[Curiosity Lab] Baeknyeon Gage, Oraegage, Ieogage, Seonhangage... Which Store Do You Choose?

Jangsu Galbijipbonga Selected as a Long-Lasting Store by Seoul City
Photo by Seoul City

To revitalize self-employed individuals, small business owners, and neighborhood commercial districts, the central and local governments are increasing the number of so-called ‘ㅇㅇ stores.’ The Ministry of SMEs and Startups oversees the Baeknyeon Gage (Hundred-Year Store), which is a store officially certified by the government for maintaining its business for over 30 years and recognized for its excellence and growth potential. These stores receive a Baeknyeon Gage certificate and certification plaque, along with various promotional and support benefits. Baeknyeon Sogongin (Hundred-Year Small Craftsmen) targets small craftsmen with over 15 years of business history. Some businesses apply directly, while there is also a public recommendation system where citizens nominate candidates for Baeknyeon Gage. According to the related website of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, there are currently 1,357 Baeknyeon Gage nationwide. Included are Daejeon’s Seongsimdang, Seoul’s Jinju Hoegwan, Busan Bokjip, Gwangju’s Songjeong Tteokgalbi, and Chuncheon’s famous Dakgalbi.

At the opening ceremony of the 'Centennial Store Meal Kit Restaurant' held at Incheon International Airport Terminal 2 in 2022, attendees are taking a commemorative photo together.
[Photo by Ministry of SMEs and Startups]

◆ Stores Over 100 Years Old: ‘Baeknyeon Gage’ vs Seoul’s ‘Oraegage’ for Over 30 Years

Separately, Seoul has been selecting ‘Oraegage’ (Long-Lasting Stores) that have maintained over 30 years of history and tradition. ‘Oraegage’ means ‘old and wishing to last longer.’ Since 2017, the city has selected ‘Oraegage’ in the fields of lifestyle culture and traditional crafts. This year, the scope was expanded to include the food sector, selecting 24 new stores, with a total of 130 stores planned to be introduced to domestic and international tourists. In Jung-gu, 12 stores were selected (Hadonggwan, Goryeo Samgyetang, Yurim Myeon, Nampo Myeonok, Buminok, Ojangdong Hamheung Naengmyeon, Maboklim Grandma’s House, Myeongdong Hamheung Myeonok, La Cantina, Seongwon Jeonju Kongnamul Gukbap, Jangsu Galbijip Bon-ga, Namdo Hansik Jeongdeunnim), and in Jongno-gu, 9 stores (Cheongjinok, Jingogae Dongdaemun Branch, Jinachun, Sinanchon, Jongno Eunhaengnamu Jip, Gabongru, Samcheongdong Sujebi, Songane Dakhanmari, Old House Nakwon Agwijjim) were selected.

Old Store Signboard
Photo by Seoul City

‘Hadonggwan,’ which sells Seoul-style beef bone soup (gomtang), opened in 1939 and has maintained its taste and tradition through three generations for over 80 years. Hadonggwan’s gomtang, which includes various parts of beef such as brisket, chadolbagi (thinly sliced brisket), and tripe, is famous for its mild flavor, attributed to high-quality ingredients. ‘Nampo Myeonok,’ a fixture in the Euljiro alley for over 50 years, offers Pyeongan-do style cuisine. Its signature dishes are Pyeongyang naengmyeon and Eobokjaengban, with the Pyeongyang naengmyeon made by blending aged dongchimi (radish water kimchi) broth and meat stock. The restaurant is divided into two buildings, the new and old, connected internally, creating a special atmosphere that feels like traveling between past and present.

Certification plaque ceremony for 'Sejong Rooted Shop' held in July at 'Shinheung Padak' in Jochiwon-eup, Sejong City.
[Photo by Sejong City]

◆ Incheon’s ‘Ieogage’ vs Sejong’s ‘Ppurigipeun Gage’ (Deep-Rooted Stores)

While Seoul has ‘Oraegage,’ Incheon has ‘Ieogage’ (Continuing Stores). Since 2020, with the meaning of ‘hoping the store is passed down through generations and continues,’ Incheon selects and supports stores that have maintained tradition for over 30 years without changing their business type. Last year, eight more stores were added, totaling 34. The evaluation last year targeted old stores in Ganghwa-gun, Ongjin-gun, and Seo-gu, selecting stores such as Geumpung Yangjo, Daemyeongsa, Manmulsanghoe, Seomun Gimbap, Seomgogi Co., Ltd., Cheongun Seorim, Dongguk Advertising, and Midobang Mandu.

In Sejong City, businesses that have maintained tradition in the region for over 20 years are selected as ‘Sejong Ppurigipeun Gage’ (Sejong Deep-Rooted Stores). Recently, Shinheung Padak, Matnadang, and Ryu Korea were newly selected. Shinheung Padak, the originator of green onion chicken (padak), has been operated by two generations for 40 years in Jochiwon-eup. Matnadang, located in Bugang-myeon, is a representative old store in the area, operating for 24 years across two generations, serving fresh crown daisy (buchu) and hand-pulled noodle kalguksu, as well as meat and kimchi dumplings. Ryu Korea, based in Geumnam-myeon, is a traditional Korean musical instrument business holding various patents related to instrument manufacturing and has been operated by two generations for 22 years.

