Traditional markets keep community spirit alive

Posted on : 2006-09-26 14:14 KST Modified on : 2006-09-26 14:14 KST
Many shun large discount stores in favor of ’neighborhood’ feel
 who have been married for 19 years
who have been married for 19 years

On the afternoon of September 23, 46-year-old housewife Kim Geun-sun went to buy supplies to prepare a meal for her friends. While there are two large discount stores near Kim’s house, she opted to walk for 20 minutes to Yongmun Market, a traditional marketplace.

At the marketplace, Kim bought a bunch of red peppers (2,000 won) and a green squash (1,000 won). In addition, she purchased one kilogram of sweet potatoes for 3,000 won. A store owner smiled and said, "Those are tasty when roasted." At another stand, Kim purchased a small amount of leeks for 1,000 won from a 79-year-old seller. Such a small amount is not available for purchase in large discount stores. For her husband and son, Kim also bought four squids for 4,000 won.

Kim is a "new regular" here. She began shopping at this traditional marketplace less than a year prior. After marriage, she had operated a mom-and-pop store, but she was forced to shut down last year as sales fell, hit by large discount franchises opening up in the neighborhood.

"After that point, I started going to the discount stores," Kim said. "Whenever I shopped there, I drove my car there and ended up spending more than 100,000 won each time. However, it is just wasteful, so I don’t want to do it any more."

For the meal with her friends, Kim bought three kilograms of pork for 42,200 won at her regular butcher shop. Thirty-seven-year-old Park Seon-ok, who operates the shop with her husband, said that by giving three packs of leeks as a bonus to customers, her income was reduced by a third. But she needed to do so after discount stores began their operations. However, she said her shop still has its regular customers, who insist on buying their grilled meat from her store.

An older woman shopping at the traditional marketplace said she had been coming there for 20 years. She described it as a place where people can share news from their life with one another. For the small but priceless joy of communication, the grandmother said she is always eager to visit the traditional market, which takes 30 minutes by bus from her home.

In the United States, there is also a growing sense that discount stores are destroying the personality of neighborhoods. A movement against Walmart in the U.S. has been waged for the past 14 years, with about 300 towns banning Walmart from opening stores in their vicinity. The movement’s leader, Al Norman, accuses Walmart of destroying the unique features of a town, hurting the local economy, and preventing labor from unionizing. While a similar movement is taking shape in South Korea, such as the "Anti-E-Mart Movement," it is still nacent and no visible results have been accomplished thus far.

On her day at market, Kim spent a total of 68,900 won. Excluding the pork purchase, Kim spends similar amounts on her visit to the market each week. "Though it’s somewhat inconvenient, I feel that this is a true ’neighborhood,’ " said Kim. "And, it helps to improve my health because I walk here." Kim plans to come to the Yongmoon Market next to buy supplies for her family’s Chuseok holiday celebration.

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