---
title: "Soothing with culture: Seoul's remedy for 'COVID blue'"
date: 2023-10-10T10:09:56Z
modified: 2025-10-17T05:40:03Z
permalink: "https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/city-project/seoul-soothing-with-culture/"
type: city-project
status: publish
excerpt: To console those tired of social distancing, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched Soothing with Culture, a programme of digital and limited in-person performances
wpid: 168624
tags:
  - Creative Space
  - Cultural Infrastructure
  - Funding
  - Seoul
  - Korea
  - Asia
  - Economy
  - Festivals & Events
  - Health & Wellbeing
region:
  - Seoul
country:
  - Korea
city-region:
  - Asia
topic:
  - Economy
  - Festivals & Events
  - Health & Wellbeing
featured_image: "https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SEOUL-23.jpg"
timestamp: 2025-10-17T05:40:03Z
---

## Project: artistic programme to enhance wellbeing during the pandemic



![](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SEOUL-23.jpg)

**The Purpose**
In response to the challenges faced by cultural facilities in Seoul due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Seoul Metropolitan Government introduced the initiative, ‘Soothing with Culture’, which aimed to provide comfort and enjoyment to citizens, offer performance and promotional opportunities for artists, and establish quarantine and safety standards for cultural events.

**The Challenge**
Cultural facilities in Seoul faced many challenges, with closures and limited operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also a time when the city saw an increase in citizens suffering from depression or lethargy, known as ‘COVID blue’, as a result of social distancing measures.

> Soothing with Culture provided comfort and enjoyment to citizens, offered performance and promotional opportunities for artists.

![](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/SEOUL-17.jpg)

**The Solution**
Due to the closure and limited operations of cultural facilities, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched ‘Soothing with Culture’ in August 2020. This program featured a varied artistic program every month, including performances by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Citizen Invitation Performance, and Seoul Music Travel. It emphasised small-scale performances with social distancing measures in place, and many performances were held at various venues around the city, bringing cultural experiences directly to citizens.

**The Impact**
The ‘Soothing with Culture’ program successfully provided comfort and enjoyment to citizens, relieved isolation, and enhanced psychological resilience. It also offered performance and promotional opportunities for artists who had suffered from event cancellations. The program demonstrated that COVID-19-compliant events could be successfully held, paving the way for more commercial activities. Additionally, the project expanded contact points between citizens and culture at the local level, making cultural experiences more accessible. The Seoul Metropolitan Government continued these efforts and aimed to further promote policies supporting digital accessibility for online cultural and artistic activities in the post-COVID era.

_Source:_ [_World Cities Culture Report 2022_](https://worldcitiescultureforum.com/publication/world-cities-culture-forum-report-2022/)

Images Courtesy © City of Seoul