Seoul market festival draws 50,000, generates $82,000 in sales

The Seoul Metropolitan Government held the 2026 Seoul Market Fair around Cheonggye Plaza on Saturday and Sunday, drawing about 50,000 visitors and generating 110 million won in sales. The event brought together 38 businesses from traditional markets and neighborhood shopping districts, with daytime shopping and evening food and cultural programs. A survey found that 90.5 percent of respondents were satisfied, and 94.3 percent said they intended to return.

The fair marked the return of Seoul’s signature traditional market expo after a seven-year hiatus.

Participating businesses included Namdaemun Market and Baengnyeon Market, as well as Syarosu-gil and Hoegirang-gil.

More than 40 dining tables provided 160 seats, and some vendors sold out before the festival ended.

About 8,000 people took part in a stamp tour, while more than 3,500 joined hands-on activities such as making mother-of-pearl phone grips and Korean food keychains.

Published Oct 29, 2026 3:05 pm KST

Visitors browse food and merchandise stalls during the 2026 Seoul Market Fair at Cheonggye Plaza and along Cheonggye Stream in Seoul. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

A two-day celebration of Seoul’s traditional markets drew about 50,000 visitors and generated 110 million won ($82,000) in sales, offering merchants a rare chance to reach new customers and showcasing how neighborhood commerce can become a destination for food, culture and nightlife.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday that the 2026 Seoul Market Fair, held Saturday and Sunday around Cheonggye Plaza, marked the return of its signature traditional market expo after a seven-year hiatus.

The festival brought together 38 businesses from traditional markets and neighborhood shopping districts across the city, including Namdaemun Market in Jung District and Baengnyeon Market in Gangbuk District, alongside emerging commercial areas such as Syarosu-gil in Gwanak District and Hoegirang-gil in Dongdaemun District.

Organizers divided the event into daytime and evening programs, inviting visitors to shop for local specialties during the day before returning for street food, live music and nighttime performances beside Cheonggyecheon.

Stalls offered everything from tteokbokki, grilled chicken skewers and mung bean pancakes to handmade cookies, specialty seaweed, native honey, accessories and crafts, while more than 40 dining tables provided 160 seats for visitors to eat on-site.

Some vendors sold out before the festival ended, including Cookie Nal, a dessert shop in Yeonsinnae’s neighborhood shopping district in Eunpyeong District.

“We prepared generous quantities, but our cookies and other desserts sold out early on both days,” said Kim Seong-nam, the shop’s owner.

“Both Korean customers and foreign tourists came in large numbers, giving us a valuable opportunity to introduce our shopping district and brand to a wider audience,” Kim said.

Kim Mi-jeong, owner of Mimis Company in Gwanak District’s Beauty Street shopping area, said the strong response to newly developed plum and olive marinades had revived her enjoyment of running a business and expressed hope that similar events would continue.

A survey found that 90.5 percent of respondents were satisfied with the festival, while 94.3 percent said they intended to return to future events.

About 8,000 people participated in a stamp tour, and more than 3,500 joined hands-on activities, including mother-of-pearl phone grip and Korean food keychain making.

Park Kyung-hwan, head of the city’s Civil Affairs and Labor Bureau, said, “The fact that about 50,000 citizens and tourists visited and participating merchants repeatedly sold out their products reaffirmed that traditional markets have strong potential beyond shopping, as places where people can enjoy food, culture and tourism together.”

He said the city would work to create markets where visitors could shop during the day, enjoy food and cultural programming at night and help extend that vitality to surrounding commercial districts.

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

首尔市政府于周六和周日在清溪广场附近举办了2026首尔市集，吸引了约5万名游客，销售额达1.1亿韩元。此次市集汇聚了来自传统市场和社区商业区的38家商户，白天提供购物服务，晚上则有美食和文化活动。一项调查显示，90.5%的受访者表示满意，94.3%的受访者表示有意再次参加。

该博览会标志着首尔标志性的传统市场博览会在中断七年后回归。

参与活动的商家包括南大门市场、白年市场、小路街和回吉郎街。

40多张餐桌提供了160个座位，一些摊位在节日结束前就售罄了。

约有 8000 人参加了集邮之旅，另有 3500 多人参加了动手活动，例如制作珍珠母手机支架和韩国美食钥匙扣。

发布于2026年10月29日下午3:05（韩国标准时间）

在首尔清溪广场和清溪溪沿岸举行的2026年首尔市集上，游客们正在浏览各种食品和商品摊位。图片由首尔市政府提供。

为期两天的首尔传统市场庆祝活动吸引了约 5 万名游客，创造了 1.1 亿韩元（约合 8.2 万美元）的销售额，为商家提供了一个难得的机会来接触新客户，并展示了社区商业如何成为美食、文化和夜生活的目的地。

首尔市政府周四表示，在清溪广场附近举行的2026年首尔市集，标志着其标志性的传统市集在中断七年后回归。

该节日汇集了来自全市传统市场和社区购物区的 38 家商户，包括中区的南大门市场和江北区的白年市场，以及冠岳区的沙路水路和东大门区的回吉郎路等新兴商业区。

组织者将活动分为白天和晚上两个部分，邀请游客白天购买当地特产，晚上回到清溪川附近享用街头美食、欣赏现场音乐和观看表演。

摊位上出售各种商品，从炒年糕、烤鸡肉串和绿豆煎饼到手工饼干、特色海藻、本地蜂蜜、饰品和工艺品，应有尽有；此外，还有 40 多张餐桌，为游客提供 160 个座位，供他们在现场用餐。

一些摊贩在节日结束前就已售罄，其中包括位于恩平区延新内街区购物区的甜品店 Cookie Nal。

“我们准备了大量的甜点，但我们的饼干和其他甜点两天都很快售罄了，”店主金成南说。

金先生表示：“韩国顾客和外国游客都大量涌入，这为我们提供了一个宝贵的机会，向更广泛的受众介绍我们的购物区和品牌。”

冠岳区美街购物区Mimis公司的老板金美贞表示，新开发的梅子和橄榄腌料的强烈反响让她重新燃起了经营生意的乐趣，并希望类似的活动能够继续下去。

一项调查发现，90.5% 的受访者对此次节日感到满意，94.3% 的受访者表示他们打算参加未来的活动。

约有 8000 人参加了邮票之旅，超过 3500 人参加了动手活动，包括制作珍珠母手机支架和韩国美食钥匙扣。

首尔市民政劳动局局长朴京焕表示：“约有5万名市民和游客前来参观，参与的商户多次售罄商品，这再次证明传统市场除了购物之外，还具有巨大的潜力，可以成为人们同时享受美食、文化和旅游的地方。”

他表示，市政府将努力打造市场，让游客白天可以购物，晚上可以享受美食和文化活动，并将这种活力扩展到周边商业区。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。