Yongsan-gu Supports Itaewon Antique & Vintage Spring Festival

Festival Atmosphere Created with Antique Flea Market, Auction, Street Performances Across Itaewon Antique Furniture Street from 25th to 28th
Early Visitors Receive Gifts, Caricatures, Four-Cut Photos, and More Souvenirs

Yongsan-gu, Seoul (Mayor Park Hee-young) is supporting the ‘Antique & Vintage Spring Festival’ held for four days from the 25th to the 28th at Itaewon Antique Furniture Street, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The purpose is to promote the specialized high-end furniture commercial district and establish a tourism infrastructure base to revive the neighborhood alley commercial area.

The Itaewon Antique & Vintage Festival is hosted by the Antique Furniture Street Association under the sponsorship of Yongsan-gu. It is held twice a year in spring and autumn throughout Itaewon Antique Furniture Street (Itaewon Station ~ Cheonghwa Apartment ~ Saudi Arabian Embassy).

This year’s spring festival features about 90 antique shops participating, with events including ▲ flea market (plimarket) ▲ antique auction ▲ street performances (busking) ▲ prize events ▲ caricatures ▲ commemorative photos ▲ wine tasting.

At the flea market, participating shops display and sell antique furniture, lighting, and accessories at discounted prices. Especially, the antique auction held for about an hour from 2:30 p.m. on the 27th offers over 30 antique furniture items at affordable prices. A professional auctioneer will conduct the auction on the wooden deck of Noksapyeong-daero 26-gil.

Street performances will be held on two stages within the Antique Furniture Street, where visitors can enjoy various music genres such as pop, Latin, jazz, and classical.

▲ Prize events ▲ caricatures ▲ commemorative photos are all set up at the wooden deck event booth. Visitors can participate in the prize event up to twice a day. An entry ticket is given upon fulfilling one of the following: presenting a purchase receipt, posting on social media (SNS), or responding to a survey. Caricatures are offered free of charge from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekend of the 27th and 28th. Visitors can also enjoy commemorative photos using antique accessories.

Hospitality for visitors is also thoughtful. The first 30 visitors arriving at the start time will receive embroidered flower handkerchiefs as gifts. A rest area next to the event booth offers free tea and snacks. The wine tasting area is set up across from the booth.

Park Hee-young, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, said, “This festival is a great opportunity to experience Europe’s vintage furniture in the heart of Seoul,” and added, “With the pleasant weather for outings these days, we hope many people will come to feel the exotic atmosphere with their loved ones.”

Meanwhile, Itaewon Antique Furniture Street began to form in the 1960s by U.S. military personnel stationed at nearby military bases. After some shops started selling European antique furniture in the 1990s, it gradually developed into the current specialized shopping district.