Seoul breaks ground on Shin Jungang Market transformation

Seoul has started an 18.7 billion won redesign of Shin Jungang Market in Jung District, with completion targeted for August 2027. The city says the project will turn the traditional market into a place where shoppers and tourists can eat, rest and experience local culture. It is the first construction project under Seoul’s Design Innovation Traditional Market initiative. Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited the market after the groundbreaking ceremony and spoke with merchants ahead of Chuseok.

Shin Jungang Market was founded as Seongdong Market in 1962 and later became one of Seoul’s foundational commercial hubs.

The redesign will replace the market’s existing arcade with an environmentally friendly wooden roof designed to admit natural light.

The project will add terraced resting areas and improve connections between the market and 16 surrounding alleys.

Seoul plans to develop nighttime food and cultural programs and link the market with Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Hipdang-dong, Sindang-dong’s tteokbokki alley and Gwanghui-dong’s Central Asian Street.

The city said it plans to expand similar projects to Tongin Market in Jongno District and Cheongnyangni General Market in Dongdaemun District, with construction at Tongin Market targeted for February 2027.

Published Sep 22, 2026 3:05 pm KST

An architectural rendering captures a bird's-eye view of the proposed geometric glass roof spanning Shin Jungang Market in Jung District, central Seoul. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Seoul has begun construction on an 18.7 billion won ($12.6 million) redesign of Shin Jungang Market in Jung District in the center of the capital, aiming to turn the traditional market into a destination where shoppers and tourists can eat, rest and experience local culture.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government held a groundbreaking ceremony Tuesday at the market, marking the first construction project under its Design Innovation Traditional Market initiative, with completion targeted for August 2027.

Founded as Seongdong Market in 1962, Shin Jungang Market grew into one of Seoul's foundational commercial hubs, anchoring the central city's postwar trade along with Namdaemun and Dongdaemun markets. Over the decades, it became particularly famous as the city's premier wholesale center for grain and dried fish, weaving itself into the everyday life and culinary heritage of the capital.

The project will replace the market’s existing arcade with an environmentally friendly wooden roof designed to admit natural light, while adding terraced resting areas and improving connections between the market and 16 surrounding alleys.

The design, called “Roof Wave,” by Yoap Architects and TCA Architects, is intended to extend the energy of the market’s narrow alleys along its roof and create more seamless links between the market and surrounding streets.

The city said entrances with open roofs will be installed at 16 alleyways to soften the boundaries between the market and its surroundings while improving pedestrian movement.

Seoul also plans to position Shin Jungang Market as a hub linking Dongdaemun Design Plaza, Hipdang-dong, Sindang-dong’s tteokbokki alley and Gwanghui-dong’s Central Asian Street as part of a Dongdaemun-Sindang nighttime tourism and commercial belt.

The city said it plans to develop nighttime food and cultural programs with merchants and related agencies, with the goal of extending visits and spending in surrounding commercial districts.

A rendering depicts the upgraded interior and modernized roof structure planned for Shin Jungang Market in Jung District, central Seoul. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Mayor Oh Se-hoon visited market shops after the ceremony to encourage merchants and hear their concerns ahead of Chuseok, according to the city.

“Shin Jungang Market is Seoul’s first ‘Design Innovation Traditional Market,’ marking a starting point that goes beyond simple facility upgrades to redraw the very future of our traditional markets,” Oh said.

Echoing the city's vision, local merchant leaders emphasized the project’s transformative impact on their community.

“Today is not merely about replacing the market’s roof — it is a meaningful starting point marking the beginning of a new phase for Shin Jungang Market,” said Jang Jong-yun, head of the Shin Jungang Market Merchants Association, during the groundbreaking ceremony.

The city plans to expand similar projects to Tongin Market in Jongno District and Cheongnyangni General Market in Dongdaemun District, with construction at Tongin Market targeted for February of 2027.

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

首尔市政府已启动对中区新中央市场耗资187亿韩元的改造项目，预计将于2027年8月竣工。市政府表示，该项目将把这座传统市场改造为集餐饮、休闲和体验当地文化于一体的场所。这是首尔市“设计创新传统市场”计划下的首个建设项目。在开工仪式后，市长吴世勋前往市场参观，并在中秋节前夕与商户进行了交流。

新中央市场前身是成立于 1962 年的城东市场，后来发展成为首尔的基础商业中心之一。

重新设计将用环保的木质屋顶取代市场现有的拱廊，新屋顶的设计旨在引入自然光。

该项目将增设阶梯式休息区，并改善市场与周围 16 条小巷之间的连接。

首尔计划发展夜间美食和文化项目，并将该市场与东大门设计广场、嘻堂洞、新堂洞的炒年糕巷和光熙洞的中亚街连接起来。

该市表示，计划将类似项目扩展到钟路区的通仁市场和东大门区的清凉里综合市场，通仁市场的建设目标是在 2027 年 2 月启动。

发布于2026年9月22日下午3:05（韩国标准时间）

这张建筑效果图以鸟瞰视角展现了拟建的几何形玻璃屋顶，该屋顶将覆盖首尔市中心中区的新中央市场。图片由首尔市政府提供。

首尔已开始对位于市中心中区的新中央市场进行耗资 187 亿韩元（1260 万美元）的改造，旨在将这个传统市场变成一个购物者和游客可以吃饭、休息和体验当地文化的场所。

首尔市政府周二在市场举行了奠基仪式，标志着其“设计创新传统市场”计划下的第一个建设项目正式启动，预计将于2027年8月竣工。

新中央市场前身是1962年创立的城东市场，后来发展成为首尔最重要的商业中心之一，与南大门市场和东大门市场一起，支撑着战后首尔的贸易。几十年来，它尤其以其作为首尔首屈一指的粮食和干鱼批发中心而闻名，并深深融入了首尔人的日常生活和饮食文化遗产之中。

该项目将用环保的木制屋顶取代市场现有的拱廊，该屋顶旨在引入自然光，同时增加阶梯式休息区，并改善市场与周围 16 条小巷之间的连接。

由 Yoap Architects 和 TCA Architects 设计的“屋顶波浪”旨在将市场狭窄巷道的活力延伸到屋顶，并在市场和周围街道之间创造更无缝的联系。

该市表示，将在 16 条巷道安装敞篷入口，以柔化市场与其周边环境之间的界限，同时改善行人通行。

首尔还计划将新中央市场定位为连接东大门设计广场、协堂洞、新堂洞炒年糕巷和光熙洞中亚街的枢纽，作为东大门-新堂夜间旅游和商业带的一部分。

该市表示，计划与商家和相关机构合作，开发夜间餐饮和文化项目，以吸引更多游客到访周边商业区并促进消费。

效果图展示了首尔市中心中区新中央市场升级后的内部装潢和现代化屋顶结构。图片由首尔市政府提供。

据市政府消息，吴世勋市长在仪式结束后走访了市场店铺，以鼓励商户并听取他们在中秋节前的担忧。

“新中央市场是首尔首个‘设计创新传统市场’，标志着一个超越简单设施升级的起点，它将重新描绘我们传统市场的未来，”吴先生说道。

与市政府的愿景相呼应，当地商界领袖强调了该项目对其社区的变革性影响。

“今天不仅仅是更换市场屋顶——这是一个意义重大的起点，标志着新中央市场进入了一个新阶段，”新中央市场商会会长张钟云在奠基仪式上说道。

该市计划将类似项目推广到钟路区的通仁市场和东大门区的清凉里综合市场，通仁市场的建设目标是在 2027 年 2 月启动。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。