"The traditional market, which I used to think of only as a place to shop, has become a space where neighbors learn together and share stories."
Those were the words of a Songpa-gu resident who took part in a knitting class at Seokchon Market in the first half of this year.
Buoyed by the warm response from residents, Seoul's Songpa-gu district will run community participation programs at five traditional markets and shopping streets from August through November. The initiative aims to expand the role of traditional markets beyond simple shopping destinations — transforming them into neighborhood gathering places where residents can learn and connect — while revitalizing local communities and commerce.
This year, Songpa-gu has committed 2.8 billion won ($1.94 million) to support traditional markets and shopping streets, pursuing 16 projects across three areas: business revitalization, facility modernization and safety management. The district runs tailored business consulting and merchant education sessions, as well as resident-oriented programs such as night markets and evening food culture festivals, while also upgrading aging facilities and expanding safety infrastructure to strengthen the competitiveness of traditional markets.
The new resident participation programs are part of this broader traditional market revitalization policy.
In the first half of this year, the district ran programs including a cooking class at Pungnap Market, a knitting class at Seokchon Market, and hanji craft sessions at Saemaul Market and Bangi Market. Given the positive response from participants, the district plans to expand the initiative in the second half of the year to five markets and shopping streets, adding the Munjeong-dong Rodeo Street shopping district.
Second-half programs will roll out sequentially from late August through November. Seokchon Market will offer a flower arrangement class, with registration opening Monday and lessons beginning Aug. 27.
Bangi Market and Saemaul Market will follow with rattan craft classes, Pungnap Market with mother-of-pearl inlay craft, and the Munjeong-dong Rodeo Street shopping district with French embroidery — each program tailored to the character of its market. Each market will accept 10 to 15 participants, and schedules are subject to change depending on market conditions.
The district plans to continue expanding cultural and hands-on programs, broadening the role of traditional markets from simple retail spaces into everyday community spaces, and using the resulting foot traffic to inject new energy into local commerce.
"Traditional markets are the heart of the local economy and, at the same time, everyday spaces where residents meet and connect," Songpa-gu District Mayor Seo Gang-seok said. "We will keep expanding facility improvements and resident participation programs to create markets that feel closer to residents and more vibrant for merchants."
All programs are free of charge, and registration is accepted on a first-come, first-served basis at each market's merchants association office. Detailed information on registration schedules and program hours is available through each market's merchants association.
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