In Seoul's trendiest district, local leaders push back against corporate chain stores

Seongdong District will expand its ban on new corporate megachains in Seongsu-dong, Seoul, starting this December. The rules cover standard restaurants, cafes and bakeries on key streets to protect the neighborhood’s local character amid rising rents and rapid commercial change. The policy targets 232 land parcels while allowing some small franchises and resident-approved chains. Officials will also preserve red-brick architecture, regulate pop-up stores and increase local participation in neighborhood management.

The restrictions will apply to Bangsongdae Street and parts of Yeomujang Street, expanding measures first introduced along Seoul Forest Road.

Across 82 parcels, architectural guidelines will require red-brick facades to maintain Seongsu-dong’s industrial aesthetic.

Small-scale franchises below statutory size thresholds and chain outlets approved by a local resident committee may still open.

Seongdong District will operate public pop-up spaces, issue temporary-shop guidelines and conduct weekly on-site monitoring.

The district is updating its Sustainable Community Plan for the first time in nearly a decade and plans to introduce Seongsu Town Management.

Published Oct 10, 2026 7:00 am KST

New retail limits in Seongsu aim to protect indie shops, cafes, red-brick charm

Pedestrians stroll along Seoul Forest Road in Seongdong District, eastern Seoul, an area famous for its red-brick buildings, independent cafes and boutique shops. Courtesy of Seongdong District Office

Over the past decade, the former industrial district of Seongsu-dong — often dubbed the "Brooklyn of Seoul" for its mix of repurposed factories and youth culture — has transformed from a quiet grid of red-brick shoe workshops and auto repair shops into Korea’s epicenter of cool.

Trendy local boutiques, coffee roasters and pop-up stores have drawn massive crowds of fashion-conscious youth and international tourists. But as real estate prices soar, local authorities are stepping in to protect the district from becoming another generic commercial strip.

Starting this December, Seongdong District in eastern Seoul will expand its strict ban on new corporate megachains and large franchises to key arterial streets in Seongsu-dong, including Bangsongdae Street and parts of Yeomujang Street. First introduced along the nearby Seoul Forest Road to curb gentrification, the regulations restrict large corporate franchises across three specific sectors: standard restaurants, cafes and bakeries.

The policy stems from hard-learned lessons elsewhere in the capital.

Once-vibrant enclaves — like Garosu-gil in southern Seoul and Samcheong-dong, a historic neighborhood nestled just north of Gyeongbok Palace known for its traditional hanok structures — saw their artisanal allure impacted in recent years when skyrocketing rents pushed out independent creators. They were replaced by cookie-cutter corporate flagships and uniform chains. The resulting loss of local character eventually drove away foot traffic, triggering high vacancy rates and turning former cultural hubs into cautionary tales for city planners.

The decision comes as Seongdong District updates its Sustainable Community Plan for the first time in nearly a decade, creating a refreshed framework to manage rapidly shifting commercial dynamics driven by soaring rents and the proliferation of pop-up stores.

"Seongsu-dong's core competitiveness lies in the unique personality and diversity built together by its local community," said Seongdong District chief Ryoo Bo-hwa. "Through these policies, we will ensure that Seongsu-dong retains its distinct charm while allowing the local community and local businesses to grow together sustainably."

The new rules target 232 land parcels across the newly designated zones. Rather than imposing a blanket prohibition, small-scale franchises below statutory size thresholds and chain outlets approved by a local resident committee will still be permitted to open. Additionally, across 82 of these parcels, district officials will enforce architectural guidelines requiring red-brick facades to preserve the distinct industrial aesthetic that defined the area's charm in the first place.

To manage the neighborhood’s fast-moving retail scene, district officials will also introduce public-run pop-up spaces, publish operational guidelines for temporary shops and conduct weekly on-site monitoring. The district plans to roll out Seongsu Town Management, a private-led initiative empowering local business owners and residents to take an active role in neighborhood governance.

