Over 600-year-old Namdaemun Market to be transformed

A well-known traditional market in Seoul, Namdaemun Market, will be reborn as a space connected to historical attractions such as Namsan and Sungnyemun.

On Monday, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it will revitalize the commercial district through urban space innovation for Namdaemun Market, which is suffering from deteriorating facilities and a decline in foot traffic. Namdaemun Market is South Korea’s representative traditional market with a history of about 600 years. “We want to preserve and sustainably develop the traditional market amid the trend of large-scale and high-end shopping malls,” said a Seoul Metropolitan Government official. ”We are looking for spatial innovations that will allow the market to function as a community space in addition to its retail distribution role.”

As part of this plan, Seoul is currently selecting a company to develop a master plan and conduct a feasibility study to connect the market with nearby historical and cultural attractions such as Namsan and Sungnyemun. Once the project is implemented, it will improve the 1.6-kilometer pedestrian street, including Sowol-ro, Sopa-ro, and Hoehyeon-dong alleyways, that connect Namsan to Namdaemun Market. It also plans to create a ‘Market Culture Promotion Center’ for market visitors and vendors using an underused site on Sowol-ro. The center will feature a rooftop park, creating a resting space with views of Namdaemun.

The infrastructure will also be improved so that foreigners can experience the sentiments of South Korea’s traditional market. The alleyways of Namdaemun Market will be redesigned with a floor pattern that attracts more pedestrians, and atmospheric space lighting and decorations will be installed to make it an attractive space for walking. In addition, the underground space of the transfer station for waste management, which has been abandoned since 2018, will be utilized as a resting space for visitors to Namdaemun Market.


이소정 기자 sojee@donga.com