Clubs Get Exposure at Youtheca

On Saturday, August 9, clubs stretched across multiple fields came together to showcase their missions and activities. At the annual Youth Talk and Activities (Youtheca) Expo at COEX Convention and Exhibition Center in Seoul, South Korea, 120 student-led clubs from all over Korea set up booths to advertise their accomplishments and goals to fellow student visitors as well as adults.

The various groups, including research, political, service, and press clubs, demonstrated the true diversity of interests among students. At their booths, individual clubs showed posters to display their causes, asked for donations, conducted games, and more. For example, the science group “Choi’s Lab” brought chemicals so guests could experiment with and observe reactions themselves, while another group dedicated to alleviating elderly poverty asked visitors to write messages of encouragement.

Kevin Hong, a student that worked at the booth for the Vision Care Global Youth club, told JSR in an interview, “This expo allowed us to share the accomplishments of this organization with others and spread word. It also opened my eyes to the variety of interests students have and some other activities I can get involved in.”

Visitors each paid ₩3000, the equivalent of about $3, to gain access to the diverse array of student activities. Visitors came to donate money to various causes, to learn about what interests students have, and to join different groups themselves.

“I learned a lot about how students can get involved in their interests, and listening to students discuss how they would turn their goals into reality was inspiring,” says Moon Hee Kim, a parent who visited the expo, in an interview with JSR.

Kim went on, “I planned to attend this expo so I could find some activities for my son to do, and many clubs greeted him with open arms. It was amazing to see students having made changes in their society at such a young age.”

During the expo, performances and competitions were also held to add to the fun. There was a magic show in which a man with a sleek tuxedo skillfully drew a rabbit from his hat, a speech by the broadcaster Dong-woo Lee, and a quiz bowl where students competed with each other on stage. Representative students from various colleges also attended so high school students could ask questions if necessary.

Overall, it was a day of new experiences and memories.