It’s the end of the year, but it’s a quiet traditional market … “Tears” of merchants in step 2 of the distance Myeongdong cosmetic stores are closed … Gangnam station street vendors sold “0 won”
On the afternoon of the 28th, there is a busy Gwangjang market. / Reporter Da-Young Hong
“On weekends, people who wore a glass of makgeolli over a basic rice cake didn’t have time to step, but sales aren’t even 30% because of the crown.”
The Seoul Gwangjang market that I visited on the afternoon of the 28th was full. The number of visitors decreased after coronavirus infection (Corona 19), and as the distance spacing phase was moved to the second phase on the 24th, the number of visitors to the market decreased. Several customers sat and ate in Bindae Tteok Alley, but there were no customers in the fruit, dried fish, side dishes, and home goods stores. Park Mo (61), who sells Bindae-tteok, said: “I used to stand in line and have a glass of makgeolli on Bindae-teok, but after the coronavirus there were fewer customers visiting the market.”
It was a Gwangjang market crowded with shoppers coming to eat yukhoe, narcotic kimbap, and tteokbokki, but on that day there were only two or three shoppers per shop. There were places where there were no customers at all. A restaurant owner in Gangjeong, which was featured as a restaurant several times during the broadcast, shouted “Please try for free” in an empty alley. However, there was no response.
“There are a lot of young people looking for drugs kimbap, gopchang, crow’s feet and ice cream,” said an Immo trader (59).
On the afternoon of the 28th, a Bindaetteok shop at Gwangjang market. There are no customers, only the rice donuts are piled up. / Reporter Da-Young Hong
The streets of Myeong-dong that I visited that day were also quiet. In a cosmetics shop with a 50% discount, only one man was looking for sunscreen. That too, I looked around and walked out. Two employees sprayed disinfectant or wiped the crate and waited for customers who did not arrive. The store manager said: “Before the crown crisis, the Chinese wiped out dozens of packs of masks, but now sales are not even halved.” Cosmetic stores like Tony Moly and Innisfree have closed.
The Honey Butter Almond flagship store, considered a tourist attraction for the Chinese due to its bee character and yellow shop, is also closed. In front of the shop, crowded with tourists, the phrase “request for information” was posted. The first H&M store, a Swedish SPA (type of production and distribution) brand, was also recently closed. The shop that sold fake bags to tourists turned into a shop that sold KF94 masks. Aunt, 38, the owner of the shop said: “Since I can’t do business and I have to make money, I started selling KF94 masks instead of bags for 10,000 won.
On the morning of 28, the busy Myeongdong road. / Reporter Da-Young Hong
The circumstances were similar for private cafes. Yoon Mo (42), who runs an antique cafe, said: “After step 2 of social distancing was increased, sales fell to the level of 20 ~ 30%.” “It was full of people who came with lovers and friends over the Christmas period. There are only two people in the female place,” she said.
Exchange offices where Chinese and Japanese exchange money and exchange gift certificates were also crowded. Park Mo (45), who runs a money exchange office, said: “I was living on a tourist fee, but the people on the streets of Myeong-dong were dry because of the crown.”
On the morning of 28, the busy Myeongdong road. The Tony Moly cosmetics shop is temporarily closed. / Reporter Da-Young Hong
The same was true of the Gangnam-daero business district. Munmo (47), who has been a tteokbokki peddler near Gangnam Station for 17 years, said: “This is the first time there hasn’t been a deal like this.” Mr. Moon said, “In Gangnam Station, most of the bars are pubs, but due to social distancing, the street lights were turned off last night and no one walked by.”
On the morning of the 28th, the busy street of Gangnam station. / Reporter Da-Young Hong
On the other hand, the number of new cases confirmed by the crown19 in Korea was 504, over 500 on the third day of 28 at 0:00. With the increase in the number of new confirmed cases, the government has raised the social distancing phase in the metropolitan area to the second phase from 24. The Seoul Metropolitan Government has declared an “emergency stop” period, which is practically equivalent. in the third phase, it reduced public transport after 10pm and banned gatherings of 10 or more people.
