For older adults, Seoul Inclusive Digital Plaza takes tech from foreign to familiar — and even fun

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For older adults, Seoul Inclusive Digital Plaza takes tech from foreign to familiar — and even fun

Published: 30 Dec. 2025, 07:00

CHO JUNG-WOO
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Older residents attend a class on how to use smartphones at a digital plaza in Seoul in an undated photo provided by the city government. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

On a recent afternoon in Gangdong District in eastern Seoul, a classroom filled with older adults sat focused on their smartphones. Fingers flicked across cluttered home screens as an instructor explained how to rearrange icons and manage apps, skills that many younger users take for granted.

The lesson was held at a newly opened Seoul Inclusive Digital Plaza branch, a city-run facility designed to help older residents navigate an increasingly digital world, on Dec. 18. For participants who struggle with smartphones, streaming services or self-service kiosks, the center offers hands-on instruction and a low-pressure environment to practice.

“We run different classes every day,” the plaza’s manager said. “People can reserve a spot through an app or register directly at the center.”

The Gangdong location is the third Seoul Inclusive Digital Plaza to open, following branches in Eunpyeong District in northern Seoul and Yeongdeungpo District in the west. The program aims to reduce digital exclusion among older adults by familiarizing them with everyday technologies, from smartphones and streaming platforms to unmanned kiosks that are becoming increasingly common in cafes, hospitals and public offices.

The Gangdong branch opened on Nov. 12, less than two months ago, but has already drawn a steady stream of visitors.

Located in the same building as a center for older adults, the plaza receives about 100 visitors a day, mostly from Gangdong and nearby districts such as Jungnang and Seongdong, according to Kim Young-goo, the head of the center.

A visitor at Seoul Inclusive Digital Plaza in Gangdong District, eastern Seoul, waits for coffee made by a robotic arm on Dec. 18. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

To enter, visitors register at a machine that verifies identity through a hand vein scan, allowing the center to track attendance and time spent inside. Four staff members are typically on site, easily identifiable in orange vests, offering guidance across the center’s various zones.

In one area, a woman stood in front of a kiosk ordering coffee made by a robotic arm. With help from a manager, she completed the order successfully and waited as the machine prepared her drink. Nearby, a group gathered in front of a large screen equipped with a camera, laughing as they posed for photographs. Moments later, printed photos emerged, transformed by artificial intelligence into different themes, such as black-and-white portraits or in the style of different painters, such as Pierre-Auguste Renoir or Gustav Klimt.

“I think I’ve mastered this,” one visitor said as she showed the photos to her friends.

Visitors at Seoul Inclusive Digital Plaza in Gangdong District, eastern Seoul, select themes for photos in which they are transformed into different styles by artificial intelligence on Dec. 18. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

The 670-square-meter (7,211-square-foot) space is divided into sections designed to make digital technology feel approachable. One corner features screen-based park golf, one of the most popular attractions, while another offers interactive games that require visitors to step on pads to play games on screen and simulate walking through different environments. Elsewhere, digital sensors allow users to play sports games.

At a table in one corner, a Gangdong resident in his late 60s played Go against an artificial intelligence opponent. He said he visits the plaza almost every day and often stays for about six hours.

“I like how there is a variety of options here,” he said.

A visitor talks to a tabletop robot called CAMI at Seoul Inclusive Digital Plaza in Gangdong District, eastern Seoul, on Dec. 18. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

One device that drew his attention was a small tabletop robot called CAMI. After a demonstration, he leaned toward it and spoke clearly.

“Hey CAMI, what’s the weather like in Gangdong District today?”

As the robot replied, he continued asking questions, then turned to another visitor watching nearby. “This robot answers what I ask,” he explained.

Beyond games and demonstrations, the center offers practical support. Visitors can practice using kiosk machines, take digital cognitive tests and receive one-on-one consultations tailored to their individual difficulties. A separate zone features four tablets where users can watch films and television dramas on streaming platforms.

A staff member demonstrates an interactive game that requires users to step on a pad at Seoul Inclusive Digital Plaza in Gangdong District, eastern Seoul, on Dec. 18. [CHO JUNG-WOO]

Staff members say the benefits extend beyond entertainment. One manager recalled a recent visit from a couple, including a husband with Parkinson’s disease.

“They really enjoyed the virtual walking experience,” he said.

The city plans to continue expanding the program. Encouraged by strong turnout at the first two locations, Seoul aims to open a total of six digital plazas by 2026. According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, more than 153,000 people visited the Eunpyeong and Yeongdeungpo branches through November, with about 80 percent returning for repeat visits.

A new branch in Dobong District, northern Seoul, began trial operations this month and another is set to open in Dongdaemun District in February.

The initiative comes as Korea entered a super-aged society this year, with more than 20 percent of its population 65 or older. This year, the National Information Society Agency reported that the digital capability index for people aged 55 and older stood at 55.9, compared to 100 for the general population.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, center, and digital guides hold up a slogan reading “It is OK to do it slowly” during an inauguration ceremony at the City Hall in central Seoul on July 23. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

To address the gap, Seoul has deployed 250 digital guides at subway stations, traditional markets and public parks this year, where they assist residents with smartphones and kiosk machines. Working in teams of two or three, the guides aided more than 224,000 people this year, nearly 97 percent of whom were in their 50s or older.

The city also operates seven dedicated spaces across Seoul focused on digital education and hands-on experience, part of a broader effort to ensure that older residents are not left behind as technology reshapes everyday life.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [[email protected]]