Hanwha General Insurance is hosting Wellness Cruise Hannam, a wellness festival, at its Hannam office in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, from October 21 through 25. The company has divided the office’s third through fifth floors and basement into 12 themed spaces, with around 30 Korean femtech and wellness brands taking part in the programming. The festival is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Admission is free, while some activities and classes require payment or advance reservations.
True to its name, the experience begins at the boarding desk on the second floor, as if visitors were stepping aboard a ship. They pass through different approaches to health and relaxation on each floor before ending their journey at the disembarkation area in the basement. Like a cruise that invites travelers to enjoy the journey as much as the destination, the event encourages visitors to try a range of experiences and find the kind of rest that suits them.
A roughly 200-pyeong room in the basement for doing nothing
The final space is the biggest draw. In the roughly 200-pyeong relaxation area in the basement, visitors take off their shoes and lie on the floor, staying awhile with nothing but music, scent and light. There are no tasks to complete and no movements to follow.
The organizers say the space conveys the message that doing nothing and resting is just as much a part of wellness as moving your body or trying new foods. For city dwellers pursued by notifications and appointments, simply lying still can feel more unfamiliar than expected. For anyone who has found seated meditation difficult, focusing on sound and scent while lying down may be a first step.
Use casino chips to discover your wellness type
The fourth floor is designed like a casino. Visitors answer a host’s questions by placing chips in a game that lets them try out a wellness-type assessment created by Hanwha General Insurance’s Femtech Research Institute. At the end, they receive a card naming their type, such as “Time Balancer” or “Self-Development Seeker.”
An arcade in one corner of the same space offers hands-on experiences with AI-based health management services and products from wellness companies. In a lounge for women during pregnancy, childbirth and early parenthood, PLUS CLOVR, Hanwha Financial Group’s women’s wellness brand, and LUSH Spa are offering prenatal massage and cleanser-making classes. The fifth floor features a sauna that reinterprets Korea’s ondol underfloor-heating culture for today.
Choosing not to drink is wellness, too: Alternative coffee on the third floor
The third floor is devoted to food and drink. Visitors can sample nonalcoholic coffee with the feel of whisky or cocktails, as well as caffeine-free alternative coffee made with naturally derived ingredients. Hanwha General Insurance said it sees choosing not to drink alcohol as one form of wellness and has prepared menu options for people who cannot consume caffeine. The company added that participating brands were selected based on their focus on healthy everyday living.
Ipmaeul Food, which researches traditional local dishes and ingredients, is holding a regional-food cooking class featuring Andong gangjeong, Tongyeong ppaettegi porridge and Hamgyeong Province’s swieum tteok. Ochawon is offering a talisman-making experience in which visitors create their own charms using herbs. The greenhouse-shaped Glasshouse introduces seasonal ingredients and local food culture, and offers a plant-based souvenir-making activity. Also on view is Vegetable Gym, a collection of works that transform exercise equipment into the shapes of vegetables and plants.
Talks on life balance during the final two days
Stage programming continues during the latter part of the festival. Electronic musician Cifika will perform on October 23 and 24, while talks on life balance and everyday energy will be held on October 24 and 25. Check the venue or Hanwha General Insurance’s official channels for talk times and reservation details.
Since announcing in 2023 that it would transform itself into an insurer specializing in women, Hanwha General Insurance has expanded its services beyond insurance products to women’s health and everyday lives. This event is part of that broader effort.
You don’t have to start meditating while sitting
An insurance company turning an entire office building into a wellness space suggests that wellness has become part of everyday language, rather than a term confined to a particular industry. Exercise, food, saunas and naps sit side by side along the same route, and visitors can choose for themselves what works for them.
The same goes for meditation. If sitting on a cushion for a long time feels like too much, there are other ways in: resting while lying down and taking in sound and scent, warming your body in a sauna, or focusing your senses on a cup of tea. Rather than looking for a single right answer, visitors can open different doors and choose the one that feels comfortable. That is the approach to wellness this cruise offers.
The event runs through 9 p.m. tomorrow.
For inquiries: fare3041@naver.com