A public wellness learning space where people can reawaken dulled senses through meditation, yoga, tea, fragrance and music is opening in Seoul. The Seoul Lifelong Education Institute will open Dagam, a wellness learning lounge, on the first floor of the annex at Seoul Citizen University’s Dasiganeun Campus in Gwanak-gu on Nov. 9. It will run a four-week pilot through Dec. 5, offering 16 programs in 106 sessions, all free of charge.
All three meditation yoga sessions, limited to eight people each, are already full
Among Dagam’s immersive programs, meditation yoga combines yoga and meditation to focus attention on body movements and breathing while gradually examining one’s state of mind. The sessions are led by Hong Seong-sin, a counselor and yoga instructor, and take place by the window in front of Dagam’s indoor cafe. Each lasts 1½ to 2 hours. The three sessions are scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Nov. 14 (Sat.), 4 p.m. on Nov. 23 (Mon.) and 4 p.m. on Nov. 27 (Fri.), with eight spots per session.
Reservations opened on a first-come, first-served basis at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 28. As of Nov. 3, registration had closed for all pilot programs, including meditation yoga. The four guest-speaker seminars also filled up, underscoring their popularity. Han So-won, a professor of psychology at Seoul National University, on Nov. 26; Kim Dong-ju, a professor of brain and cognitive engineering at Korea University, on Dec. 1; Lee In-ah, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at Seoul National University, on Dec. 2; and Park Geon-woo, a professor of neurology at Korea University, on Dec. 3, will speak on the mind and sleep, the senses, and caring for the body and mind.
The sessions filled in less than a week, signaling strong demand—even in public lifelong learning—for hands-on instruction in meditation and yoga. For people who find it difficult to meditate sitting alone, meditation yoga offers a relatively approachable starting point by combining breathing with movement.
Sleep wearables and a virtual immersive wellness room are available to book now
Ongoing programs that have not filled up are still available to book. They include Dagam Walk, a tour of the entire space, and Dagam Explore, a 40-minute experience in which participants choose one sense that interests them.
Among the Explore programs, the virtual immersive wellness room offers a solo experience focused on relaxation, sleep or concentration, with one person admitted at a time. During the Well Sleep experience, participants wear an AI sleep wearable and learn how biometric signals can be used to manage sleep, while also reviewing their own sleep habits. Each session is limited to two people. A listening session featuring music on LP records is also available.
Meditation does not have to begin on a cushion. Listening closely to sound, examining sleep patterns and exploring which forms of rest work best can also help people become more aware of their bodies and minds.
Eight multisensory spaces designed for people in their 40s and 50s; four-week pilot ahead of 2027 launch
Dagam features eight specialized spaces designed to stimulate the five senses, including hearing, touch and sight: a welcome zone, experience stage, cafe area, listening room, salon, wellness seminar room, garden and library. The lounge is primarily aimed at adults in their 40s and 50s. It aims to serve as a lifelong learning model that supports emotional recovery and physical health management later in life and helps prevent social isolation.
The program is designed in four stages: sensory walks, sensory exploration, sensory immersion and sensory practice. Participants tour the space and get a light introduction to the senses, choose one sense to explore, then spend time delving into a topic with an expert. Immersion programs include meditation yoga, opera and literature, a seasonal tea class, a Korean tea class, Table Between, Awakening the Senses Through Fragrance, Desk Gardening and a Dagam book talk. The sensory practice program, which connects the experience to everyday habits, will be offered later.
The institute calls the ability to recognize one’s physical and emotional state and manage it consistently “wellness literacy.” It plans to evaluate the pilot’s results and incorporate them into full operations in 2027.
Event details
Event: Dagam Wellness Learning Lounge pilot program
Dates: Nov. 9 (Mon.)–Dec. 5 (Sat.), 2026; closed Sundays
Hours: Mon. 2–6 p.m.; Tue. 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Wed.–Fri. 10 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Location: First floor of the annex at Seoul Citizen University’s Dasiganeun Campus, 70 Nakseong-daero, Gwanak-gu, Seoul (about a 10-minute walk from Exit 4 of Nakseongdae Station)
Organizer: Seoul Lifelong Education Institute
Admission: All programs are free
Registration: Reserve in advance through the Dagam website (dagam.seoul.kr); meditation yoga, guest-speaker seminars and other pilot programs are full, while ongoing Dagam Walk and Dagam Explore programs are available to book (as of Nov. 3)
Inquiries: 02-889-6430
Press inquiries: fare3041@naver.com