Boseong Market (보성시장) in Jeju City boasts over 40 years of history. In the past, this was the place to go if you wanted to try out different local foods in one place. But a decline in customers led many to close shop and leave. The remaining vendors decided to start over by giving the market a facelift… and the renovation work is now complete. Suejin Choi tells us more.
From the well-seasoned meat- and vegetable-packed soondae(순대)... to Jeju’s traditional buckwheat roll, bingddeok(빙떡)...

These foods and more used to be sold at over 200 small restaurants back in the day... at Boseong(보성) Market. Business was good in those days but as time went by, things started going downhill and stalls were forced to close, one after another.

The remaining vendors decided they needed to do something about it… and so they joined hands and gave the market... a ‘modern’ makeover.

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Boseong Market gets modern makeover

Some parts of this market had been abandoned for more than 15 years, but now… things are looking rosy once again. Boseong(보성) Market has been given new life... with a modern look… and an underground parking lot.

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120+ shops on 2nd & 3rd floors

The once empty 2nd and 3rd floors... are now fully occupied... with some 120 shops that sell... mostly local specialties and cosmetics.

[INTERVIEW]
Choe Seung-gwan / Vendor
The market was dying, but thanks to these 120 or so companies, low-priced goods can be bought here and the market is coming back to life.
<인터뷰 : 최승관/입주 업체>
"시장이 많이 죽어있는데 여기에 120여 개 제조업체들이 들어와서 좋은 가격, 저렴한 가격으로 시장 활성화에 도움이 될 것 같습니다."

It all began in 2012...

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Renovation funded by vendors’ contributions

After many had closed down and left, the remaining vendors at Boseong Market voluntarily gathered sufficient funds, bought the empty lots… and renovated the entire place.

[INTERVIEW]
Ko Mi-jung / Vendor
The first step was the renovation. You will find that the market is very clean. We have made many improvements and hope many people will come here.
인터뷰 : 고미정/상인
"깨끗하게 발전하는 게 첫 단계이기 때문에 많은 기대를 하고 있고 (손님들이) 오시면 깨끗하실 거예요. 좋게 발전했고 많이 찾아왔으면 좋겠어요."

Boseong Market has also been selected as one of the participants of this year’s street market development project… and will be able to develop and promote soondae(순대) as a specialized product.

[INTERVIEW]
Moon Ok-kwon / President, Boseong Market Vendors’ Association
On the first floor you can find soondae soup stalls, which is what Boseong Market is famous for. Then on the 2nd and 3rd floors, you can get daily necessities. The vendors are all united in trying to help develop the market...
<인터뷰 : 문옥권/보성시장상인회장>
"보성시장에서 유명한 순대국밥 등 음식점으로 발돋움하고
2, 3층에는 생활필수품을 판매하며 상인들이 일심단결해서
앞으로 보성시장이 더욱 발전할 수 있는..."

[REPORTER]
Suejin Choi

With a history of over 40 years, Boseong Market is now breathing new life... created by the vendors themselves.

Suejin Choi, KCTV.