Baek Jong-won announced that Yesan Market will be closed for a while and re-construction will begin.
On the 21st, on the YouTube channel ‘Baek Jong-won PAIK JONG WON’, ‘[Baek Jong-won becomes mayor] Urgent! A video titled ‘Yesan market is suspended’ was posted.
Baek Jong-won aroused curiosity by saying, “I’m going to announce it a little sooner than planned,” and “I guess it was difficult.” He then said, “The entire market is not closing, but it is going to be closed.” Announcing the closure of Yesan Market, which was renovated as a regional win-win project.
Baek Jong-won expressed his gratitude, saying, "First of all, I would like to thank the team members. Thanks to your enthusiastic support, our market project is off to a good start." He continued, “Thanks to your enthusiastic help, the surrounding merchants and local residents are surprised, embarrassed, and happy.”
Merchants said that the customers at the market were having fun. However, problems arose because the market was overcrowded. There were hygiene issues due to extremely long wait times at each store. The line at one store was so large that it surrounded the entire market.
Baek Jong-won announced, “We plan to be closed from February 27th to March 31st.” He went on to explain, “After looking at the time frame, it looks like it will take a month. Within a month, we will have time to reorganize so that we can feel the desire to come again.”
People who visited the market left reviews saying that there was not enough space to sit and that they needed a number or staff to give directions. He also said there were concerns about hygiene issues due to dust being generated.
Baek Jong-won revealed the reason for the reorganization, saying, "We are all sorry. When we first prepared for the market, not many people thought it would go well. There were people who did not want to participate. I thought we should divide it into stages."
Baek Jong-won set out to solve the problem with the project team members. They said they would increase the number of stores to reduce waiting times and develop child-friendly menus for customers with children. Regarding the point that dust is generated, a team member explained, "The dirt (on the floor) is called dust." Baek Jong-won said, "I like this kind of atmosphere. Don't you think it would be okay to spill something like this?" Accordingly, it was decided to maintain the existing concept and flatten the uneven ground. Additionally, speakers were installed to increase customer convenience. Baek Jong-won said, "Construction while there are customers is inconvenient. It would be better to stop operating now and fix it in an additional solution."
Baek Jong-won also mentioned the ‘flashing popularity’ that many people are worried about. He confessed, "I'm always grateful for the opinions. 'It's a temporary phenomenon and will flash for a while,' but that's not a bad comment, it's a message of support, so I read it gratefully and took it to heart, and I'm more worried than anyone else. I can't sleep, either." He went on to express his gratitude to those who gave their opinions, saying, “In fact, it is because of this support that the preparations are speeding up, so local people, merchants, and local governments can gather energy and make explosive preparations.”
Baek Jong-won expressed his opinion at the market site, saying, "We need to select someone from the merchant association. We need to manage the parking lot and manage when people go to other stores." To an official in Yesan County, he said, "We need to bring together the owners of the rest of the surrounding restaurants and have a meeting to consider lowering the price on a large scale," and emphasized, "Overall, the restaurants in Yesan County must be competitive in price, hygiene, and customer service." He then said, “I’m grateful to the customers (who come) in this cold weather. I’m cold too.”
Baek Jong-won hinted at the renewal plan. He said, "After the period of time I mentioned, there is a curtain drawn to prevent the cold wind from coming in, but we will open it wide and feel the breeze blowing in. We will prepare so that you can enjoy food, things to see, and even things to buy." Also, "For your information, I would like to tell you that I have team members from various fields. Isn't it fun to wear traditional clothing, shoes, rubber shoes, such as work pants? Those who are interested in local products and have ideas. “Please contact us directly.” He continued, "We started it, but I think that finishing or development should be done by bringing together people with meaningful interests." He said, “If it’s early, let’s start with this project, and if it’s late, let’s start with the next project together.”
Baek Jong-won announced, "Let me tell you in advance, we will do the 4th construction again in the winter. The 3rd this time, and the 4th in mid-winter." He also said, "It is not only the area with this budget, but it will continue to spread to other regions, so 'I see more things to buy when I go to the region.' , “I hope there will be awareness like, ‘There are things you can buy at supermarkets in the city, but there are also things you can buy at traditional markets or local commercial districts in the region,’ and ‘There are such competitive and good foods in the region.’ It will happen again,” he emphasized. . He also pledged, "I will create a project that is helpful to the region and will not be a temporary phenomenon, but will last for a long time and last a lifetime. I will make it more fun." The reopening date is April 1.
Baek Jong-won carried out a project in his hometown, Yesan, to renovate an empty market store and transform it into a restaurant. According to Yesan County, as of January 9, about 100,000 people visited Yesan Market in the month since five restaurants opened under the 'Yesan Market Revival Project'.
Kim Ji-won, Ten Asia reporter bella@tenasia.co.kr