The 104-store strip where residential, transit-oriented and university demand converge is set to become a lifestyle-focused commercial hub — with building facade upgrades, a smart farm and the Seorim Dabok Festival drawing younger visitors to the eco-friendly specialty district.
Gwanak-gu is accelerating efforts to revitalize its alley commercial districts after designating Seorim Dabok-gil, near Seoul National University Venture Town Station, as a new alley shopping district.
The designation brings the total number of alley shopping districts in Gwanak-gu to 22 — the most of any autonomous district in Seoul — a milestone the district says reflects years of systematic effort to identify and cultivate local alley commerce.
The newly designated Seorim Dabok-gil is a lifestyle-focused commercial strip packed with 104 stores. Sitting at the intersection of residential neighborhoods, a transit-oriented area and a university district, it draws steady foot traffic from both residents and visitors and is considered a high-potential alley market.
Seorim Dabok-gil was selected as one of the district's top 10 alley commercial zones through tailored support that took into account each area's characteristics and growth potential. In 2022, it was also chosen for the Ministry of Interior and Safety's "Alley Economy Recovery Support Project," laying the groundwork for further commercial revitalization.
The district has actively pursued eco-friendly, specialty-district development aimed at attracting younger visitors — including facade improvements on aging buildings, the installation of a smart farm and events tied to the nearby Byeolbit Naerin Stream.
In addition, the district has held the Seorim Dabok Festival regularly to raise the strip's profile and inject energy into the alley market through a celebration that brings together merchants and residents alike.
With the new designation, stores along Seorim Dabok-gil will be eligible to register for the Onnuri gift voucher program, significantly improving convenience for consumers while also expected to boost spending and sales. Merchants will also gain access to a range of commercial revitalization support programs covering facility and environmental improvements, joint marketing and merchant capacity building.
The achievement traces back to 2018, when the district became the first in the country to establish a dedicated Office of Local Commercial District Revitalization, and to 2019, when it selected its top 10 alley commercial zones for systematic support. Since 2022, the district has further strengthened competitiveness through tailored, zone-specific support that has included developing mid- to long-term master plans, supporting merchant organization, strengthening online marketing and holding alley festivals.
The district said it will continue providing customized support tailored to the characteristics of each commercial zone so they can grow into a solid pillar of the local economy.
Since June, the district has been expanding alley commercial revitalization initiatives linked to Gwanaksan's tourism resources — programs that have drawn strong public response. These include discounts of up to 10 percent at 288 stores across nine alley commercial zones adjacent to Gwanaksan descent trails, as well as a cashback event tied to the Gwanaksan Three-Wish Challenge.
District Mayor Park Jun-hee said the designation was "a meaningful achievement made possible by the hard work of merchants and the district's steady support," adding that he would "listen more closely to voices on the ground and do everything possible to provide real, practical help to Seorim Dabok-gil." He added that the district would "not rest on having the most alley shopping district designations among Seoul's autonomous districts" and would "continue building vibrant alley commercial zones that people want to visit and linger in, through customized support for each district."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
