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Joseon-era marketplace returns to life in downtown Seoul
A promotional poster for "Seoyeokbak Marketplace" / Courtesy of the Seoul Museum of History
By Lee Kyung-min
The bustle of a 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty-era marketplace is returning to the heart of Seoul this weekend, as artisans, merchants and traditional food vendors transform the grounds of the Seoul Museum of History and nearby Gyeonghui Palace into a sprawling celebration of Korean heritage.
The Seoul Museum of History said it will host the traditional craft market festival "Seoyeokbak Marketplace" from Friday through Sunday, bringing together 92 traditional brands for one of the city's largest culture-themed outdoor events.
Organized in partnership with the social planning company Project Question, the festival reimagines a traditional Joseon marketplace for modern audiences, offering visitors a chance to experience Korean crafts, traditional attire, food and merchant culture in a single venue.
The event will feature two "yukuijeon" (referring to the six items exclusively sold in these royal shops), 27 licensed market stalls, four taverns, three artisan villages, 46 street vendors and 10 itinerant merchant groups modeled after the trading culture of the Joseon era.
Visitors will be able to browse handmade products, sample traditional foods and explore exhibits designed to evoke the atmosphere of a historic marketplace.
A special event tied to the museum's exhibition, "This Is Hanseongbu," centered around the administrative body of what is now Seoul, is also scheduled for Saturday.
At 2 p.m., the museum will host a special event for social media subscribers featuring its virtual ambassador, Hyangachi. Followers can gather in front of the "Irworobongdo" (Sun, Moon and Five Peaks) screen near the special exhibition hall to meet Hyangachi and claim exclusive subscriber gifts.
The program is intended to encourage online followers to visit the museum in person and strengthen engagement between digital audiences and museum visitors.
Hyangachi and Seoyeokbak Teacher Hong, another figure featured on the museum's social media channels, will distribute commemorative gifts to 100 visitors who register in advance.
A photo zone featuring life-size standees will also be available, allowing attendees to take commemorative photographs during the festival.
"We hope this festival will become an opportunity for citizens to discover the richness of Korean traditional culture and for the museum to further establish itself as an open cultural space for all generations," a museum spokesperson said.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.