As commercial gentrification threatens to erase the distinct character of hip urban enclaves worldwide, Seongsu-dong is attempting a delicate balancing act — fostering business vitality while ensuring the creative spark that put it on the map is not snuffed out by corporate uniformity.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

首尔城东区将于今年12月起扩大对圣水洞新建大型连锁企业的禁令。新规将涵盖主要街道上的普通餐厅、咖啡馆和面包店，旨在应对租金上涨和商业快速变化，保护该地区的本土特色。该政策涉及232块地块，同时允许一些小型加盟店和经居民批准的连锁店入驻。此外，政府还将保护红砖建筑，规范临时店铺，并提高居民对社区管理的参与度。

这些限制措施将适用于方松台街和汝茂庄街的部分路段，扩大了此前在首尔森林路沿线实施的措施。

在 82 个地块上，建筑规范要求采用红砖外墙，以保持圣水洞的工业美学。

规模小于法定阈值的小型加盟店和经当地居民委员会批准的连锁店仍可开业。

城东区将运营公共快闪空间，发布临时店铺经营指南，并进行每周现场监督。

该地区近十年来首次更新其可持续社区规划，并计划引入圣水镇管理。

发布于2026年10月10日 上午7:00（韩国标准时间）

圣水市新的零售限制旨在保护独立商店、咖啡馆和红砖建筑的魅力。

行人漫步在首尔东部城东区的首尔森林大道上，该地区以其红砖建筑、独立咖啡馆和精品店而闻名。图片由城东区政府提供。

在过去的十年里，曾经的工业区圣水洞——因其改造后的工厂和青年文化的融合，常被称为“首尔的布鲁克林”——已经从一个安静的红砖鞋店和汽车修理店组成的网格状街区，转变为韩国的潮流中心。

时尚的本地精品店、咖啡烘焙店和快闪店吸引了大量追求时尚的年轻人和国际游客。但随着房地产价格飙升，地方政府正介入，以防止该地区沦为又一条千篇一律的商业街。

从今年12月起，首尔东部的城东区将扩大其对新建大型连锁企业和特许经营店的严格禁令范围，涵盖圣水洞的主要干道，包括方松台街和汝沐庄街的部分路段。这项禁令最初在附近的首尔森林路实施，旨在遏制高档化进程。该禁令限制大型连锁企业在三个特定领域开设门店：普通餐厅、咖啡馆和面包店。

这项政策源于首都其他地方吸取的惨痛教训。

曾经充满活力的街区——例如首尔南部林荫道和景福宫北侧以传统韩屋闻名的历史街区三清洞——近年来因租金飙升而失去了原有的艺术魅力，迫使独立创作者纷纷撤离。取而代之的是千篇一律的连锁旗舰店和千篇一律的品牌。由此导致的本土特色丧失最终造成人流锐减，空置率居高不下，昔日的文化中心也因此成为城市规划者的警示案例。

这项决定出台之际，城东区近十年来首次更新了其可持续社区规划，旨在创建一个新的框架来管理由租金飙升和快闪店激增所驱动的快速变化的商业动态。

“圣水洞的核心竞争力在于当地社区共同打造的独特个性和多元化，”圣水洞区长柳宝华表示，“通过这些政策，我们将确保圣水洞保持其独特魅力，同时促进当地社区和企业实现可持续发展。”

新规针对新划定区域内的232块地块。新规并非一刀切地禁止所有商业活动，而是允许规模小于法定标准的小型加盟店以及经当地居民委员会批准的连锁店继续营业。此外，在其中82块地块上，区政府官员将强制执行建筑规范，要求建筑外立面必须采用红砖，以保护该地区最初独具特色的工业美学。

为了管理该地区快速变化的零售业态，区政府官员还将引入公营的临时店铺空间，发布临时店铺的运营指南，并进行每周的现场巡查。该地区计划推行“圣水镇管理”项目，这是一项由民间主导的计划，旨在赋予当地企业主和居民更多自主权，让他们积极参与社区治理。

随着商业高档化威胁到世界各地时尚都市飞地的独特特色，圣水洞正在尝试一种微妙的平衡——在促进商业活力的同时，确保使其闻名于世的创造力火花不会被企业统一性扼杀。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。