Development of Youth Startup Culture Street at Guksu Street, Gongneung-dong, Nowon-gu

Operating 5 Youth Shops in Gongneung-dong Noodle Street Area, 2 More to Open in November... Youth Pop-up Store Opening, Recruiting Cafes (Desserts), Preliminary Entrepreneurs to be Selected in September

Nowon-gu (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced plans to transform Gongneung-dong Noodle Street into a youth startup culture street.

Gongneung-dong Noodle Street refers to a 1.3 km section around Gongneung Station, including Dongil-ro 191ga-gil and Dongil-ro 173ga-gil. This year, it was also selected for the Seoul city’s alleyway commercial district revitalization project.

The district has nearby universities such as Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Seoul Women’s University, and Kwangwoon University. Notably, the population of young adults in their 20s and 30s living in Gongneung-dong is more than twice as high as in other areas, which inspired the creation of a foundation to attract youth to this area.

Additionally, changes in the surrounding environment since the designation of the noodle-specialized street in 2012 have prompted efforts to revitalize the street for local youth and university students.

The ‘Youth Startup Culture Street Creation’ project is divided into supporting youth stores, youth pop-up stores, and facility improvement for youth-run commercial spaces.

First is the establishment of youth stores. Currently, five locations are operating to support local young people with entrepreneurial dreams, and two more will open in November. The types of businesses include pottery workshops, clothing workshops, studios, and interior design, among others.

Lease terms are one year, extendable up to two years. The district eliminates the deposit, which is the biggest burden for youth, and fully subsidizes the monthly rent. Basic education essential for startups such as tax and accounting, startup consulting, and expert mentoring are continuously provided to help youth store experiences lead to actual business launches.

Starting in October, youth pop-up stores will also open to strengthen the entrepreneurial capabilities of non-store and prospective entrepreneurs. The recruitment category is cafes (desserts), with prospective entrepreneurs to be selected in September. Support includes rent, electricity and water bills, cafe-related supplies, and consulting, with tenants staying on a three-month basis.

Furthermore, a facility improvement support project for youth-run commercial spaces in alleyway commercial districts will be conducted. Stores operated by youth owners aged 19 to 39 will receive up to 3 million KRW per location, supporting improvements for 10 stores. Recruitment will take place in September, with remodeling projects planned through November.

A ‘Nowon Youth Startup Center’ will also be established as a professional startup support hub for youth preparing to launch businesses. The center will have a total floor area of 407㎡ across basement level 1 to the 4th floor, with construction starting in 2024 and completion scheduled for 2025. It will include startup office spaces, lecture rooms, and media rooms to provide tailored startup support services for youth.

Youth housing will also be built on Gongneung-dong Noodle Street. The building will have two basement levels and 15 floors above ground, with a total floor area of approximately 6,611㎡. It is scheduled for completion in September 2024, with a youth startup support space planned on the second floor. The district expects that the youth housing will naturally attract a larger number of young people.

Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “Gongneung-dong Noodle Street will transform into a youth startup culture street generating new energy through youth stores and startup support.” He added, “We will continue to do our best to prepare various policies to support young people planning startups and to revitalize the local commercial district.”

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