The 'Mapo Saeujeot' Festival Returns After 3 Years

From 14th to 16th at World Cup Park Area, the '15th Mapo Naru Saeujeot Festival' Held... Recreating Old Mapo Naruteo with 'Street Parade', 'Hwangpo Dotbae Arrival', 'Market Opening Ceremony'... 46 Programs for All Generations Including Shrimp Catching, Saeujeot Kimchi Making, Traditional Games... High-Quality Domestic Famous Saeujeot Sold 10-15% Cheaper Than Market Price

Reenactment of the Huangpo Sailboat Arrival

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Mapo Jeotgal Gakju is one of the representative names symbolizing the glory of Mapo Naru during the Joseon Dynasty. At that time, the salted seafood gathered in Mapo spread not only to Chilpae (七牌, one of the markets in late Joseon-era Seoul) but also deep inland along the Han River. The places where the salted seafood was supplied included famous shrimp-jeot production areas nationwide such as Ganggyeong, Gwangcheon, Sinan, Ganghwa, and Sorae.

Started in 2008, the ‘Mapo Naru Shrimp-Jeot Festival’ aims to modernize and recreate the old glory of Mapo Naru, making it a festival that all generations can enjoy and cherish. It is also known for selling high-quality and affordable shrimp-jeot from famous production areas nationwide, loved not only by Seoul citizens but also by many people preparing for kimchi-making season.

In 2019, the ‘Mapo Naru Shrimp-Jeot Festival’ attracted about 670,000 visitors and is now returning.

After the lifting of COVID-19 social distancing measures, this will be the first large-scale festival featuring food, sights, and entertainment. A shrimp-jeot market selling high-quality shrimp-jeot from six major domestic production areas will also reopen in the heart of the city ahead of the kimchi-making season.

Marking its 15th edition this year, the festival will be held for three days from October 14 to 16 at the Peace Plaza in World Cup Park, Mapo-gu. It is hosted by Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Kang-su) and organized by the Mapo Cultural Center (Director Choi Jae-hong).

■ Modernization of Old Mapo Naru... Recreating the Old Mapo Port Scene Including the Arrival of Yellow-Sail Boats

The three-day festival begins with the ‘Mapo Naru Sato Procession’ welcoming the arrival of shrimp-jeot. The street parade, recreating the port culture, stretches from Mapo-gu Office Plaza to the Peace Plaza in World Cup Park, involving about 200 participants including the Sato (local magistrate), peddlers, port workers, traditional military band, and local residents.

To especially recreate the old Mapo Naru, 15 LED yellow-sail boat lanterns will be floated on the Nanji Pond in Peace Plaza throughout the festival. A traditional market featuring experiential activities such as traditional games (tuho, neolttwigi, jegichagi), traditional crafts (fan making, sotdae making), and hanbok wearing will be set up, including at Mapo Hakdang.

There will also be many experiential events themed around shrimp-jeot gathered in Mapo. Shrimp catching, shrimp-jeot making, and shrimp-jeot kimchi making will be operated throughout the three days. (Experience fee: 3,000 KRW)

The ‘Mapo Palgyeong Road,’ a nighttime photo spot section, will feature unique lighting on street lamps to offer visitors a novel experience.

Saeujeot Market

■ Famous Production Area Shrimp-Jeot 10~15% Cheaper Than Market Price... Experts Assigned for Price and Quality Supervision

After three years, the shrimp-jeot market, which sold about 906.5 million KRW worth of salted seafood over three days in 2019, will resume.

This year, 15 companies from six famous production areas nationwide?Ganggyeong, Gwangcheon, Boryeong, Sorae, Sinan, and Buan?will participate. Although prices vary depending on the production area and product quality, shrimp-jeot can be purchased at an average of 10~15% cheaper than market prices.

The district office selected the vendors through strict screening by shrimp-jeot experts recommended by the respective local governments to ensure the supply of high-quality shrimp-jeot.

In particular, to maintain food safety concerns of consumers, experts will be assigned during the festival to monitor and supervise the authenticity of domestic products as well as prices and quality, solidifying the festival’s position as Korea’s representative shrimp-jeot market.

■ Lee Chan-won, Kim Kyung-ho... Famous Singers Perform Every Evening to Close the Festival

Every evening, concerts featuring famous singers will be held on a special stage at Peace Plaza.

On the first day of the festival, October 14 at 7 p.m., the ‘Good Concert with D’Live’ will feature Kim Kyung-ho, Lee Jung, Park Mi-kyung, and others. On the following day, October 15 at the same time, Kim Heung-guk, Park Sang-min, Jung Soo-ra, who are also ambassadors of Mapo-gu, will perform the ‘K-Pop Legend Chronicle Concert.’ On the final day, October 16, the shrimp-jeot festival closing performance ‘Trot Song Festival’ will feature Lee Chan-won, Kim Soo-hee, and others.

Making Kimchi with Salted Shrimp (Saeujeot)

■ Absolute Opposition to Additional Incinerator Installation! Booth for Withdrawing Seoul Metropolitan Resource Recovery Facility Site Selection

Even during the festival, activities opposing the ‘withdrawal of Seoul Metropolitan Resource Recovery Facility site selection’ will continue.

During this shrimp-jeot festival, a promotional booth for withdrawing the site selection will be operated with residents. The booth will be decorated with posters and card news designed by residents themselves, and opposition to the unfair and unjust decision of the Seoul City site selection committee will be expressed through whack-a-mole and punch game formats to engage residents.

Park Kang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, said, “I hope that the 15th Mapo Naru Shrimp-Jeot Festival, resuming on a large scale after three years, will comfort residents who have struggled due to COVID-19 and revive the stagnant local culture.” He added, “We will pay special attention to maintaining order at the festival site and selling domestic shrimp-jeot so that residents of all ages can enjoy a safe and joyful festival.”

Park Kang-su, Mayor of Mapo District, holding a briefing session for the 15th Mapo Naru Saeujeot Festival on the morning of the 11th

On the morning of the 11th, Park Kang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, held a press briefing for Seoul-based reporters at Mapo-gu Office regarding the large-scale resumption of the ‘15th Mapo Naru Shrimp-Jeot Festival’ after three years.

At the briefing, Mayor Park said, “The Mapo Naru Shrimp-Jeot Festival recreates the prosperous old Mapo Naru of the Joseon Dynasty and combines the port culture of the Han River, shrimp-jeot, and yellow-sail boats with modern culture, making it a representative tourism festival of Seoul.” He added, “In these difficult times, we will create a place full of food, sights, and entertainment to relieve worries and promote communication and harmony.”

The 15th Mapo Naru Shrimp-Jeot Festival, the first large-scale on-site festival with food, sights, and entertainment after the lifting of COVID-19 social distancing, will be held for three days from October 14 to 16 at the Peace Plaza in World Cup Park, Mapo-gu.

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