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Running every weekend from April 3 to May 17 along Yangjaecheon-gil, the Yangjae Art Salon drew record crowds and boosted local commerce — with the art market logging 520 million won ($346,000) in total sales and a 36 percent jump in per-showing attendance.
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The Yangjae Art Salon, which transformed Yangjaecheon stream into a vibrant cultural and retail destination this spring, wrapped up its run with 520 million won (about $346,000) in total sales and roughly 190,000 visitors — injecting fresh energy into the surrounding local economy.
Seocho-gu said the event, held along the "Salon Stream" stretch of Yangjaecheon from the waterside stage to Yeongdong 1st Bridge, concluded with meaningful results for local economic revitalization. The market ran every weekend from April 3 to May 17.
The Yangjae Art Salon is a spring-and-fall art market where small-business owners, craft artists and youth enterprises display and sell handmade goods and everyday items. Hosted by the district and organized by Seocho Women's Jobs Co., the event gives residents a combined walking, shopping and cultural experience along the urban stream while helping participating sellers expand their reach and build brand recognition.
This spring's edition rode the cherry blossom season, rolling out a festival alongside diverse cultural and hands-on programs each weekend to energize the commercial district around Yangjaecheon. Sales growth among participating sellers again demonstrated the market's drawing power.
First-half sales totaled 520 million won, up 11 percent from the same period last year. A total of 190,000 people visited over the run, with average attendance per showing reaching about 16,000 — a 36 percent increase year on year. The district attributed the gains to a combination of weekend leisure demand, hands-on content and cultural programming that extended visitor dwell time and drove higher spending.
The event's community impact was equally notable. Local merchants accounted for 35 percent of all sellers, and their share of total sales reached 31.5 percent.
Spending by visitors also spilled over into nearby businesses, the district said, helping build a self-reinforcing cycle of local economic support.
Programming grew richer this year as well. Crowd favorites included "Yangjaecheon Noraebang," a spontaneous singing contest; an 8-meter art balloon character called "Yangjaerong"; a citizen-participation installation titled "A Car Carrying Wishes"; and busking performances throughout the venue.
Weekly themed programs drew additional attention. Cherry blossom market events anchored the opening weeks, followed by a spring market lineup that featured a Yangjaecheon coffee run, a spring-flower meditation session, a children's salon playground, a "Glocal Week" and a spring tea-blending workshop.
Through these offerings, the district said it has spread a "salon culture" — blending personal taste, leisure and community exchange — across the Yangjaecheon area.
The event also linked up with other local festivals, including the Seocho Cultural Center's Cherry Blossom Lantern Festival and "Move Salon," organized jointly by the local merchants' association and Move Culture Co., further strengthening the area's homegrown cultural identity.
"This edition of the Yangjae Art Salon confirmed the real potential for local economic revitalization, delivering tangible results in both sales growth and visitor expansion," a district official said. "We will continue developing it into Seocho-gu's signature local festival — one where commerce and culture grow together."
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