Pohang Cheongha-myeon, Completely Transformed! ... Attracting Tourists and Enhancing Convenience for Citizens

Drama Background "Squid Sculpture" Unveiled at Cheongha Gongjin Market, Filming Site of "Gaetmaeul Chachacha"
Completion of Cheongha-myeon Administrative Welfare Center Remodeling... Improved Convenience for Administrative and Welfare Services

Cheongha-myeon, Pohang, the main filming location of the 2021 drama ‘Gaetmaeul Chachacha,’ continues to attract significant attention amid the global K-drama craze, captivating domestic and international tourists with its completely transformed appearance.

On the 27th, a unveiling ceremony for a squid sculpture, which appeared as the backdrop where the village residents shared their daily lives in the drama ‘Gaetmaeul Chachacha,’ was held at Cheongha Gongjin Market in Cheongha-myeon.

Unveiling Ceremony of the Squid Sculpture. Provided by Pohang City

Thanks to the popularity of the drama ‘Gaetmaeul Chachacha,’ Cheongha Gongjin Market has become a tourist hotspot for travelers from Southeast Asia, with an average of about 30 tour buses carrying overseas tourists visiting each month, gaining great popularity.

Accordingly, the city is creating spaces where tourists can visit the locations featured in the drama to make memories and commemorate their visits, thereby revitalizing the local commercial district.

Additionally, for the convenience of tourists, the city invested over 800 million KRW in 2023 to create 195 public parking spaces at Cheongha Gongjin Market, and since last year, has been implementing environmental improvement projects with a budget of over 500 million KRW.

The environmental improvement projects include ▲paving work for the long houses (Jangok) of Cheongha Gongjin Market ▲production of the squid sculpture from ‘Gaetmaeul Chachacha’ and installation of an art wall ▲and the creation of rest areas for foreign tourists, providing convenience to visitors to Cheongha Gongjin Market.

Furthermore, the city plans to complete remodeling of public restrooms and installation of LED tourist information boards in the first half of this year, aiming to establish the area as a global tourist destination.

On the 27th, Pohang City held a completion ceremony after finishing the remodeling project of the Cheongha-myeon Administrative Welfare Center.

Cheongha-myeon Administrative Welfare Center Completed with a New Look. Photo by Pohang City

The event was attended by Pohang Mayor Lee Kang-deok, local city and provincial council members, local self-governing organizations, and residents, celebrating the completion of the newly transformed Cheongha-myeon Administrative Welfare Center.

The existing Cheongha-myeon Administrative Welfare Center was an aging building constructed 38 years ago, requiring overall renovation due to facility corrosion, wall cracks, leaks, and other issues.

Accordingly, after starting the remodeling project in August last year and undergoing about six months of construction, the city focused on enhancing residents’ convenience in accessing administrative and welfare services, completing the work in February this year.

The newly renovated Cheongha-myeon Administrative Welfare Center has a total floor area of 858㎡ and is a two-story building above ground. Considering the characteristics of Cheongha-myeon’s aging population, an elevator was installed to improve convenience for residents.

In particular, the building was designed in the shape of a ship’s bow to harmonize with the natural scenery, symbolizing Cheongha-myeon, which is surrounded by beautiful seas. The ship bow-shaped building also reflects Cheongha-myeon’s commitment to advancing Pohang as a central city of the East Sea Rim.

Mayor Lee Kang-deok said, “We will improve facilities and enhance tourist convenience so that many tourists can visit Pohang, known as a K-drama pilgrimage site, revitalizing the local area. We will also continue efforts to provide better administrative services to citizens in the completely transformed Cheongha-myeon.”

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