[Report] "It's Really So Hard" Euljiro Printing Alley Loses Year-End Boom

4,000 New COVID-19 Cases... Omicron Variant
Phased Return to Normal Shaken... Euljiro 'Printing Alley' Small Business Owners Sigh

Euljiro Printing Alley, Inhyeon-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Seulgi Yoon seul97@

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoon Seul-gi] "It's really so hard, I'm just playing around all day.", "I have agonized dozens of times over whether to quit my business or not."

During the phased return to normal life (With Corona) process, the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases has once again exceeded 4,000, and with the emergence of the new COVID-19 variant 'Omicron,' concerns are rising that the return to normal life might be completely derailed.

Sighs are coming from self-employed business owners. The Euljiro printing alley in Jung-gu, Seoul is no exception. As the year-end approaches, various orders for banners, diaries, and other items used in year-end parties should be pouring in, but due to renewed fears of COVID-19 resurgence and the difficult economy, gatherings have decreased and naturally, order volumes have also declined.

Contrary to expectations that the introduction of With Corona would ease the burden on small business owners and self-employed people who had suffered economic damage, notices of lease termination or business closures have been easily seen.

Euljiro 18-gil, located between Euljiro 3-ga Station and Chungmuro Station on the Seoul subway, known as the Euljiro printing alley, houses about 5,000 small and medium-sized printing shops. Since the 1980s, this area has been densely packed with printing shops of various sizes, producing a wide range of paper-related products such as general printing, business cards, stickers, calendars, diaries, wedding invitations, and pamphlets. It is the largest printing alley in Korea capable of handling all printing processes from planning to post-processing.

Recently, we met Mr. Yoo, in his 60s, who has been in the printing business making certificates and certificate cases for 40 years. He expressed the difficulties he faced during the COVID-19 period, saying, "I tried to close my business several times because of COVID."

Mr. Yoo said, "This year was harder than last year when COVID broke out," adding, "Last year, there were still orders because government agencies had already allocated budgets, but this year, the government reduced events and consequently the budgets, making it very difficult. Sales dropped by about half." He continued, "In May, I was so struggling that I couldn't even pay the rent," and sighed, "Other printing shops are in the same situation and many are thinking about closing. It's really tough because of COVID."

Euljiro Printing Alley in Inhyeon-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Although it is peak business hours, some shops are noticeably closed here and there. Photo by Seulgi Yoon seul97@

Mr. Yoo revealed that he is disabled and said, "I have agonized hundreds of times over whether to quit this work or not," adding, "The printing market was already difficult before COVID, but after COVID, it became unimaginably harder. Since I am disabled, it's hard to look for other jobs, so despite the difficulties, I endure and keep working."

The situation is similar for another printing shop owner. Mr. Park, in his 60s, who produces various printed materials such as flyers and wedding invitations, said, "I am currently letting all the printing machines sit idle," adding, "It's almost a business suspension state. I come to work in the morning and spend the whole day at the shop, but since there is no work, I just play around and then go home." In fact, only one out of the three machines in his shop was operational.

Mr. Park also said, "There is a presidential election next year, but companies that produce election-related pamphlets are already designated, so it's hard to expect a 'presidential election boom,'" adding, "Since the self-employed economy is still bad, people don't want to make pamphlets, so printing shops are equally struggling. Sales have dropped by 50% since COVID."

A printing shop located in 'Euljiro Printing Alley' in Inhyeon-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. The printing machines have stopped operating due to a lack of work. Photo by Seulgi Yoon seul97@

Mr. Kim, in his 50s, who also works in printing nearby, said, "I don't know about big companies, but small businesses like ours are still struggling," adding, "I've heard that many printing shops around here are closing. I also have no work, so I just hang around and then go home." He added, "It's been so hard for such a long time that I've long lost hope."

Meanwhile, according to the 2021 monthly supply and demand status of the domestic paper industry by the Korea Paper Association, the production volume of printing paper from January to August this year was about 1.63 million tons, an increase compared to about 1.52 million tons during the same period last year. However, since production has still not recovered to pre-COVID levels, the printing industry’s worries seem to be deepening.