The 14th Maponaru Saeujeot Festival Held

From 5th to 7th at World Cup Park area, the 14th Mapo Naru Saeujeot Festival held... Hwangpodotbae Arrival Reenactment Performance on Peace Plaza stage, 20 sailboat lanterns displayed on the pond... Nationwide famous shrimp-jeot production areas' online sales, on-site purchase available at two traditional markets... Music concert and Gyeongui Line Forest Trail walking contest also available through advance reservation for vaccinated participants

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The 14th Mapo Naru Salted Shrimp Festival, which recreates the prosperous old days of Mapo Naru in the heart of Seoul and offers famous salted shrimp from renowned production areas at discounted prices, will be held online and offline for three days from the 5th to the 7th.

The Mapo salted seafood merchants were one of the representative names of the glory of Mapo Naru during the Joseon Dynasty. The salted seafood gathered in Mapo at that time spread not only to Chilpae (七牌, one of the markets in Seoul during the late Joseon period) but also deep inland along the Han River.

The places supplying salted seafood here were famous salted shrimp production areas nationwide, such as Ganggyeong, Gwangcheon, Sinan, Ganghwa, and Sorae. The Mapo Naru Salted Shrimp Festival is an event that modernly recreates the glory of old Mapo Naru, provides citizens preparing for kimchi-making with high-quality and affordable salted shrimp, and brings economic benefits to the salted shrimp production areas.

Last year, the district fully canceled the festival to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but this year, with the phased daily recovery (With Corona) starting on November 1, the festival will be held online and offline to offer comfort and joy to residents exhausted by COVID-19 and to breathe hope and vitality into the depressed traditional markets and cultural and artistic sectors. This festival is hosted by Mapo-gu (District Mayor Yoo Dong-gyun) and organized by the Mapo Cultural Center (Director Choi Jae-hong).

■ Reenactment of the Arrival of the Yellow-Pole Sailboat at World Cup Park Peace Plaza with Stage Performances; 20 Sailboats Floating on Nanji Pond

The arrival reenactment event, which was held in front of Nanji Pond every year during the festival, will be moved to the stage this year. At 3 p.m. on the 5th, the main stage at World Cup Park Peace Plaza will faithfully recreate the arrival of merchants carrying salted shrimp. Against the backdrop of a video showing the arrival of the Yellow-Pole Sailboat, the sato (local magistrate), ibang (official), and merchants inspecting the salted shrimp will form a dance team and perform for 10 minutes.

Along with this, during the festival period, 20 LED lantern sailboats modeled after the Yellow-Pole Sailboats docked at Mapo Naru will float on Nanji Pond, enriching the deepening autumn nights.

■ Reenactment of the Arrival of the Yellow-Pole Sailboat at World Cup Park Peace Plaza with Stage Performances; 20 Sailboats Floating on Nanji Pond

The arrival reenactment event, which was held in front of Nanji Pond every year during the festival, will be moved to the stage this year. At 3 p.m. on the 5th, the main stage at World Cup Park Peace Plaza will faithfully recreate the arrival of merchants carrying salted shrimp. Against the backdrop of a video showing the arrival of the Yellow-Pole Sailboat, the sato (local magistrate), ibang (official), and merchants inspecting the salted shrimp will form a dance team and perform for 10 minutes.

Along with this, during the festival period, 20 LED lantern sailboats modeled after the Yellow-Pole Sailboats docked at Mapo Naru will float on Nanji Pond, enriching the deepening autumn nights.

■ Healing Concert to Soothe Weary Hearts

A concert to comfort bodies and minds tired from COVID-19 will be held every day at 3 p.m. for three days. On the first day of the festival, the 5th, Nam Jin and Maria will appear at the ‘Mapo Naru Healing Concert’ held on the main stage at Peace Plaza. On the next day, the 6th, Kim Jung-min and Coyote will perform in the ‘Good Concert with D’Live,’ and on the last day of the festival, the 7th, the ‘Mapo M Classic’ featuring the Kim Ja-kyung Opera Troupe and Yammo Yammo will be waiting.

Attendance at the concerts is by prior application for those who have completed vaccination, and for residents who cannot visit, the concerts will be broadcast live on the YouTube channel ‘my Mapo.’

■ Famous Production Area Salted Shrimp... Online Market and On-site Sales Linked with Traditional Markets

Good news for the peak kimchi-making season. From the 1st to the 7th, an ‘Online Salted Shrimp Sales Market’ will operate, where you can purchase famous domestic salted shrimp at prices more than 15% cheaper than market prices. Twelve carefully selected businesses nationwide are participating after screening, and operational status can be checked through the Mapo-gu website, the Mapo-gu newsletter (Naegojang Mapo), and leaflets distributed in each neighborhood. Purchases are made by phone orders to each business.

Between the 5th and 7th, you can also purchase famous production area salted shrimp directly at Ahyeon Market and Mapo and Gongdeok Markets. This is operated by the market merchants' association, linking Mapo’s traditional markets and salted shrimp sellers to open sales venues.

To announce the festival opening and salted shrimp sales, the district also broadcast a special ‘Mapo Shopping Live’ on the YouTube channel on the 28th of last month.

■ Healthy Walking Contest to Feel the Autumn Atmosphere of Yeontral Park

At 10 a.m. on the 5th and 6th, a healthy walking contest to support small business owners struggling due to COVID-19 will be held on the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail. The course on the first day, the 5th, is from Gongdeok Station Exit 1 to Hongdae Entrance Station Exit 6, and on the next day, the 6th, from the starting point of Yeonnam-dong Forest Trail to Sogang University Station Exit 1, each about 2.3 km.

Only Mapo residents who have completed vaccination and applied in advance by the 1st (first-come, first-served, 100 people per day) can participate.

Additionally, small-scale concerts are held in various traditional markets, and other side programs are simultaneously conducted throughout the region. For more details, contact the Mapo-gu Cultural Arts Division or visit the district website.

Yoo Dong-gyun, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “I hope this will be a time to offer comfort and hope to residents exhausted by COVID-19 and small business owners and the cultural and artistic sectors struggling due to the economic downturn. We will strictly adhere to quarantine rules and safely prepare the newly started daily life together with residents.”

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