Clash With Sister-City Specialties
Promoting the Direct Marketplace Ahead of Lunar New Year
2.5 Billion Won in Jongno Love Gift Certificates Issued on the 5th
Jongno District in Seoul (headed by District Mayor Jeong Moon-heon) has produced an unconventional promotional video to publicize its sister-city online direct marketplace ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, and released it on its official YouTube channel, Jongno TV.
The video, titled "In-house Chef: Sister City Cooking Class War," borrows the format of a recently popular competition show and features a cooking contest using local specialty products purchased from the sister-city direct marketplace.
Participants were recruited through the district office’s internal bulletin board, and employees with a strong interest in cooking volunteered to take part. Two Level-7 employees and two Level-8 employees formed teams and competed, which led to the subtitle "Sister City Cooking Class War."
The participants used ingredients representing each region, such as octopus from Sokcho, Korean beef (Hanwoo) from Anseong, and perilla oil from Goseong, to complete dishes including abalone pasta, octopus ceviche, Hanwoo steak, and perilla-oil makguksu within a 60-minute time limit. The judging was carried out by the Deputy District Mayor and the Director of the Administrative Bureau, who evaluated the dishes fairly based solely on taste and completeness, without regard to rank or preconceptions.
The Jongno District sister-city online direct marketplace can be accessed through the district office website. It sells agricultural products, local specialties, holiday gift sets, and health foods from a total of 12 cities and counties - Geochang-gun, Goseong-gun, Gokseong-gun, Naju-si, Sokcho-si, Andong-si, Anseong-si, Yeoju-si, Yeongwol-gun, Jeonju-si, Jeongeup-si, and Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province - at reasonable prices.
In addition, to mark the Lunar New Year holiday, the district will issue Jongno Love Gift Certificates worth a total of 2.5 billion won. The gift certificates can be purchased from 4:00 p.m. on the 5th via the Seoul Pay Plus app. The discount rate is 5%, the monthly purchase limit per person is 500,000 won, and the holding limit is 1.5 million won.
Jongno District Mayor Jeong Moon-heon said, "We hope this video will increase interest in sister-city specialty products and lead to holiday spending," adding, "We will continue to expand exchanges with our sister cities in various fields, including culture and the economy, and broaden the scope of friendship and cooperation."
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