Yuklim-gogae is a gently sloping alley in Chuncheon that connects Myeong-dong and the city's dak-galbi street to the strip behind the rear gate of Gangwon National University.
It is the heart of what locals call "Chuncheon romance." The area grew up around the Yuklim Theater in the 1960s and became the city's most storied downtown commercial district — a lane where couples out for a snowy stroll would reach for each other's hands on the slippery slope and fall a little more in love.
The alley thrived as a bustling entertainment strip through the 1980s and 1990s, then drew a new wave of young entrepreneurs in the 2010s, earning a reputation as a distinctive neighborhood market where indie shops and local culture blended together.
The COVID-19 pandemic and shifting consumer habits have since taken their toll, leaving more storefronts vacant and foot traffic thin — a situation that has made a fresh approach to reviving the district urgently needed.
Yuklim-gogae is now making its move, with building owners, merchants and residents joining forces to put the neighborhood back on the map.
The Yuklim-gogae Merchants' Association held a cooperative revitalization event Friday inside one of the alley's vacant storefronts, bringing together Chuncheon city officials, the Chuncheon Social Innovation Center, Hallym University's startup support center, young entrepreneurs and nearby residents. Representatives of building owners, the merchants' association and local residents signed a mutual-cooperation agreement.
The signatories pledged to work together on creating a stable business environment — including fair rents and long-term lease arrangements — and to make use of vacant spaces to build a sustainable neighborhood commercial district.
The gathering was held in a storefront that once housed Yuklim Dak-gangjeong, a popular fried-chicken shop that has since closed — a vacant space now buzzing with new energy.
A "Yuklim-gogae Forum" that followed gave the alley's first-generation young entrepreneurs — including the operators of Eojjeoda Nongbu and Kkotsulle — a chance to share their startup experiences, reflect on how the district has changed and discuss a path forward.
Chuncheon city plans to build on the cooperation agreement by pursuing government-linked programs to revitalize the downtown commercial district.
The city is preparing a bid for the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' "local theme commercial district" grant program, while also pursuing a multi-ministry regional capacity-building initiative led by the Ministry of Interior and Safety and a Hallym University-linked project under the Ministry of Education — all aimed at developing locally distinctive content and supporting youth entrepreneurship.
Tied to the event, a street festival called Yuklim-gogae Noeul Yajang — featuring outdoor performances and pop-up stores — runs through Saturday across the Yuklim-gogae area.
Chuncheon Mayor Yuk Dong-han said Yuklim-gogae is "a place where citizens' memories have accumulated and where young people's drive has shown new possibilities," adding that he hopes "this cooperative effort will restore the unique charm of Yuklim-gogae and serve as a turning point for building a neighborhood market where merchants, youth and residents can grow together."
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