A scene from the night market. [Provided by Gumi City]
A scene from the night market. [Provided by Gumi City]

The old downtown commercial district around Gumi Station and Munhwa-ro is showing signs of recovery, with foot traffic and new businesses picking up as the city rolls out targeted revitalization efforts.

According to Gumi City on Sunday, tailored commercial district policies — including the Gumi Ramyun Festival, the Nangman Night Market and the Onnuri Pass consumer incentive program — have begun drawing residents and tourists back to the area, spurring new business openings and lifting expectations among small merchants.

The Gumi Station commercial district had long struggled as foot traffic dried up amid shifting consumer habits, an economic slowdown and a decline in after-work dining culture.

Particularly damaging was a "spillover effect" in the early days after the Daegyeong Line opened, when consumers migrated toward the Daegu area, adding further strain on local businesses.

Data from the Korea Real Estate Board's commercial real estate rental trend survey show the vacancy rate in the Gumi Station district stood at 26.2 percent in 2024, easing slightly to 24.3 percent in 2025 and 24.4 percent in 2026 — a modest improvement, though the area remains weighed down by years of stagnation.

Amid the downturn, the market itself began to shift. Some building owners voluntarily lowered rents to more realistic levels, bringing lease costs below pre-COVID-19 levels and making it easier for new entrepreneurs to enter the market.

However, polarization within the district has also emerged: prime locations along the corridor connecting Gumi Station and the Geumosan intersection continue to command high rents, prompting calls for sustained management and targeted support.

The clearest catalyst for the district's revival has been a series of cultural and economic programs the city has pursued.

Gumi City credited the nationally recognized Gumi Ramyun Festival, the locally flavored Nangman Night Market and the Onnuri Pass spending incentive with drawing citizens and tourists back into the old downtown.

As festival and marketing efforts have helped foot traffic recover, the overall mood in the commercial district has begun to change.

Over the past six months, 12 new stores have opened in the area — two along the roadside near Gumi Station and 10 along Munhwa-ro — signaling the start of a broader commercial rebound.

"The hardships facing small business owners have not been fully resolved after such a prolonged slump, but the city's sustained revitalization efforts combined with the determination of merchants themselves have clearly created an opportunity for a turnaround," Gumi Mayor Kim Jang-ho said. "The city will continue to push forward with effective support policies to restore the old downtown commercial district."


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com