Dongjak District's Noryangjin Mannaro Commercial Area Selected for Local Brand Development Project

Up to 1 Billion Won Invested Over Two Years

Dongjak District in Seoul (Mayor Park Ilha) announced on January 26 that the Noryangjin Mannaro commercial district (Noryangjin 1-dong) has been selected as the final candidate for the '2026 Local Brand Commercial District Development Project' led by the Seoul Metropolitan Government.

Park Ilha, Mayor of Dongjak District (fifth from the left), is attending a merchants' meeting at Noryangjin Mannaro in November last year and taking photos. Provided by Dongjak District.

The Local Brand Commercial District Development Project aims to foster commercial areas with unique characteristics and appeal by connecting them with region-based local content, transforming them into destinations where people want to stay. With this selection, the district has secured up to 1 billion won in project funding over the next two years.

The selection of target areas was based on a comprehensive evaluation, including the potential to create innovative business value using local stories and cultural resources, the possibility of revitalization through cooperation between merchants and landlords, and the inclusion of Seoul-style alleyway and developed commercial districts.

The Noryangjin Mannaro commercial district refers to the area around the old Noryangjin Manyang-ro. Although it initially grew around civil service exam takers, the atmosphere of the commercial district has shifted somewhat with the rise of online lectures. The district office has registered the Noryangjin Manyang-ro area as an alleyway-type shopping street and named it the 'Mannaro commercial district,' laying the groundwork for a commercial revival.

The district has set the core concept for commercial development as 'a street of healing and new challenges for youth.' It plans to promote a comprehensive strategy for commercial revitalization through five major local content initiatives: hosting a youth support festival, linking and selling local signature cup rice menus, creating a photo zone at Noryangjin Station, operating a youth healing space at Yongyang Bongjeojeong, and organizing nighttime tours at Sayuksin Park.

According to the district, after operating the Dongjak Commercial District Revitalization Project for five years from 2021 to 2025, the average daily floating population in the Sadang-Isu Station area increased by 31.1%, and the average monthly sales rose by 297.5%, demonstrating significant results. The district expects that the Noryangjin Mannaro commercial district will also contribute to the recovery of the local economy by attracting more young people and establishing a differentiated local brand, thereby solidifying its image as a youth-friendly commercial area.

Park Ilha, Mayor of Dongjak District, stated, "The Noryangjin Mannaro commercial district is a meaningful space where the challenges and daily lives of young people are accumulated. With this project, we will actively support the district's revitalization so that it becomes a vibrant local commercial area where young people want to stay and return."