Usable at Konkuk, Changdong, Sangbong, Sadang, Sinsa and more

10 billion won total issued starting Friday morning

Valid from 5 p.m. to midnight; monthly purchase cap of 500,000 won

The brand identity image for the Seoul Dalbit Yajang program. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]
The brand identity image for the Seoul Dalbit Yajang program. [Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Tuesday it will issue 10 billion won ($7.51 million) worth of "Dalbit gift vouchers" to boost its Seoul Dalbit Yajang nighttime economy program.

Starting at 10 a.m. Friday, the vouchers will be available for purchase at a 10 percent discount through the Seoul Pay+ app. They can be used from 5 p.m. to midnight at participating Seoul Love Gift Certificate merchants in six designated nighttime commercial districts and their surrounding administrative neighborhoods.

The Seoul Dalbit Yajang program — which aims to create vibrant alley commercial districts where residents can eat, enjoy local culture and linger into the evening — is the city's flagship nighttime economy initiative. Six commercial districts were selected last month.

The Dalbit gift vouchers are part of the city's "nighttime economy revitalization" policy, a key priority of the current Seoul Metropolitan Government administration. Their issuance was also included in the "G3 Seoul Plan," a blueprint the city announced last month targeting a leap into the ranks of the world's top three cities.

The six participating districts are Konkuk Food Street (Hwanyang-dong, Gwangjin-gu), Sangbong Restaurant Alley (Sangbong-dong, Jungnang-gu), Changdong Station Shopping Street (Chang 4-dong, Dobong-gu), Sadang 1-dong Restaurant Alley (Sadang 1-dong, Dongjak-gu), Sadang Orak Dalbit Yajang (Namhyeon-dong, Gwanak-gu) and Sinsa Serosugil (Sinsa-dong, Gangnam-gu). The vouchers cannot be used at some business types, including hagwon, real estate agencies and liquor wholesalers.

The monthly purchase limit per person is 500,000 won, with a total holding limit of 1.5 million won. Vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of purchase. Unused vouchers may be fully canceled for a refund. If a buyer uses at least 60 percent of the purchased amount, the remaining balance — excluding the discount subsidy — can be refunded. However, vouchers purchased by credit card are not eligible for a balance refund. Details on how to buy and use the vouchers, as well as a list of participating merchants, are available in the notice section of the Seoul Pay+ app.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government also unveiled a new integrated brand identity for the Seoul Dalbit Yajang program. The city said the design depicts small lights gathering in the dark to form a single moon.

The new brand identity will be applied first to certification stickers for Dalbit gift voucher merchants, and will later be used across signage, promotional materials and facilities when the nighttime districts are in operation.

"The Dalbit gift vouchers are designed to let residents visit alley commercial districts across Seoul while enjoying discount benefits," said Park Kyung-hwan, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Livelihood and Labor Bureau. "We will work to ensure that the warmth of spending that begins at the Dalbit Yajang spreads to nearby alley commercial districts and breathes vitality into the local economy as a whole."


ken@heraldcorp.com