Yongsan-gu, 'Haebangchon Liberation Week' Events Including Performances and Forums from 14th to 17th

Purpose of Revitalizing Village Alley Commercial Districts Formed Through Gwangbok History

Yongsan-gu, Seoul (District Mayor Park Hee-young) is supporting the ‘HBC (Haebangchon) Liberation Week’ held around Sinheung-ro in celebration of Liberation Day. The purpose is to revitalize the neighborhood alley commercial district formed by the history of liberation.

This event will take place from the evening of the 14th to the 17th at stores and streets located in the section of Hanshin Onggi - Yongsan 2-ga-dong Community Service Center along Sinheung-ro, featuring ▲ pungmul band street performances ▲ live performances inside stores ▲ flea markets ▲ Haebang Forum, and more.

At 2 PM on the 14th, a pungmul band street performance will announce the start of the Liberation Week event. At 7 PM, unique live performances will continue for four days at The Studio Haebangchon. Groups such as Yangbandeul and singer Harim will fill the stage until 10 PM.

On the 15th, from 1 PM to 6 PM, a Liberation Market (flea market) will be held in front of stores in the area, and on the 16th, from 1 PM to 4 PM, the ‘Haebang Forum’ will take place on the 2nd floor of the Yongsan 2-ga-dong Community Service Center.

The panel for the ‘Haebang Forum’ includes Professor Kyung Shin-won from the Graduate School of International Urban Sciences at the University of Seoul, as well as Haebangchon merchants and residents. About 30 stakeholders participating in revitalizing the commercial district through ‘HBC Haebangchon’ branding will join. Detailed information about the event can be found on Haebangchon’s Instagram channel.

Oh Joon-seok, president of the Haebangchon Merchants’ Association, said, “This event will be a festival that embraces not only natives but also people of various ethnicities, tendencies, and personalities,” adding, “We will grow the commercial district into a safe community that anyone can enjoy while remembering Liberation Day on August 15 every year.”

The Haebangchon Merchants’ Association was designated as an alley commercial community for the first time this year under Article 5 of the ‘Yongsan-gu Ordinance on Fostering and Revitalizing Alley Commercial Communities.’ The district started the ‘Alley Commercial Community Support Contest Project’ last year, the first in Seoul. The Haebangchon Merchants’ Association, selected as a support target, received 15 million KRW from the district budget.

District Mayor Park Hee-young stated, “The HBC Haebang Alley Commercial District is operated by merchants with diverse talents such as directing, filming, art, and acting, running unique stores,” and added, “We will spare no support so that the Haebangchon Merchants’ Association, formed through the alley commercial revitalization project, can lead and bring vitality to the area.”