Head to Seoul Plaza on Friday for a small-business market and 10% voucher discount

The Seoul Metropolitan Government will hold the "2026 Seoul Small Business Day Celebration" at Seoul Plaza on Friday to mark Small Business Day, observed annually on Nov. 5. The city said the event is designed to showcase the value of small-business owners by opening a market selling their products and encouraging residents to visit and spend.

Small Business Day is a statutory commemorative day designated under the enforcement decree of the Small Business Basic Act. Events to raise awareness of the role small businesses play in local economies and to support their operations will be held across the country, including in Seoul.

This year's event will extend its operating hours to 9 p.m., up from 7 p.m. last year, in line with the city's "24-hour vibrant economy city" policy, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday.

The extended hours are intended to allow office workers who cannot visit during the day to stop by after work, and to boost nighttime spending by combining shopping, food, performances and leisure.

The market will feature products from 47 small-business brands spanning food, daily goods, fashion and crafts. Offerings will include herbal samgyetang meal kits, premium teas and egg tarts, alongside handmade soaps, accessories and leather goods.

The city will issue exclusive "Small Business Happy Gift Vouchers" at a 10% discount. The vouchers go on sale Friday at 10 a.m. through the Seoul Pay+ app and can be used at the small-business market at Seoul Plaza from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the day of the event.

Fusion gugak, jazz and acoustic performances will run from 6 p.m. to 8:40 p.m. Free hands-on programs — including caricature drawing, face painting and instant photo booths — will also be available. Visitors who collect stamps at various spots around the venue can receive small-business products and souvenirs.

A Small Business Day ceremony will be held at 4 p.m. ahead of the market festivities. At the ceremony, citations will be presented to 24 people, including 20 small-business owners and four outstanding entrepreneurs who have contributed to revitalizing the local economy.

"We extend our gratitude and encouragement to small-business owners who have sustained the daily lives of residents and the local economy despite difficult operating conditions," said Park Gyeong-hwan, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Livelihood and Labor Bureau. "In line with the 24-hour vibrant economy city vision, we will work to create conditions where residents can stay and spend in the evenings, and ensure that spending translates into sales for small businesses and vitality for commercial districts."