“Let’s meet in front of the Daegu Department Store.” For those who call Daegu their home, chances are high that they’ve heard this at least once. However, the department store, which stood in Dongseongro for 54 years, went out of business in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many stores in the area begin to walk down this unfortunate path of decline. “There are signs for rent, “임대”, everywhere. One of the buildings used to be a hotel — a gigantic building that used to have a restaurant on the top floor. It’s deserted. And not only that, a lot of the other roads that run perpendicular to it are also suffering. I see that all the time.” said Mr. Pierog, elementary and middle school technology teacher.
Nostalgia clouds those who saw Dongseongro at its prime. “When I first came here 9 and a half years ago, the place was absolutely bustling with activity. When I go there, … it would be either Friday, Saturday or Sunday, and the place would always be very busy: Restaurants, bars, shopping, everything,” Pierog said.
The comparison of downtown at its prime and now grows more conspicuous. Juncheol Kim, a visitor, said, “I actually noticed quite recently how so many shops started to close down. … Dongseongro burst with people several years ago, and now it’s dying out. There are buildings that have been here for over 10 years, but even those have started to close down.”
In fact, there are other regions in Daegu that have seen a rise in traction. Kim said, “If you see, other places have been rising in popularity, replacing Dongseongro. It really makes me realize how fast the trend is changing.”
For example, the area around Suseong Lake has grown in recent years – the annual festivals at the lake scale up attract thousands of visitors, even amidst the turbulence of the martial law declaration. The venue’s latest event, an exhibition and drone show, gathered 1,168 students around Suseong district and more from locals of all ages.
Although many blame the pandemic for the fall of Dongseongno, some spotted this downward trend earlier. Han, a realtor who helps his customers purchase appropriate real estate for their business, said, “The stores started to close down in 2019. The sales of the stores decreased because, first of all, the rent prices increased, and second, many online shopping websites gained popularity.”
Behind Seoul, the average rent prices for commercial buildings in Daegu are the highest in the country. Moreover, for the last few years, Daegu lost its human resources and its local customer base. “Young people in Daegu moved to Seoul for better education and better job opportunities, which decreased the population here and increased the labor costs. It slowly pressured the business owners, and then COVID happened, making the situation worse. Even now, things haven’t changed at all,” Han said.
Indeed, the Daegu population has fallen by 4.2% since 2015, which approximately equals 105,705 people, according to Daegu Statistical Information. Additionally, due to the Shincheonji Church COVID-19 incident, Daegu underwent a lockdown period to prevent the spread of the virus, which led to a steeper decline in visitors.
Despite the recent decline, Dongsongro holds a lot of memories for the citizens of Daegu, whether it be the store owners, the workers, or casual visitors. “We have people who dedicate their lives and savings, who knows. They’ve sunk everything they’ve had into some business only to have it evaporate, and it’s heartbreaking to see that, right?” Mr. Pierog said. Solutions to tackle the increase in rent prices and outflux of residents must occur to rejuvenate the area.
