Self-Employed Workers' Cry: "Who Says It's Spring?"

Yeonnam-dong and Itaewon Commercial Area Report
Recovery to Pre-COVID-19 Levels Still Distant... Only 10% of Seats Occupied
No Effect from Relaxation Until 11 PM... Surviving with Takeout and Delivery Past Midnight

Around 11:30 PM on the 29th, people were sitting on benches at 'Yeontral Park' (Gyeongui Line Forest Trail) in Mapo-gu, Seoul. They were chatting or enjoying light drinks. Photo by Oh Gyumin moh011@

"Everyone is already talking about With Corona..."

Manager A of a pizza shop located near Yeontral Park (Yeonnam-dong + Central Park), the Yeonnam-dong section of the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail in Seoul, continued business even after most nearby stores closed at 11 p.m. on the 29th. This was to serve customers who wanted delivery or takeout. However, it does not significantly help sales. A said, "There are a few more customers on Friday nights and weekends," but added, "There is still a long way to go to recover to the COVID-19 level."

At 10 p.m. the same day, most stores in Itaewon were only accepting about 10% of their total seating capacity. The weather was nice enough to drink beer on outdoor terraces, but few people were walking on the streets. When the business restriction time of 11 p.m. arrived, people headed en masse toward Itaewon Station Exit 1 to go home. There were fewer than 50 people on the street.

Self-employed people met in Yeonnam-dong and Itaewon, where young people gather, unanimously said, "Spring has come, but our spring has not yet arrived." Although social distancing regulations (8 people + 11 p.m.) have been eased, there is still a long way to go for commercial districts to revive. They continue business through takeout and delivery past midnight, but it is far from enough to make up for sales losses.

Yeontral Park is a place where many people walk or eat on the street on weekdays and weekends. Even during the spread of COVID-19, the street that used to be filled with many people now had only about eight walking. After 11 p.m., some people were sitting and eating delivery food and drinking beer, but they were only about five.

B, who runs a tteokbokki restaurant near Yeontral Park, said, "We operate delivery and takeout from 11 p.m. to 1:40 a.m. and serve customers heading to Yeontral Park," but added, "Compared to before COVID-19, it is an extremely insufficient level."

In Itaewon, after 11 p.m., people began lining up in front of stores that offer takeout. About eight people lined up at a Turkish restaurant waiting for their orders. However, after about 15 minutes, no more delivery workers or takeout customers visited. Eventually, at 11:30 p.m., the Turkish restaurant closed and started cleaning.

Oh Hoseok, co-representative of the Korea Federation of Self-Employed COVID-19 Victims, said, "Because of the business hour restrictions, there are hardly any people staying and they are going home," adding, "Self-employed people unanimously want the removal of business hour restrictions rather than the limit on the number of people."