Two-day market at district office plaza set for Thursday and Friday
Munhwa Nuri Card accepted again this year
Seoul's Gwanak-gu district will hold its "Dream Market" bazaar in the plaza in front of the district office on Thursday and Friday, aiming to expand sales channels for social economy businesses and energize the local economy, district Mayor Park Jun-hee announced.
The Dream Market is designed to spread awareness of social economy values, support participating businesses in reaching customers, and raise public understanding of the social economy.
The market first launched as a pilot in 2015 and has since been held 82 times, generating cumulative sales of more than 1.9 billion won (about $1.23 million). Last year it was held in conjunction with the Seoul International Garden Expo at Boramae Park — the first time the two events were linked. Social economy businesses are enterprises that prioritize social value — such as creating jobs for vulnerable groups, providing social services and contributing to the community — over profit maximization. The Gwanak-gu Dream Market also received the Prime Minister's Award at the Korea Local Government Management Grand Prix last September.
This year's Dream Market opened for the first time in May at Gwanaksan Euddeum Park and will run for a total of 10 sessions through October, with plans to continue fostering cooperation with nearby commercial districts.
The June edition will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. An opening ceremony with local residents is planned for the morning of Thursday, the first day.
Visitors can browse a wide range of products made by social economy businesses, including handcrafted goods, household items and food. The market is themed around environmental action, going beyond conscious consumption to promote what organizers call "saving the planet." Eco-friendly, resident-participation events will be held to encourage resource recycling and environmental protection: free umbrella repairs, kitchen detergent refills for visitors who bring their own empty containers, a scrubbing pad in exchange for two ice packs, and a toothpaste squeezer in exchange for two plastic bottle caps.
In addition, the market has been registered as an accepted venue for the Munhwa Nuri Card for the second consecutive year, allowing culturally underserved visitors and the general public to use the card conveniently on-site.
"I hope that through this Dream Market, residents will experience firsthand the excellent products of social economy businesses, and that a culture of social value and ethical consumption will spread throughout our community," district Mayor Park said.
cook@heraldcorp.com
