A diverse range of institutions -- from medical experts and ESG-focused companies to art students and pet care providers -- engaged visitors through interactive booths at Wellness Seoul 2024, offering a blend of health, creativity and eco-friendly initiatives aimed at inspiring a higher quality of life for all.

Among the most popular booths was that of the Seoul Korean Medicine Association, a community of Korean medicine doctors based in Seoul. The doctors provided on-site consultations and offered traditional Korean manual therapy known as Chuna therapy, which combines hands-on manipulation techniques to address physical imbalances.

A doctor from the Seoul Korean Medicine Association performs Chuna therapy on a visitor at the Wellness Seoul 2024 booth, Sunday. (Hwang Joo-young/The Korea Herald)

"As a dancer, I often suffer from injuries, and usually, I just take medication to get through the pain," Jae-hee Kim, a 21-year-old performing arts student at Kookmin University, said at the booth. "But after experiencing Chuna therapy today, I feel a significant reduction in the neck and shoulder pain that has been bothering me for a while."

Lee Jong-kim, one of the Korean medicine doctors, mentioned that they participated in the event to raise awareness about Chuna therapy, especially since the therapy has recently become more accessible through insurance coverage.

"Modern lifestyles, including prolonged computer use or work-related postures, often lead to physical imbalances. Chuna therapy is highly effective in correcting these issues," Lee added.

For visitors attending with children, a different kind of creativity was on display. A group of 10 fine arts students and their professor from Kaywon University offered face painting at their booth. Professor Hong Seung-ho explained, "We set up this booth because we believe that one of the best ways we can contribute to society is by bringing art into people's everyday lives."

An art student from Kaywon University offers face painting to a young visitor at the Wellness Seoul 2024 booth, Sunday. (Hwang Joo-young/The Korea Herald)

Pet care was another major focus at the event, with several booths dedicated to the well-being of pets.

Digital health care company DKdoctor and Meta Rich, a comprehensive insurance provider, co-hosted a booth offering pet oral microbiome testing. This testing helps identify potential diseases and estimate life expectancy for dogs, cats and other pets, giving pet owners valuable health insights.

"It’s great to have access to such a rare test at an event like this," said Kim Ha-bin, a visitor in his 30s who attended the event with his Golden Retriever.

A pet owner conducts an oral microbiome test on his dog at the Wellness Seoul 2024 pet care booth. (Wellness Seoul 2024)

In addition to health-focused initiatives, Petloc, a social enterprise, collaborated with a local volunteer group to provide a pet shelter booth, offering a resting place for tired pets while promoting the adoption of rescue animals.

Corporate participants also made their mark at the event. Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance highlighted its pet insurance and initiatives for environmental, social and governance responsibility, distributing T-shirts with CPR guidelines in partnership with the Korea Association of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.

Livewith, an ESG-focused company, showcased samples from its partner brands, including Frombio’s probiotics and Vegansuper’s vegan lipstick, emphasizing their commitment to animal rights and sustainable products.

Additionally, Gyeongdong Market, known for its past practice of selling dog meat, aimed to revamp its image by offering pet products and snacks to appeal to younger visitors.

By Hwang Joo-young (flylikekite@heraldcorp.com)