Five alleyways in Seoul to be transformed into 'K-Alley'

Five alleyways in Seoul will be transformed into unique 'Global (Global + Local)' districts. On Sunday, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a plan to establish the alleyways as the city's iconic 'K-Alley,' drawing in both local residents and foreign visitors by highlighting their distinct regional characteristics.

The five target areas are Seochon, Jongno-gu, Itaewon, Yongsan-gu, Suyu-dong, Gangbuk-gu, Sinchon, Seodaemun-gu, and Cheonho, Gangdong-gu. Starting from the middle of this month, the city plans to invest up to 1.5 billion won into each district for the next three years. "The objective of this initiative is to attract more domestic and foreign visitors by incorporating global elements and infrastructure that cater to the preferences of foreigners while maintaining the unique identity and character of the existing alleys," said a city official.

Each commercial district will have a unique approach. Itaewon plans to restore its former reputation by emphasizing its exotic cultural elements. To offer new attractions to visitors, an intelligent digital street will be created using 3D video mapping. Cheonho, being the only bicycle-specialized street in Korea, will be transformed into an alley that attracts cyclists from all over the world. In Seochon, where unique shops are concentrated but lack solidarity between shops, the city and merchants will collaborate to create content and infrastructure, inducing coexistence between landlords and merchants to establish a stable business environment.

To accurately analyze the identity and characteristics of each commercial district, the city will survey to investigate consumer perceptions of alleys in the first year of the project. Next year, there will be active support for collaborations among well-known small businesses to enhance the self-sustainability and competitiveness of alleyways. In the final year, building on the findings of the ongoing project, strategic projects will be promoted for each small business district.

"We aim to transform the alleyways into a charming and dignified representation of Seoul and establish them as a model for revitalizing local economies," said Park Jae-yong, the director of Labor, Fairness, and Coexistence Policies at the Seoul Metropolitan Government.


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