[Report] Closed Noryangjin Cupbap Street... "More ordinary people than public exam students, weekends are the peak season"

Only 5 of 19 Stores Operate in Noryangjin Cupbap Street
Lowest Competition Rate for Grade 9 Public Officials in 32 Years This Year

"As the years go by, the number of kids (civil service exam takers) keeps disappearing... So weekends when even ordinary people come are the peak times."

At around noon on the 30th, I visited the Noryangjin Cupbap Street in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Although it was a weekday lunchtime, the Cupbap Street stretching near Sayuksin Park looked quiet. Kim Young-soon (69), who has been running a Cupbap shop for 17 years, sighed, saying, "It's better than during COVID-19, but it's less than a quarter of the bustling times before."

I watched Kim's shop for about 10 minutes, but not a single customer came. Kim said, "Even during summer vacation season, it wasn't this bad," adding, "Many nearby shops seem to open only on weekends when more ordinary customers come." Among 19 stores, 14 shutters were firmly closed.

Around 12 PM on the 30th, I visited the 'Cupbap Street' near Noryangjin Station in Seoul. Out of 19 stores, 14 were closed.
[Photo by Yeom Dayeon]

Noryangjin, once known as the 'holy land of civil service exams and Cupbap' boasting a vibrant commercial district, has long lost its vitality. The decline in the civil service exam (Gongsi) craze and the decreased preference for Cupbap have worsened the situation. Based on fast turnover and reasonable prices, Cupbap Street used to be crowded during lunch hours, but now customers have been drawn away by numerous franchises and fast-food restaurants.

Choi (27), a civil service exam candidate I met that day, said, "I've been preparing for the exam for three years, but I've never been to Cupbap Street. It seems to have a price advantage, but I tend to add a bit more and go to franchise restaurants."

A (25), preparing for the national civil service level 9 exam, also said, "I usually bring my own lunchbox, so I've never eaten Cupbap," adding, "Looking around, the number of civil service exam takers has definitely decreased, so not only Cupbap but overall there are fewer people than before."

In fact, the competition rate and number of civil service exam candidates continue to decline. According to the Ministry of Personnel Management, this year's competition rate for the national civil service level 9 open recruitment was 21.8 to 1, the lowest in 32 years since 1992. Five years ago, the competition rate was 37 to 2. As of May, the number of general civil service exam candidates was 131,000 (Statistics Korea), less than half compared to 283,000 in May 2020, five years ago. There used to be 60 entrance exam academies for civil service and police in Noryangjin, but in just five years, the number has dropped to about 30.

Yoon (28), who runs a single-person lunchbox restaurant near Cupbap Street, lamented, "Sales this year have been cut in half compared to last year," adding, "I took over the shop two years ago expecting some demand from civil service exam takers, but business keeps getting worse, and I don't know what to do." It was not difficult to find buildings with vacancy and 'For Lease' notices around Noryangjin.

No Je-seung, head of Sinhwa Real Estate Agency, explained, "It's true that the number of civil service exam takers has decreased, but that gap is being filled by other single-person households," adding, "So landlords see that the Noryangjin commercial district has limits if it relies only on academies." He added, "Until now, Noryangjin was perceived only as a 'gosichon' (exam village), but now that trend itself is changing."

The building near Noryangjin Station, which was operated as an entrance exam academy, remains vacant.
[Photo by Yeom Dayeon]

Experts analyzed that the frozen Noryangjin commercial district is affected not only by the decrease in civil service exam takers but also by ongoing redevelopment projects. Professor Kwon Dae-jung of Myongji University's Department of Real Estate said, "The population living in Noryangjin hasn't changed much, but since there are many redevelopment project areas nearby, it is currently difficult for the commercial district to form," adding, "It may take several years, but redevelopment must be completed first to regain the previous vitality."

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