Gwangju Seo-gu Opens Urban Regeneration Hub Space 'Beotkkotmaeul Dabang'

Seo-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City (Mayor Kim Ikang) opened a shared kitchen and Cherry Blossom Village Cafe on the 25th as part of the Urban Regeneration New Deal project.

According to Seo-gu on the day, the shared kitchen and village cafe 'Cherry Blossom Village Cafe,' which opened on the first floor of the Changjak Nongseonggol Community Center, are operated by the Changjak Nongseonggol Cooperative (CEO Lee Daesu) on consignment.

Previously, Seo-gu conducted barista training and baking education for residents to ensure smooth cafe operation.

Opening Ceremony of Changjak Nongsonggol Cherry Blossom Village Cafe
[Photo by Seogu]

The Cherry Blossom Village Cafe sells coffee, handmade tea, desserts, and more from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday every week.

The shared kitchen will operate various resident participation programs such as the Sports Stacking Academy, one-day classes, village meals, and village cinema, revitalizing the village space.

Seo-gu plans to utilize these spaces to activate the local economy and culture, and provide residents with cultural living spaces and jobs.

Kim Ikang, Mayor of Seo-gu, said, “I hope the village cafe will serve as a hub space for sustainable urban regeneration led by residents and a place of communication, helping to revitalize the local community.”

Meanwhile, the Changjak Nongseonggol Community Center, completed in March 2021, operates a shared kitchen and village cafe on the first floor, a media center on the second floor, and an urban regeneration community support center on the third floor, serving as a space for residents’ capacity-building education and communication.

Shin Dongho, Honam Reporting Headquarters, Asia Economy baekok@asiae.co.kr