Seoul Opens 'Itda Place,' a Healing Space for Citizens to Overcome Loneliness

Operation of "Youth Mind Convenience Store" and "Loneliness Goodbye Counseling Room"
"Loneliness" Recognized as a Social Issue... 80,000 Cumulative Consultations
Tailored Support for Everyone from Youth to Isolated and Withdrawn Families

The Seoul Metropolitan Government opened the "Seoul Itda Place" on September 23 in Seongdong-gu, a hub that supports citizens from preventing loneliness to helping those who are isolated or withdrawn regain their daily lives and form social relationships. Anyone can visit freely to relax, meet people, and, if needed, receive counseling and professional support, making it a central pillar of the city’s vision for a "Seoul without loneliness."

"Seoul Itda Place" is a key project under "Sotong Itda," which is one of the three pillars—"Together Itda," "Connect Itda," and "Sotong Itda"—in Seoul’s "Seoul without Loneliness" strategy, focused on building and facilitating relationships and communication between people. The facility is located in Seoul Forest IPark River Foret, Seongsu-dong 1-ga, Seongdong-gu, and is operated by the Seoul Welfare Foundation.

The facility includes various features: ▲ the 24-hour "Loneliness Goodbye 120" call center, ▲ "One-on-one Counseling Room" for professional counseling, ▲ "Youth Mind Convenience Store," a relaxation area for young people, ▲ "Learning Forest," which offers healing and exchange programs, ▲ "Echo Forest" for performances and cultural events, and ▲ "Forest Maru" for exhibitions and hands-on activities.

Notably, the "Loneliness Goodbye 120" call center, which had previously only offered 24-hour phone counseling, will now also offer face-to-face counseling with the opening of this facility. Citizens experiencing loneliness or isolation can receive counseling in person, and if necessary, be referred for psychological assessments or in-depth counseling. The first branch of the "Youth Mind Convenience Store," a mental health haven for young people, also operates here, providing a space for relaxation, exchange, counseling, and programs based on hobbies and interests.

The "Youth Mind Convenience Store" is a mental health haven specifically for young people established under the "Isolated and Withdrawn Youth ON Project" announced last April. Starting with the first branch at Seoul Itda Place, there are plans to expand to a total of five locations in youth-dense areas such as near universities or tutoring centers and around subway stations.

Seoul views loneliness not as an individual burden but as a social issue that the city must tackle collectively. With this understanding, the city announced "Seoul without Loneliness" in October 2024 and implemented a variety of initiatives such as Loneliness Goodbye 120, Seoul Mind Convenience Store, and Seoul-style social prescribing. From April 2025 to August 2026, the cumulative number of consultations at "Loneliness Goodbye 120" reached 80,000. During the same period, "Seoul Mind Convenience Store," where anyone can easily stop by to rest, connect, and seek counseling, saw approximately 164,000 cumulative users. The number of these facilities is scheduled to expand from the current 19 to 25 citywide by the end of this year.

Seoul Itda Place also serves as a metropolitan hub for developing and spreading Seoul’s policies for the prevention of loneliness and isolation. The center will pilot programs that leverage public and private resources in the Seoul Forest and Seongsu-dong areas, sharing operational experience and best models with 25 districts, welfare centers, and related organizations.

Cooperation with private companies and groups will also be broadened. The Bonjour Volunteer Group will provide life support services such as improving residential environments, the NGO On-Gi will offer emotional support via handwritten letters, and companies like Aladin, Woowa Brothers, and Olive Young will operate programs encouraging outings and social interaction.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon attended the opening ceremony of the "Seoul Itda Place Healing Camp" held in the morning, joining citizens to celebrate the opening. The event was attended by over 100 participants, including people with firsthand experience of isolation or withdrawal and their families, middle-aged healing activists, Loneliness Goodbye 120 counselors, Lee Bong-ju, marathon runner and head of the Bonjour Volunteer Group, and Hwang Chul-gyu, Chairman of the Committee for Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.