"Still, Holidays Are Holidays" Gwangju Yangdong Market Bustling from Dawn

Honam's Largest Traditional Market Sees Continued Shoppers Despite COVID-19 and Cold

Though No Price Bargaining, Market's Unique 'Jeong' Remains with "I Gave You More"

On the morning of the 10th, around 7 a.m., a citizen shopping at Yangdong Market, the largest traditional market in Honam, is looking around the stalls one day before the Lunar New Year holiday.

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] “Even if it’s not as good as usual, a holiday is still a holiday.”

At around 7 a.m. on the day before the Lunar New Year holiday, at Yangdong Market in Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, the largest traditional market in Honam.

Despite the cold weather with the mercury dropping to minus 1℃, quite a few citizens came out early in the morning to shop.

Merchants, who were practically tied up due to COVID-19 and worried about the holiday peak sales that occur twice a year, agreed that “it’s still fortunate” as quite a number of customers visited the market.

Citizens carried eco-friendly cloth shopping bags and wheeled carts over their shoulders or by hand, busily shopping for the holiday.

Merchants were also busy tidying up their goods neatly and preparing to welcome customers.

However, the traditional market’s characteristic lively bargaining due to COVID-19 was rarely seen.

Most citizens seemed to understand the merchants’ difficulties and did not ask for discounts, but merchants expressed their gratitude for purchases by saying, “I gave you a lot more.”

Jeong Youngja (62, female), who came out with her husband, said, “This Lunar New Year, I told my son in Seoul not to come down, and I came out to do some simple shopping to spend a modest holiday with my daughter who lives with me,” and smiled broadly, adding, “Since the merchants are having a hard time, I can’t ask for discounts.”

Kim Jinhyung (31), who came out to help his parents who were working by taking a day off, was extremely busy. Even though it was winter and outdoors, beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Kim said, “My parents have been doing this for over 20 years, so what’s hard about doing it just for one day?” and added, “I just hope customers keep coming until the afternoon.”

Park Hyunju (40, female), who was looking around the meat section to buy jeon (Korean pancakes), said, “Because of COVID-19, families don’t gather much, so I bought less than last Lunar New Year, but I still came to the market,” and laughed, “No matter what, the holiday taste comes from the traditional market.”

A merchant running a vegetable store said, “Sales have dropped by half compared to previous years, but seeing customers come by, I guess a holiday is still a holiday,” and added, “Please continue to use the traditional market, which is cheap and of good quality.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.