Seocho-gu Yangjaecheon-gil Transforms into a High-End District Enjoying Classical Music

Seocho-gu Selected as the Only Local Brand Commercial Area in Seoul's Gangnam District with 3 Billion KRW in City and Self-Investment... Developing Yangjaecheon-gil and Classic as Seoul's Only High-Quality Commercial Area to Enjoy Culture and Arts Year-Round

Yangjaecheon-gil Commercial Street

Yangjaecheon-gil Commercial Area Location Map

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seocho-gu announced on the 1st that it plans to actively develop the ‘Yangjaecheon-gil commercial district’ into a high-quality, nature-friendly cultural and artistic commercial district representing Seoul.

The district was recently selected in Seoul’s ‘Local Brand Commercial District Development Project’ competition, which supports region-specific alleyway commercial districts, and will receive 3 billion KRW in city funds over the next three years to foster the Yangjaecheon-gil commercial district.

The district planned this project under the concept of ‘the only commercial district in Seoul where you can enjoy refined culture and arts,’ and was comprehensively evaluated as excellent in terms of project feasibility, the capabilities of the local government and commercial district stakeholders, execution power, and scalability, ultimately achieving final selection in the competition.

Through this, the plan is to provide thorough support not only for facility and infrastructure improvements but also for ‘software’ such as content and community, and ‘humanware’ by nurturing small business owners who are the agents of commercial district transformation, thereby fostering an alleyway commercial district where people want to stay, equipped with the three elements of ‘shopping-community-local entrepreneurship.’

The ‘Yangjaecheon-gil commercial district,’ known as the Yangjaecheon caf? street, is a street where large franchise stores are almost nonexistent, and small-scale, distinctive shops full of style and taste line up, forming a unique culture. Nearby are Seocho Culture and Arts Center, Seoul Arts Center, and ‘Seoripul Instrument Street,’ attracting many cultural and artistic figures.

Additionally, the area around Yangjaecheon-gil has a waterside stage where performances are actively held year-round, and there are plenty of attractions such as the Yangjaecheon Four Seasons Water Park, Cheoncheon Tour, and Yangjaecheon Cherry Blossom Festival. Subway stations like Yangjae Station and Yangjae Citizen’s Forest Station are within a 10-minute walk, making accessibility excellent.

Combining these synergies, the vision Seocho-gu envisions for the Yangjaecheon-gil commercial district is a ‘high-quality alleyway commercial district where culture and arts can be enjoyed anytime’ and a ‘commercial district where every photo taken looks like a pictorial.’

To this end, the district plans to install a small-scale performance venue for busking performances on the Yangjaecheon riverside so that visitors can directly watch and enjoy cultural and artistic performances such as classical and jazz, injecting vitality into the commercial district.

Moreover, to create a commercial district where entrepreneurship is possible with just passion and ideas, the district will actively nurture local creators, brand the entire commercial district by creating naming and symbolic sculptures, promote photo spots for certification shots, and install unified signboards. It will also actively link the discovery of local creators with Seocho-gu’s cultural and artistic youth entrepreneurship support projects to enhance synergy.

Meanwhile, Seocho-gu plans to invest a total budget of 21.6 billion KRW by the first half of next year to complete the Yangjae Public Parking Lot and a resident convenience complex facility near the Yangjaecheon-gil commercial district. Utilizing and linking convenience facilities such as the Seocho Maternal and Child Health Center, Single-Person Household Support Center, and the Firefly Center with a local brand shared office is expected to create synergy for revitalizing the surrounding commercial district.

In the future, the district will establish a ‘Commercial District Council’ composed of merchants, experts, community service centers, resident representatives, and public institutions by June to work on revitalizing the Yangjaecheon-gil commercial district. It will also set up a ‘Commercial District Development Organization’ consisting of ‘Seocho Women’s Job Corporation’ and ‘Seocho-gu Social Economy Integrated Support Center’ to actively promote the local brand project.

Cheon Jeong-wook, Acting Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “We will develop the Yangjaecheon-gil commercial district into a high-quality, nature-friendly alleyway commercial district combined with culture and arts such as classical music, and develop it into a global landmark. We will also pursue voluntary and sustainable growth to create a successful case of alleyway commercial district revitalization.”