Han Sung Motor, the largest Mercedes-Benz dealer in Korea, has been supporting elementary and middle school students who have artistic talent through its "Dream Gream" campaign since 2012.
On Wednesday, the company held the 4th Dream Gream Year-End Exhibition at the Horim Arts Center in southern Seoul to showcase paintings and other art work created by 40 students this year. It also awarded them with certificates of participation in the program.
Han Sung Motor has been running the Dream Gream program, helping young people from underprivileged families develop their artistic talent. It first started with 20 students but has expanded to 40 this year. It supports the students from elementary and middle schools until they graduate from high school.
"Han Sung Motor, which has been in Korea for 30 years, is happy to help many students realize their dreams through the Dream Gream program," company CEO Ulf Ausprung said. "It is something that we always wanted to do for the community. The program will become larger and continue as long as we are part of the local community."
In addition to helping students realize their artistic talent, Han Sung Motor has been involved in community improvement projects in cooperation with the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture.
In 2014, Dream Gream students and their mentors volunteered to paint the walls and engage in other activities to improve the residential environment of Jungang Traditional Market in downtown Seoul.
"We started with the small project last year at the Jungang market. Merchants came to me and thanked me even though it was a small contribution," Ausprung said. "I even got a thank-you call from the Seoul Mayor for this project. This inspired us to do something bigger this year."
In September, the dealer carried out its second city project, which was to refurbish Guro Station in western Seoul. Dream Gream students joined local artists and citizens to turn the old subway exit into a place of art.
The old walls now feature colorful pictures reflecting the history of the community, which developed from old fabric factories into a digital cluster. The street has also been refurbished. Local artists also worked with former fabric factory workers to display their work.