Geumpung Brewery and Seomun Gimbap selected as Incheon Eogage [Image source=Incheon City]

◆ ‘Good Price Stores’ Contributing to Price Stability, Over 8,600 Designated Nationwide

To promote stores contributing to price stability, the government and local governments designate ‘Good Price Stores.’ Once designated, various benefits are provided by each local government, such as discounts on garbage bags and water/sewerage fees, along with online and mobile promotion of the stores. In the first year of implementation in 2011, 2,497 stores were designated, and as of September 22, 8,588 stores (including restaurants, beauty salons, laundries, etc.) have been designated as Good Price Stores. By region, Seoul has the most with 1,386 stores, followed by Gyeonggi (1,137), Busan (688), Gangwon (645), Gyeongbuk (629), Gyeongnam (578), Jeonnam (510), Daejeon (474), Daegu (425), Chungnam (416), Jeonbuk (383), Chungbuk (357), Jeju (344), Incheon (328), Gwangju (309), Ulsan (152), and Sejong (38). It is surprising that Incheon, with a population exceeding 3 million, has over 300 fewer stores than Busan, which has a similar population. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety operates a separate website, but only four reviews were posted over August and September, two of which were about good restaurants and two about difficulties using cards.

Song Chi-young, President of the Small Business Federation (left), and Kim In, Chairman of the MG Saemaeul Geumgo Regional Hope Sharing Foundation, are signing an agreement and posing for a commemorative photo. Photo by MG Saemaeul Geumgo

On the 20th, the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise (Chairman Song Chi-young) and MG Saemaeul Geumgo Regional Hope Sharing Foundation (Chairman Kim In) agreed to activate the discovery of ‘Good Price Stores’ and support excellent Good Price Stores. Accordingly, the MG Regional Hope Sharing Foundation donated 200 million KRW to the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise, which will use the funds to continuously discover and expand Good Price Stores and support promotional activities.

◆ The Truly Good Stores Are ‘Seonhan Gage’ (Good-Hearted Stores)… and ‘Good Price Stores’ That Save Energy in ‘Local Stores’

Separate from stores with good prices, there is also the ‘Seonhan Gage’ (Good-Hearted Stores) program that selects and supports truly good stores. This project is jointly run by Woori Financial Group, the Korea Federation of Micro Enterprise, and the Community Chest of Korea (Sarangui Yeolmae), selecting 300 stores and providing various support. Separately, Sarangui Yeolmae operates a ‘Good Price Store’ system where stores regularly donate at least 30,000 KRW monthly or a certain percentage of sales to help neighbors in need.

Woori Financial Group signed a comprehensive support business agreement for the "Our Neighborhood Good Store" initiative to support small business owners, together with the Community Chest of Korea and the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business. (From left) Im Jong-ryong, Chairman of Woori Financial Group; Oh Se-hee, Chairman of the Korea Federation of Small and Medium Business; and Hwang In-sik, Secretary General of the Community Chest of Korea, are posing for a commemorative photo.
[Photo by Woori Financial Group]

There are also many other diverse stores and shops. Yeongdeungpo-gu is currently promoting the ‘Local Store Gourmet Travel Story Discovery’ project. It seeks out old local stores (restaurants, cafes, etc.) with unique stories in Yeongdeungpo, turning these into tourism resources and linking them to regional representative tourist attractions. For selected local stores, the project will produce a local store storybook and webzine, develop gourmet travel-themed tourist courses, and conduct fam tours with influencers to attract domestic and foreign tourists. Yeongdeungpo plans to open ‘Yeonghine (tentative name),’ a hope store that sells clothes collected through clothing donation boxes after cleaning them, at affordable prices on October 27.

Seoul City is promoting the ‘Energy-Saving Good Price Store’ project, providing customized energy diagnosis services and supporting energy-saving products for small stores and civic groups. This project, part of the ‘One Less Nuclear Power Plant’ campaign, has been underway since 2012 to encourage energy savings in commercial stores, which account for most electricity consumption. Together with civic groups such as Future Consumer Action and Akia Solidarity, 2,000 stores have been recruited as Good Price Stores. Dobong-gu in Seoul plans to find restaurants leading energy saving and green living practices and select them as ‘Carbon Neutral Restaurants,’ providing various benefits. Selected restaurants will receive signage, energy-saving consulting, energy-saving supplies, and up to 30,000 Carbon Sympathy Mileage points annually. Yeongcheon City in Gyeongbuk selects private tourist information centers called ‘Yeongcheon-euro, 9 Gyeonggage’ to conveniently provide tourist information.