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| Food truck staff busily prepare and serve shrimp skewers at the Hangang Moonlight Market in 2022. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government |
By Ko Dong-hwan
A nighttime riverside street market, a seasonal bazaar held by the Seoul Metropolitan Government each year, is opening at Banpo Hangang Riverside Park on Sunday.
This year's Hangang Moonlight Market comes after its huge success last year, when it attracted over 520,000 visitors after being shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic over public health concerns.
This year, six market events will be held May 7 until June 11 ― every Sunday ― at Banpo Hangang Park. Over 40 food trucks and 50 vendors under pitched tents will be ready to cater to visitors, according to the market organizer from the Labor and Fairness Policy Bureau under the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Not to mention culinary delicacies and a range of nifty items ― such as accessories, home deco and pet care items ― will be available.
The city government is making an environmental initiative through the market as well. The food trucks will use biodegradable single-use plates. Patrons bringing their own multi-use containers can benefit from price discounts.
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| A photo zone from last year's Hangang Moonlight Market featured a glowing moon is set up next to food trucks. Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government |
"This year's market will allow the city's food truck operators and young creative product designers to meet a huge volume of customers," a Labor and Fairness Policy Bureau official said. "It will hopefully provide some boost to the sellers who were hit by the COVID-19 economic hit."
Acceptable payments at the market include special gift certificates and vouchers issued by the city government, not to mention cash and credit cards.
The authority said traffic around the site during the events is expected to be heavily congested and the city government officials, police force and safety control officers will be posted around the venue to assist in managing the flow of vehicles and people.
The city authority reminded the public to check the city government's latest announcements regarding the market at the event's official website as operations are subject to cancellation in the event of unsuitable weather conditions or emergencies.
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