'2026 Sogongin Digging Week' to be held in Seongsu-dong from Wednesday through Sunday

24 finalists to compete across fashion, beauty and food categories

12 'star' small manufacturers to be selected; pop-up stores also planned

120 promising small manufacturers to be identified and supported

Members of the press and influencers browse clothing on display at a Musinsa Standard 2026 fall/winter season preview event held at an exhibition hall in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. [Yonhap]
Members of the press and influencers browse clothing on display at a Musinsa Standard 2026 fall/winter season preview event held at an exhibition hall in Seongdong-gu, Seoul. [Yonhap]

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups is partnering with major retail platforms, including Musinsa and Oasis, to identify promising small manufacturers and expand their access to distribution channels.

The ministry announced Tuesday it will hold the "2026 Sogongin Digging Week" — a market-access showcase for small manufacturers — in the Seongsu-dong area of Seoul from Wednesday through Sunday.

The event will consist of an audition in which small manufacturers present their products and brands, as well as pop-up stores where consumers can try and purchase items directly.

This year, the ministry has been running a 6.69 billion won ($5 million) market-access support program for small manufacturers in partnership with the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency. Working with private retail platforms such as Musinsa and Oasis, the program aims to identify 120 promising small manufacturers in the fashion, beauty and food sectors and provide support including new product development, consulting and placement in distribution networks. Including 100 companies receiving individualized support, the total number of beneficiaries reaches 220.

Twenty-four companies that cleared preliminary screening will advance to the final round of the star small manufacturer selection audition. On Wednesday, four beauty companies will compete through a live-commerce format, while 10 food companies will undergo blind taste evaluations. On Thursday, 10 fashion companies will showcase their competitiveness through a runway fashion show.

Twelve companies will ultimately be named star small manufacturers based on expert evaluations and on-site consumer votes, with an awards ceremony scheduled for Friday.

Pop-up stores featuring more than 100 small manufacturers will also run from Thursday through Sunday. The stores will be designed around a laboratory and research-room concept, allowing visitors to experience and purchase fashion, beauty and food brands firsthand.

Visitors can take part in various hands-on activities, including a shoveling game and weight-and-length guessing challenges. The event will offer small-manufacturer products, samples and souvenirs worth up to 300,000 won per visitor.

Notable participating companies include Playz, which operates the fashion brand GCLIP; Pringz, which makes the cosmetics tool "Baby Bottom Glow Puff"; and Sojeokdu, which sells a shaved-ice red bean topping of the same name.

The event is significant in that it connects support for small manufacturers — beyond product development and consulting — to actual consumer feedback and entry into distribution networks. Leveraging the retail infrastructure of Musinsa and Oasis is expected to help small manufacturers, many of which struggle to secure their own sales channels, validate their market potential and reach new customers.

"As global demand for Korean consumer goods continues to grow, new opportunities for our small manufacturers are expanding," said Kim Jeong-ju, the ministry's director general for small business policy. "We will use this event as an opportunity to strengthen cooperation with private retail platforms that have domestic and overseas distribution networks, and will continue to actively expand support to help small manufacturers grow quickly and sharpen their competitiveness."


boo@heraldcorp.com