Seongdong Sharing Center Shines Brighter During Economic Downturn
Lends Over 830 Items Including Tools and Camping Gear
Operates 'Repair Cafe' to Help with Fixing and Reusing
Users of Seongdong Sharing Center Repair Cafe and the Gongbanjang (volunteer expert) are repairing a broken fan. (Photo by Seongdong-gu Office)
Im Banjang, Shin Banjang, Kim Banjang, Choi Banjang... At the ‘Seongdong Sharing Center’ in Haengdang-dong, Seongdong-gu, Seoul, there are several ‘Banjang’ (team leaders). Collectively, they are also called ‘Gong(yu) Banjang’ (Sharing Team Leaders). Their role is to assist in repairing household appliances or daily necessities that are difficult to use due to simple malfunctions or damage. However, they are not professional repair technicians or service center staff who repair items for a fee.
On the 19th, Shin Banjang (Shin Sangseon, CEO of Seongdong Youth Platform), whom I met at the shared space on the 2nd floor of the Seongdong Sharing Center, said, “We are talent donors who help people experience self-repair by guiding them on how to fix broken items,” adding, “Most Banjang are residents in their 30s to 60s living in Seongdong-gu with various occupations.”
The Seongdong Sharing Center is a goods sharing center. It is operated by a nonprofit organization entrusted by the district office. It has 830 items such as tools, daily necessities, and camping equipment, which it rents out to Seongdong-gu residents or people who live, study, or work in Seongdong-gu at very low rental fees. This kind of sharing center is unique among Seoul’s autonomous districts and is rare nationwide.
Since 2022, the Seongdong Sharing Center has been hosting ‘Repair Cafe’ events to allow people to experience self-repair. Residents with items to repair apply in advance and visit on the event day to fix them themselves. The Gong Banjang teach the methods and work together to solve problems that cannot be resolved. Tools and commonly used materials needed for repairs are provided at the sharing center. If specific parts need to be replaced, visitors must prepare them themselves.
Although Repair Cafes are unfamiliar to us, they are well known in Europe, including the Netherlands, France, and the UK, as well as in the United States. The purpose is to reduce waste and practice environmental activism by repairing items oneself, which also means conserving valuable resources. It can also help form a healthy community in the local area through broken items as a medium.
Kang Juhee, director of the Seongdong Sharing Center, repeatedly emphasized that “it is not about repairing for others but learning how to fix things by repairing them yourself.” Common Repair Cafe customers include fans with loose necks or appliances with faulty joint wiring. Shin Banjang said, “There are various devices here such as testers for diagnosing malfunctions, special screwdrivers, and soldering irons,” adding, “Nowadays, parts can be easily obtained through online shopping.”
The Seongdong Sharing Center will hold another Repair Cafe this Saturday (the 27th) afternoon. This will be the 10th event, held on the fourth Saturday of every month. Skilled Gong Banjang are recruited as needed.
These days, despite the bitter economic downturn and high inflation, the sharing center is thriving. It is wasteful to buy items costing hundreds of thousands of won just to use once or twice a year, and there is no suitable place to store them. Perhaps for this reason, the robot window cleaner for cleaning apartment veranda windows is the most popular single item. The market price is around 200,000 won, but the sharing center’s daily (one-night) rental fee is only 2,000 won, which is 1% of the sale price. Camping chairs, electric and air mats, and electric extension cords are the most frequently borrowed camping items. Rental fees range from 250 to 2,000 won per item.
Director Kang said, “Rental fees are low because they are set at 1-3% of the purchase price based on the Seongdong-gu Sharing Promotion Ordinance,” adding, “User satisfaction is 99%.”
Since the sharing center opened in 2017, 5,800 members have used it at least once, and two-thirds of users are in their 30s and 40s. When items are requested online, 16 delivery hubs such as welfare centers, libraries, and apartment management offices operate to conveniently deliver items near users’ homes.
Every Friday evening, the sharing center rents out the rooftop terrace space on the 3rd floor for barbecue parties. Consideration for others and civic awareness are essential requests to ensure the best item management and use. Items must be returned clean and undamaged, and users must notify the center first if any problems occur.
Although it is a popular project with many fans, it is not a profit-making business, so the operating budget is always tight. As user convenience and satisfaction increase, staff have become busier. Director Kang said, “Raising staff satisfaction and motivation is also a challenge.”
Since opening in 2017, the number of members using the Seongdong Sharing Center has exceeded 5,800 this month. Here, you can rent over 830 items, including camping gear, at affordable prices. A resident is renting a robot window cleaner. (Photo by Seongdong-gu Office)
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