Hundreds of participants on the opening day of the event "Gwanghwamun Moonlight Yoga" on June 21, International Day of Yoga, stretch at Yukjo Madang of Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul's Jongno-gu District. (Lee Jihae)
By Lee Jihae
"Now, put your hands together, close your eyes and inhale. Now exhale."
About 200 yogis (yoga practitioners) including children with their mothers, senior citizens and foreign residents on June 21 took deep breaths and made yoga poses at the second annual "Gwanghwamun Moonlight Yoga."
To mark the United Nations' International Day of Yoga falling on the same day, this gathering of yogis was held at Yukjo Madang, a wide lawn that was formerly the street of major government offices during the Joseon Dynasty, of Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul's Jongno-gu District.
The music duo Kakimajem launched the event by singing popular Western and mood-lifting K-pop tunes such as BTS' "Permission to Dance."
Following the performance was the banging of a gong for meditation and healing. The loud and small sounds reverberated throughout the square, as if it was what the creation of the world sounded like.
The ringing from such a large instrument was overwhelming and its sound gradually changed in tandem with the player's energy. The gong gradually relaxed mind and body and soothed troubled minds, as if the yogis were sucked into the deep ocean.
Afterwards, yoga instructors and children performed yoga on stage to the children's song "Everything Is Flowers." People clapped as the youngsters showed cute and wonderful poses.
A yoga instructor on June 21 teaches the discipline to yogis at Yukjo Madang of Gwanghwamun Square in Seoul's Jongno-gu District. (Seoul Metropolitan Government)
"Namaste. Please greet each other."
The mass yoga class began after the opening ceremony ended.
"Put your hands together in front of your chest, align your body and breathe evenly. Raise your hands high, straighten your spine and look up at the sky. Now lean back and stretch your body backwards."
Participants tried the postures of Surya Namaskara (Sun Salutation) by following their instructor's demonstrations, an exercise that relaxes the spine and expands strength and flexibility. Because the moves were expectedly not easy, the instructors standing near the attendees helped them with the poses in a friendly manner.
The yogis soon caught up. Some naturally performed the poses correctly, but quite a few needed help. The poses were of moderate difficulty, so all ages could do them with just a bit of help.
Standing by the participants were safety personnel in case of emergency, a testament to the event's meticulous preparation.
Time flowed like water as 8 p.m. arrived before anyone knew it, with the sky turning quite dark. The heavens appeared vast and high while lying down on a mat, and the surrounding air and sound also gave off a different aura.
This event was a rare opportunity for people to lay down in the middle of downtown Seoul and look up at the night sky, and this was quite an unimaginable and unique experience. Both domestic and foreign passersby seemed intrigued by the scene and took photos of it with their smartphones.
Participant Lee Min-ji said, "I liked the sense of openness of the class at the square. It's rare to have an opportunity to do yoga at a place like this, so I want to try again."
Fellow yogi Kong Kyung-yeon added, "I liked doing yoga while seeing Bugaksan Mountain, and it was a unique experience doing a handstand while seeing Gwanghwamun Gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace upside down."
With 21 classes scheduled over seven weeks through Aug. 8, the event is held Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Gwanghwamun Square's Yukjo Madang.
Those interested can make online reservations on the city's public service website, with a limit of 120 people per session and a limit of one reservation per person. On-site registration for the event is available, and people who bring their own mats can join the class.
jihlee08@korea.kr
