Why Did Hong Pil-sun, CEO of ‘Hongbongja Cheese Gulrim Dumplings,’ Express Gratitude to Kim Soo-young, Yangcheon District Mayor?

With Help from Youth Digital Supporters, Product Registration on Online Store and Digital Marketing Using SNS Begin; Recently, Nationwide Delivery Orders Increase Sales

Han Seung-yeon Youth Supporters, President Hong Pil-soon, Kim Soo-young Yangcheon-gu Mayor, Ok Dong-jun Youth Startup Cafe Center Director (from left in the photo)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] “I was confident in the taste of my dumplings. But due to COVID-19, business was slow, and even when I tried to sell online, I didn’t know where to start. Now, nationwide delivery orders come in so much that sometimes we run out of ingredients by 4 p.m. and have to close early.”

Hong Pilsoon, owner of ‘Hongbongja Cheese Gulrim Dumplings,’ who switched from running a sashimi restaurant for 10 years to a dumpling shop, expressed her gratitude as soon as she met Kim Sooyoung, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu.

“Coincidentally, the district office encouraged us to apply for a project that helps with online promotion and sales, so I participated. Even when I asked questions late after closing the store, they actively helped and guided me, so I learned without feeling overwhelmed. I’m very thankful to have received the help I needed at the right time.”

With the help of the Youth Digital Supporters, the store registered its products on an online store and started digital marketing using SNS, leading to increased sales with delivery orders coming in nationwide recently.

The youth supporters who were dedicated to the store said, “We learned a lot while communicating and assisting small business owners, and it was rewarding to see the owner satisfied. It was a valuable experience that will help with our future career and employment plans.”

The district office operated the ‘Youth Digital Supporters’ project for two months starting in October last year, supporting small business owners with building delivery app environments, registering for mail-order business, and pioneering online sales channels.

Targeting a total of 28 businesses, the project provided guidance on using SNS platforms such as blogs, Kakao Channel, and Instagram for promotion, as well as customized support essential for small business owners, including opening online stores, designing and renewing menus, and producing promotional videos.

This project not only supports small business owners but also serves as a youth employment initiative utilizing young people’s digital capabilities.

The youth appointed as supporters personally visited store owners to assist with digital marketing and online sales channel development, making it a unique project exclusive to Yangcheon-gu.

Although it was a pilot project last year, it showed meaningful results and was selected as a Seoul-type New Deal job project this year. This year, the project is expanding with a total of 20 supporters working for about 10 months until December, recruiting interested businesses and selecting 20 to 30 stores quarterly for more systematic support.

Kim Sooyoung, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, “I am pleased that the Youth Digital Supporters project provides tangible help to small business owners in the field. I believe that even small neighborhood shops now need to transition to a digital environment, and the digital skills of young people align well with the digital transformation desires of small business owners. We will continue to expand support through various digital projects.”

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