Festa shopping dollars go toward jobs for people with disabilities
Mutual-finance products aim to boost domestic rice consumption
'How much of my paycheck should I save?' — youth financial counseling draws interest
"My child wanted one, so I picked one out — the quality was great and the price was so low that I ended up buying three more for friends."
The mutual-finance market, making its debut at this year's Herald Money Festa 2026, was a standout draw at the event held Friday and Saturday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul. Visitors who came for financial lectures and consultations also browsed mutual-finance product information, snapped up donated goods at steep discounts and contributed to employment support for people with disabilities.
This year's Festa added the mutual-finance market alongside its financial lectures and consultations, giving attendees a chance to shop affordably while giving back. A booth run jointly by Woori Financial Group and Goodwill Store displayed a wide range of donated corporate goods — from curry, sauces and instant rice to socks, cosmetics and stuffed animals.
Prices were generally 40 to 50 percent below market price, with steeper discounts on select items depending on the product and its expiration date. A steady stream of visitors stopped by to grab a drink or snack between lectures, or to pick out a gift for their children.
Park Su-han, 45, who attended an asset-management lecture, chose a black teddy bear as a gift for his three-year-old. The stuffed animal, donated by Hyundai Department Store, was on sale for 5,000 won — compared with the 30,000 won ($22) it normally fetches in stores. One visitor bought 20 stuffed animals at once, drawn in by the low prices.
The cosmetics corner buzzed with women in their 20s and 40s rummaging through the shelves as if on a treasure hunt. Lee Eun-seon, 34, who came from Gwanak-gu in Seoul, said she enjoyed "the fun of finding something you like among all the items on display" and left with a lip balm and a whitening cream.
Kim, a company employee in his 40s from Gunpo in Gyeonggi Province, also picked up stuffed animals and cosmetics. He said he had visited the Goodwill Store at the below-ground floors of Woori Bank's main branch before, adding, "The prices are lower than market price, and if you look carefully you can find some pretty good items."
Shopping at the booth feeds directly into support for people with disabilities. Goodwill Store, one of Woori Financial Group's flagship social-contribution projects, sells goods donated by companies and individuals and uses the proceeds to employ people with developmental disabilities. Every purchase of a donated item helps sustain those jobs.
The market also featured booths introducing mutual-finance products. NH NongHyup Financial presented its "Hometown Love Donation Deposit and Savings" account and its "Mimi Card," launched to promote domestic rice consumption and revitalize farming communities. Visitors who installed the NH All One Bank app received gifts including domestic rice, whole-wheat crackers, highlighters and toothbrush-and-toothpaste sets.
The mutual-finance market also offered life-stage financial counseling, from savings planning for young adults just entering the workforce to debt concerns among older visitors. The Korea Inclusive Finance Agency ran one-on-one financial consultations for young adults, while the Credit Recovery Committee operated a quiz booth to raise awareness of its hotline number, 1375, alongside debt counseling services.
The Korea Inclusive Finance Agency's "Financial Counseling for All Youth" program paired young visitors with financial counselors for 30-minute one-on-one sessions. Park Tae-hwan, 34, a financial counselor on duty at the event, said the questions he heard most often centered on how much of one's paycheck to save and how to divide money between investments and savings.
"A lot of people ask how much they should be saving out of what they earn, and how much their peers are typically putting away," he said. "Visitors in their 20s and 30s were particularly interested in what steps they need to take to buy a home." He added that visitors in their 40s and 50s and older tended to ask about the cost of raising children and planning for retirement after their children become independent.
Shinhan Financial Group and Hana Financial Group also showcased their flagship financial services and products. Shinhan Financial ran a sign-up event for its integrated financial platform "Super SOL." Hana Bank introduced its "Modu Da Hana" account, which combines checking and securities-trading functions, and offered new account holders who entered a draw a 5,000-won CU gift card.
forest@heraldcorp.com
an@heraldcorp.com
kyoung@heraldcorp.com
