Seoul picks night markets to bring new life to neighborhood alleys
Visitors stop at food trucks and sales booths at the Han River Night Market in 2019 / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government
Seoul is turning neighborhood alleys into nighttime destinations, with a new program linking local food, culture and tourism in an effort to extend commercial activity beyond daylight hours.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Monday it held a final citizen evaluation for Seoul Moonlight Night Market, its first major implementation of a ninth-term strategy to strengthen Seoul’s nighttime economy.
Fifteen autonomous districts and 19 commercial areas entered the competition, with 10 advancing through an initial document review before expert site inspections and a final evaluation by six experts and 50 citizens.
The city said selected commercial areas will receive up to 2 billion won ($1.4 million) through 2028 to improve pedestrian routes, streetlights, closed-circuit television cameras, restrooms and waste facilities, as well as signs and nighttime lighting.
The program will also connect longtime neighborhood restaurants and other local eateries with nearby cultural and tourism resources, while creating outdoor dining spaces and nighttime attractions tailored to each area.
Seoul said it plans to expand Moonlight Night Market to 25 locations by 2028, starting with this year’s pilot areas.
The city will develop a joint Seoul Moonlight Night Market brand and logo and support marketing, citizen participation events and a planned Moonlight Love Gift Certificate linked to Seoul’s local gift certificate system.
For families and tourists, participating areas may also add stroller and luggage storage facilities suited to local conditions.
To prevent nighttime activity from disrupting nearby residents, merchants and residents will sign agreements covering operating areas, closing times, noise, odors, cleanliness and pedestrian access, while joint committees will address complaints and conflicts.
Seoul said guidelines governing road use by outdoor businesses took effect Monday after an administrative notice period, while a proposed ordinance on outdoor operations at food-service establishments remains under administrative notice through Sept. 16.
Oh Se-hoon, mayor of Seoul, said the city would cultivate distinctive night markets in neighborhoods and make Seoul’s nights richer and more attractive to visitors from around the world.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.