Seoul Donghaeng Store reopens after monthlong renovation

An entrance of Seoul Donghaeng Store / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Seoul Donghaeng Store, a farmers' cooperative store run by the city near Anguk Station, reopens Tuesday following a month of renovations aimed at improving visitors' shopping experience and expanding programming.

The permanent store — located on the first floor of the Anguk Building annex in Jongno District — sells agricultural and regional specialty products sourced from small farms and producers across Korea, offering city residents competitively priced goods while providing producers with a reliable sales channel.

For the reopening, the city has reorganized product displays, added category signage to help shoppers navigate the space faster and installed new digital signboards visible from outside the store. A companion Naver Smart Store will reopen June 29 with updated product listings.

To mark the reopening, the store will hold events from Tuesday through June 19, including free rice cake giveaways for all visitors, a prize draw for purchases of 30,000 won ($20) or more and tastings of local fruit ade beverages.

Apple, white peach and blueberry farmers will visit the store in person to offer samples and share information on cultivation methods and storage tips.

Monthly themed exhibitions are also planned. June's focus is summer seasonal produce, featuring tomatoes with recipe cards, regional fruit and fermented drinks served ready-to-drink with ice, and a selection of quick meal options including abalone rice, bibimbap and brown rice noodles, catering to nearby office workers and single-person households.

The store also plans cooking classes with a nearby temple food culture center and a K-food section for foreign tourists, with multilingual labeling and a trial airport railway delivery service for purchases.

Products from South Gyeongsang Province — including 53 varieties of the province's mascot character "Byeori" — will be on sale through Aug. 19.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.