A Traditional Market Offering Cultures
Suwon Motgol Market
"Great rice cakes! 2,000 won per pack and 5,000 won for three packs!”
“Anchovies of the South Sea! Great for making soups and fried dishes!”
Each store is packed with vegetables, fruits, fish, dried seafood, side dishes, dumplings, sundae and Korean pancakes. Motgol Market located in Paldal-gu, Suwon, is a unique marketplace with shoppers haggling for prices and sellers giving extra offers.
Shopping at the conventional market is a pleasant experience. Large supermarkets guaranteeing convenient shopping at late night are great, but conventional markets provide the true pleasure of shopping. It is a special experience to haggle for prices at the street packed with shoppers, have an eye to fresh-baked Korean pancakes with perfect smells and try an oil-coated chewy rice cake. Conventional markets are the only place allowing such experiences.
It is great to see conventional markets gaining momentum again after being hit hard by large supermarkets. Shoppers who had preferred clean and convenient shopping places are returning to conventional markets, being tired of heartless urban life. I visited Motgol Market on a sunny weekend. The narrow market street was packed with shoppers. Shoppers’ hands were full of shopping baskets and sellers were adding dynamic atmosphere by drawing customers with cheap and quality products.
Motgol Market is one of the nine small markets of Nammun Market located in Paldalmun, Suwon. The Market consists of 87 stores selling vegetables, fruits, fish, rice cakes and side dishes, creating the atmosphere of a typical town market. The Market was renovated in 1975, but it has been the market since King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty with the history of over 200 years. The Market has set a lot of records. It operated the bargain sale event in 2003 for the first time as a conventional market, and issued the coupon passing current across the Market. It also acquired the certificate of the Clean Market for the first time by rooting out the chronic problem of high-interest personal liability system of conventional markets. 2008 was a big year for the Market, as it was selected for the pilot project for traditional market cultures, “Munjeonseongsi Project,” operated by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism with Jumunjin Market in June of 2008. KRW 1 billion will be invested in the Market by October 2010 to transform the Market into the innovative conventional market combined with cultural experiences and change the paradigm of traditional markets. We can see innovative changes. The representative change is operation of Motgol On Air (Radio Star), the international radio program of the Market. The program is aired at 11:30 AM on every Monday and Thursday, and features stories of Suwon Motgol Market. The program is emceed by three merchants including Mr. Lee Chung-Whan, who sells anchovies, Mr. Kim Seung-Il, who owns a snack house and Mr. Kim Deok-Won. The special and interesting program features personal stories of merchants and plays songs upon requests of merchants. We cannot tune to Radio Star at home. It is the unprecedented exclusive radio program that can be tuned through the market network.
There is an arts organization whose members are merchants. Motgol Jumma Bulpyeong Choir was founded in April 2009. As seen in its name, the choir consists of 15 merchants and 3 local residents, and all the members are Ajumma (married women). The choir makes songs with lyrics written by merchants. The Motgol CM Song with the merchants’ complaints such as “Brokenhearted when you leave after touching my beautiful fruits” and “Why do you ask me a bargain? You have never done that at department stores” is gaining popularity. Motgol Market has transformed itself into the traditional market with cultures and stories by operating Wagle Wagle School, the cultural and arts educational program where merchants and customers learn together, and Siggeul Beokjeok Nanjang, the healthy direct trading system participated by producers, sellers and civil organizations. The renewed atmosphere of the market is recognized by customers. Merchants of the Motgok Market are especially kindhearted and generous. They never refuse to pose for a strange photographer. Merchants with smiles make customers happy. The Mokgol Market with plain and warmhearted people is the ideal place to experience the traditional market culture of Korea.
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Address: 388-3 Ji-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon
Contact: Motgol Market Office 031-246-5638
http://cafe.naver.com/mokgol Location: Accessible from Suwon Subway Station (Line No. 1). The distance from Suwon Subway Station to Paldalmun is 2.21km, and there is the gate of the market on the back of Paldalmun. It takes three minutes from Suwon Subway Station by car, and it costs the base rate by taxi.
Operating Hours: 08:00~20:00 (Operating hours may be changed)
Adjacent Tourist Destinations: Hwaseong Haenggung, Paldalmun Dongjong, Suwon Hyanggyo, Bongnyeongsa (Temple), Yongjusa (Temple), Paldalsam (Mt.) Seojangdae, Korean Folk Village
Restaurant Options: As Suwon is a large city, there are broad restaurant options. Barbeque houses like Suwon Galbi are densely located in Suwon, as there is a famous beef market in the city. Suwon is also famous with Gopchang dishes. Ipjujib (031-255-5384) serving Gopchang dishes and located near Paldalmun has a long history and the premium Gopchang dishes, gaining popularity among gourmets. There is the Fried Chicken Street right beside the restaurant. Famous chicken houses like Jinmi, Jangan and Yoseong are densely located, satisfying every taste of eaters.
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Last modified : 2009. 07. 23
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