Yongsan-gu Haebangchon Sinheung Market 'Market as Playground' Festival

Full of fun events like music and cooking performances, exhibitions, and cocktail parties on the 22nd-23rd... Admission 5,000 won... One ticket grants access to all 4 venues

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] "Shall we visit Sinheung Market in Haebangchon this weekend?"

Sinheung Market, located in Haebangchon (Yongsan 2-ga-dong), Yongsan-gu, will hold the 'Market as Playground' festival on the 22nd and 23rd.

The event aims to revitalize young people exhausted by the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The main program includes music and cooking performances, exhibitions, and a cocktail party. Composer and PD Track Sketcha is in charge of the music, and Kimchiboyz will present unique dishes. Painting and video exhibitions are prepared by Kondo, Ko Taewon, and Jang Hangaram. The cocktail party is a collaboration between Jo Sanghyun, Kim Minsik, and Tokkisoju.

Nearby Sookmyung Women's University students have also prepared an acoustic band performance.

The entire event is managed by cultural creator Arkeditt (CEO Ko Taewon). Ko Taewon, CEO of Arkeditt, said, "We reinterpreted Sinheung Market, a hot place in Yongsan, as a complex cultural space," adding, "We will continue to create new play cultures at Sinheung Market so that more young people can visit."

Festival tickets are sold at the entrance of Sinheung Market. The price is 5,000 won, and 10,000 won including drinks. One ticket allows visitors to explore all four event venues within the market.

Lee Sewon, vice president of the Sinheung Market Merchants Association and planner of the festival, said, "Using the QR code on the ticket, visitors can enjoy the event with social distancing while using smart devices," adding, "We will also thoroughly implement COVID-19 prevention measures."

Sinheung Market is a symbolic place of Haebangchon, the 'first village under Namsan.' It was the center of the local economy during the boom of the knitwear industry in the 1970s and 1980s but began to decline in the 1990s.

This place, which was almost in ruins, transformed into a hot spot in Seoul in the 2010s. In December 2015, the Seoul Metropolitan Government designated the Haebangchon area as an 'Urban Regeneration Activation Area' and has been conducting various regeneration projects with Yongsan-gu.

In particular, Sinheung Market underwent maintenance such as removing old slate roofs, and many stylish shops, galleries, and rooftop cafes have opened. By the end of this year, it will be reborn as an innovative design arcade.

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