As the Chuseok holiday approached, the Donuui-dong Support Center in Seoul’s Jongno-gu buzzed with activity, offering essential aid and a sense of community to residents of the nearby ‘jjokbangchon’ (one-room dwelling) neighborhood. On September 22nd, the center’s ‘Ongi Changgo’ (warmth storage) on the first floor saw a steady stream of visitors collecting ‘Chuseok Hope Sharing Kits’ filled with holiday staples like hwangdo (dried persimmons), jeonbokjuk (abalone porridge), and galbijjim (braised short ribs).
Staff members greeted residents warmly, exchanging pleasantries and offering assistance. One social worker, Kim Dae-won, 40, was seen scanning resident ID cards and handing over the prepared kits. The atmosphere was friendly, with some residents joking with the staff, who have become familiar faces. One resident even offered the social worker a word of thanks with a bottle of water, a gesture that highlighted the mutual respect and appreciation between the center and the community it serves.
Donuui-dong Support Center: A Pillar of Support
Established in 2000, the Donuui-dong Support Center has become a crucial resource for the jjokbangchon residents. It provides a wide array of services, ranging from assistance with basic living expenses and essential supplies to free health check-ups, medical services, credit counseling, and employment support. The center relocated to its current premises, the ‘Saetteuljip’ community facility, in 2019. This facility, spanning from the basement to the fifth floor, serves as a vital hub for the neighborhood’s approximately 500 registered jjokbang residents.
The jjokbang village itself is a dense cluster of 81 buildings spread across roughly 3,300 square meters, making it the second-largest jjokbang neighborhood in Seoul after the one near Seoul Station. The ‘Ongi Changgo’ on the first floor of the support center is a self-selection space where residents can choose items they need. Typically, 20,000 points are distributed weekly, allowing residents to select food and daily necessities within their allocated point range.
Due to the Chuseok holiday, the center adjusted its operating hours for the week, opening on Monday and Tuesday instead of the usual Wednesday and Thursday. The previous day, 304 people visited, and by 3 PM on the day of reporting, 88 more had come through. Shelves were stocked with convenient food items like nurungji (scorched rice) and pumpkin porridge, alongside daily necessities such as tissues. Tissues and milk were particularly popular items.
“Given the circumstances, food is the priority, so people tend to take a lot of food items,” explained a social worker. “Some use their entire 20,000 points at once, while others spread it out over time.”
Beyond Basic Needs: Comprehensive Care for Residents
Ascending the stairs from the ‘Ongi Changgo’ reveals a different facet of the center’s operations. On the second floor, Oh Man-gi, 68, a jjokbang resident and a self-support worker, was busy washing and drying laundry for other residents. He has been working at the center for two months after moving to the area five years ago and finding employment through their services. “I come here every weekday. I enjoy the work,” he shared.
The fifth floor houses the ‘Uri Dongne Gugwanri Center’ (Our Neighborhood Management Center), where volunteer medical professionals provide dental care, including check-ups and even implant treatments, by appointment. The walls are adorned with thank-you notes from residents, expressing their gratitude for the services received, with messages like “Thank you for your volunteer work and love.”
In preparation for Chuseok, the center was also organizing community events for its residents. On the fourth floor, in the event hall, self-support workers were seen cleaning the floors ahead of a planned event for the following day. The center’s staff noted that many residents remain in the neighborhood during holidays like Chuseok, as a significant number lack family or close contacts to spend the time with.
Choi Seon-gwan, the director of the Donuui-dong Support Center, described the relationship with the jjokbang village residents as a ‘family-like bond.’ He highlighted that some residents who had moved out of the jjokbang area still return to the center for support, underscoring its enduring importance in their lives.
‘Donghaeng Sikdang’: Affordable Meals and Community Connection
A short walk from the support center leads to several ‘Donghaeng Sikdang’ (co-dining restaurants) marked by their distinctive signage. These restaurants offer jjokbang residents a subsidized meal option, allowing them to eat one meal a day for up to 9,000 won using a dedicated card. Previously, paper meal tickets were used, but the system was changed to a card-based payment to ensure privacy and prevent differentiation from other customers.
If a meal costs more than 9,000 won, residents only pay the difference. Currently, 51 such ‘Donghaeng Sikdang’ establishments are registered in Seoul. At one of these restaurants visited on the day of reporting, four residents were enjoying jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork). When another resident entered, the owner, Jeon Hak-gyu, 54, greeted him like a familiar friend.
Mr. Jeon, who has been operating his business in Donuui-dong for over 20 years, refers to the residents as ‘Hyungnim’ (an honorific term, roughly translating to ‘older brother’). Approximately 40 to 50 residents dine at his restaurant daily, with jeyuk bokkeum and kimchi jjigae (kimchi stew) being the most popular dishes.
“It’s good for the business when residents come here, so I’m happy,” Mr. Jeon said, having operated his ‘Donghaeng Sikdang’ for four years. “I always feel refreshed when they visit.” The ‘Donghaeng Sikdang’ initiative, along with the comprehensive services offered by the support center, demonstrates a deep commitment to the well-being and integration of Seoul’s most vulnerable residents.
