Discover the Soul of Seoul: “Oraegage Week 2025” brings the city’s timeless shops to life

(Illustration by Seoul Metropolitan Government/Illustration courtesy of Haps Magazine Korea)

Seoul City will host “Oraegage Week 2025” from November 7 to 21, featuring a two-week celebration centered on the newly designated Oraegage in the city’s northwestern districts Mapo, Eunpyeong, and Seodaemun.

The event invites both citizens and visitors to experience everyday Seoul through its historic shops, crafts, and culinary traditions.

The term Oraegage refers to “shops that have been around for a long time and that we hope will continue to be.”

Since 2017, the city has selected and promoted small businesses in traditional crafts, lifestyle culture, and food as part of its tourism branding efforts.

With the addition of 15 new shops in 2025, Seoul now has 140 designated Oreagage locations.

This year’s theme, “The Deepest Way to Experience Seoul,” focuses on exploring the city’s neighborhoods as living museums. Through a mix of online and on-site programs, participants can rediscover familiar streets from a fresh, cultural perspective.

Starting November 7, all programs will be available for reservation via KakaoTalk Booking, in collaboration with Kakao and Lotte Chilsung Beverage. The campaign includes a KakaoMap Theme Map showcasing newly selected Oreagage shops. Users who save locations can enter a draw to win 10,000-won KakaoPay vouchers and a limited-edition “Chilsung Cider Retro” coupon event, offered daily to the first 50 visitors per store through KakaoTalk Booking.

During the event, visitors can stop by the Welcome Center Yeonhui (26 Yeonhui-ro 11-gil, Seodaemun-gu) to experience pop-up exhibitions and workshops celebrating the city’s historic shops.

Open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, the pop-up will feature interactive displays, small craft markets, and social media challenges where participants can win commemorative Oreagage T-shirts and other prizes.

Additional programs include Oraegage Tours on November 8 and 15, guided walking tours through Mapo, Eunpyeong, and Seodaemun featuring local stories and shop visits, and a Regulars’ Pride Contest on November 14 at Taejo Daerim Gamjatguk.

Details and registration are available via KakaoTalk Booking and the official Instagram account @seoul_oraegage.

USAG Yongsan