One of several closed bars in the pork alley of Central Market, June 8 / Courtesy of Matt VanVolkenburg

For years, a sign above a side street next to Exit 1 of Sindang Station on Seoul Metro lines 2 and 6 announced that visitors were entering the “Seoul Central Market Furniture District.” Then, in 2023, this was replaced by a new sign reading “1946 Hwanghak Furniture Street.”

The sign raises several questions, particularly as an accompanying information board outlining the history of the area's furniture and rice markets fails to explain why it bears the date 1946.

A sign reads “1946 Hwanghak Furniture Street” in central Seoul's Sindang-dong, June 8. Courtesy of Matt VanVolkenburg

It explains that in 1950s and 1960s the area was known as the "largest grain wholesale and retail market in the country" which “prospered to the extent that it distributed over 70% of the rice consumed by Seoul citizens at the time,” and also notes that it was at a rice shop there in 1938 that Hyundai founder Chung Yu-yung first honed his business skills. It also notes that the area was once known for “specializing in furniture for newlyweds,” though now it “primarily deals in commercial furniture,” particularly for the food service industry, but makes no mention of the fact that furniture stores and factories did not actually appear in the area until the 1980s.

One of the few grain businesses remaining in Hwanghwak-dong, June 5. Courtesy of Matt VanVolkenburg

One possible explanation may be that the nearby Central Market traces its roots when Seongdong Market, named after the surrounding district, was founded in 1946. By the early 1960s it had taken on the name Seongdong Central Market, but was forced to drop the Seongdong part of its name when the area was incorporated into Jung District in 1975. Rather confusingly, it was renamed "Seoul Central Market." The new sign, however, makes no mention of this market.

These omissions suggest that the new sign and information board were installed in response to local gentrification. The early 2020s had seen a small but growing number of cafes, bars and restaurants opening in renovated market buildings. These buildings were constructed in the 1950s to 1970s, and could be found scattered throughout the Central Market and its side alleys. The gentrification was particularly concentrated in an alley west of the new sign, centered around the cafe Simsejeong and cocktail bar Zoosindang, which opened in 2017 and 2019, respectively. As they drew attention and more “hip” businesses opened, the media dubbed the area “Hipdang-dong.”

But what did “hip” even mean when applied to these establishments? Arguably, these cafes, bars and restaurant clusters across the country tend to have three things in common: non-Korean signage (English and Japanese dominate), interior design built to highlight the vintage qualities of the buildings they’re housed in and online promotion via social media. Other businesses, such as unmanned photo studios, also often appear — the area north of Sindang Station has six, with another on the way.

A self-photo studio is under construction north of Sindang Station, June 5. Courtesy of Matt VanVolkenburg

Source: Korea Times News