients from Andong, Gangwon Province and Hamgyeong Province, and offer classes where visitors can learn about and sample them. In the food and beverage area, specialty coffee brand PERLEN will run a nonalcoholic bar serving coffee and tea drinks. Visitors can also try SANS’s alternative coffee and Jeongnammi Myeonggwa’s bakery items made with famine-relief crops.
Discover your wellness profile through games
A wellness-type test developed by Hanwha General Insurance’s Femtech Research Institute will also be available. In a casino-themed space, visitors can play games to learn about their lifestyles and wellness tendencies. Electronic musician Cifika will perform DJ sets on the 23rd and 24th, and a talk program featuring four speakers on life balance and everyday energy will run from the 24th through the 25th.
Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; free admission
The event will run daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free, with no separate ticket required, though some activities and classes are paid or require advance reservations. Details on the schedule and registration are available on the official website.
A Hanwha General Insurance representative said the event was designed to help visitors discover the wellness practices that suit them through a range of cultural experiences and activities.
Meditation becomes one of many ways to take a break in daily life
A financial company opening its headquarters to the public and placing a meditation space alongside exercise, food and a sauna reflects a broader shift: meditation is moving from a specialized practice into the range of everyday wellness options. In a setting like this, meditation is not presented as the one right answer, but as one way to unwind alongside exercise, food and relaxation. For people who still find seated meditation hard to approach, exploring different experiences—moving the body, tasting food and engaging the senses—could be a good way to find the kind of meditation that works for them.
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