The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it has selected six locations, including the Gunkuk University Food Street, as the final sites for the "Moonlight Yajang" project, which brings the 9th elected administration's core strategy of "revitalizing the nighttime economy" to local alleyway commercial districts.

The city held the "Final Citizen Participation Evaluation for the 2026 Seoul Moonlight Yajang Creation Project" today (the 14th) at the Multi-Purpose Hall on the 8th floor of Seoul City Hall.

Following a preliminary document screening that narrowed the candidates down to 10 locations, the final evaluation selected six areas: Gunkuk University Food Street in Gwangjin-gu, Sadang Orak Moonlight Yajang Commercial District in Gwanak-gu, Changdong Station Shopping District in Dobong-gu, Sangbong Meokja Golmok in Jungnang-gu, Sero-sugil in Gangnam-gu, and Sadang 1-dong Meokja Golmok in Dongjak-gu.

Gunkuk University Food Street, centered around a college town and subway station area frequently visited by young people, is expected to enhance the commercial district's appeal by adding night market content that reflects the tastes of the younger generation to its active nighttime dining culture.

The Sadang Orak Moonlight Yajang Commercial District is located near Sadang Station, where Subway Lines 2 and 4 and wide-area buses converge, and offers a place to enjoy both food and local culture through content linked with Gwanaksan Mountain, the Chives Pork Belly Alley, and the Artists' Village.

Sadang 1-dong Meokja Golmok is expected to draw evening dining demand based on its diverse stores, including popular restaurants and pubs.

Changdong Station Shopping District received high evaluations for its potential to grow into a cultural nighttime commercial district combining K-pop performances and local food in connection with Seoul Arena.

Sangbong Meokja Golmok is a representative commercial district in Jungnang-gu where vitality continues into the evening hours due to a concentration of various restaurants and pubs, and was recognized for having a stable operational foundation based on cooperation between residents and merchants.

Sero-sugil, adjacent to Garosu-gil, is a commercial district where visitors can enjoy daytime shopping and evening gastronomy together.

Packed with restaurants featuring a youthful sensibility, it is frequently visited by young people and foreign tourists.

Previously, 19 commercial districts from 15 autonomous districts participated in the city's open call for candidate sites.

The six selected Moonlight Yajang locations will receive up to 2 billion won per commercial district until 2028.

The city will help improve safety facilities such as walkways, streetlights, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras, as well as restrooms and waste disposal facilities, while also supporting the renovation of aging signages and lighting improvements.

In addition, the city will support discovering nighttime content linking local food and nearby cultural and tourist resources with online and offline promotional activities.

It also plans to issue "Moonlight Sarang Gift Certificates," linked with Seoul Sarang Gift Certificates, to encourage visitors to actually spend money in those local areas.

However, the city plans to have merchants and residents sign a "coexistence agreement" to ensure that the vitality of the nighttime commercial districts does not lead to daily living inconveniences for nearby residents.

Furthermore, the city intends to establish an operational system that constantly manages noise, odors, and garbage, and promptly resolves any complaints that arise.

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hun stated, "This is a project that provides citizens with a rich nighttime culture to enjoy with family and acquaintances, and ensures that tourist spending extends beyond some downtown areas and hotspots into every corner of alleyway commercial districts." He added, "Just as blood circulates through Seoul's economy, we will expand Moonlight Yajang citywide so that money flows and citizens' nightlife and the alleyway economy can blossom together."

(Photo: Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government, Yonhap News)