"No People" High Inflation Ends Traditional Market Holiday Boom

Honam's Largest 'Yangdong Market' Quiet Two Days Before Chuseok Holiday

Economic Downturn, Abnormal Weather, and Pollution Concerns Freeze Consumer Sentiment

"With high inflation and contaminated water discharge... I just gave up on Chuseok sales this year."

On the morning of the 26th, two days before the Chuseok holiday, at Yangdong Market in Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City. Although it is the largest traditional market in Honam, the atmosphere of the holiday special was gone.

At this time of year, when vendors should be busy taking orders from customers, some shops looked almost like they were 'open but closed.'

On the morning of the 26th, two days before the major Korean holiday Chuseok, Yangdong Market in Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, appeared quiet with few visitors.
[Photo by Jin-Hyung Park]

Several fruit and vegetable stores displaying apples and pears in baskets were deserted, with only flies buzzing around. It was natural to worry, "When will we be able to sell all the fruit displayed on the stands?"

One merchant lamented, "There are hardly any people. I think this is the first time the market has been this quiet," adding, "We should be getting many orders for gift sets, but due to high prices, most customers buy only small quantities."

Despite the passionate calls of "Please take a look," few customers paid attention, simply passing through the market alleys.

It was also common to see people pause briefly, point at the fruit, ask about the price, then turn away in shock. One customer repeatedly asked in disbelief, "Three apples for 10,000 won?"

Everyone was speechless because fruit prices had risen beyond imagination due to disrupted harvests caused by abnormal low temperatures in spring, heatwaves, and heavy rains in summer.

Merchants dealing in seafood also lost their smiles. They said consumer sentiment froze after the Fukushima contaminated water discharge.

Some vendors sat under fans, glancing around with gloomy expressions. It was hard to feel the lively energy of bustling bargaining or hear the rich local dialect as if watching ping-pong-like negotiations pass by.

Na Jong-yeo (83), who started business at 4 a.m. that day, said, "I only had five customers until the morning," and added with a sigh, "I sold a few croakers. The Chuseok special is a thing of the past."

Jeong Hong-sun (76), who has been selling dried yellow corvina and other items nearby for 30 years, wore a distressed expression, saying, "There has never been a worse year than this."

A citizen who visited the market to buy ritual items said, "I only bought a little of what I really needed, like skate, octopus, and mushrooms. I gave up on cabbage," adding, "Prices have gone up so much that I can't afford to buy more."

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