[Gongju = E-Daily Reporter Kim Hyun-ah ] In the alleys along Jeminchon Stream in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, visitors can hear the long-standing concerns of a bookstore owner, taste liquor brewed with honey, and enjoy desserts made with Gongju chestnuts. Rather than relying on celebrities or large-scale events, the initiative encourages people to stroll through Gongju’s alleys to discover the stories of local shops. This is the Gongju edition of “Ggotgot,” an experiential project launched by Kakao on the 16th in collaboration with local small business owners and creators.

Since 2022, Kakao has been running “Project Regular,” which supports the digital transformation of traditional markets and shopping districts. Kakao launched “Ggotggot” to find ways to increase actual foot traffic beyond online promotion and digital tool support. Following Mokpo last July, Gongju is the second location for the project. Kakao published a limited-edition magazine introducing local shops and spaces, linking it to alley tours and experiential programs.

The shops featured in the Gongju edition each have their own unique stories. They include “Stranger Than Heaven,” a bar that brews liquor with honey; “Shemarong,” which transforms Gongju chestnuts into desserts; “Gogmuljip,” which reinterprets native grains; and “Old Questions,” an independent bookstore centered on life’s big questions.

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A Bar Opened at Age 60… Named After a Movie

Lee Jae-cheon, owner of “Stranger Than Heaven,” opened a bar in Gongju’s historic downtown at the age of 60. The name of the bar was chosen by his brother-in-law, a movie enthusiast. A longtime film lover who had been a regular reader of the movie magazine “Cine21” since 1994, his brother-in-law recommended Jim Jarmusch’s film *Stranger Than Paradise* when Lee announced his plans to open the bar. Lee’s husband and brother-in-law also helped with the interior design.

CEO Lee, who has been teaching homebrewing for 15 years, brews mead—an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey—herself. She uses ingredients such as plums, dried plums, cherries, and blackcurrants, and ages the mead for several months to refine its flavor and aroma. She proudly shared that after being featured in the media through the “Ggotggot” project, she even received wine glasses as gifts from visitors.

The alley where the shop is located borders a neighborhood that retains traces of the poet Na Tae-ju, and the Pulkkot Literature Museum is nearby. Regarding the collaboration with Kakao, Lee said, “It has brought vitality to a once-quiet city, and I like the way the project was planned.”

Mont Blanc made with Gongju chestnuts… Local grains also featured as products

“Shemalong,” a café that showcases Gongju’s specialty chestnuts as desserts, was also featured in the magazine. Chef Geum Da-hye graduated from school in Gongju, studied pastry arts in France, and returned to her hometown to open the shop. She introduced the Mont Blanc to let customers experience the flavor of Gongju chestnuts through this signature dessert.

Chef Geum sources Gongju chestnuts from groups such as the “Al-Bam Honey Chestnut” project at the Gongju Regional Self-Sufficiency Center. The color and flavor of the cream vary depending on the harvest season and ripeness of the chestnuts. “When people think of Mont Blanc, they usually think of Japan,” she said. “But now I want to promote Gongju as a new source of Mont Blanc and the origin of its flavor.”

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“Gokmuljip,” a multi-cultural space created by CEO Kim Hyun-jung, discovers native grains and introduces them as food and beverages. It offers beverages and misu powder made from native grains such as Seonbi-jabi beans and has developed these into commercial products. The misu powder, which can be enjoyed simply by adding water, was also featured in a Kakao Makers exhibition. This initiative aims to allow visitors to experience grains in a physical space while simultaneously expanding online sales channels.

CEO Kim has also opened a shop serving gelato made from “Dwaejichal” glutinous rice and “Baeknyeon Geomjeong” black beans. The goal is to reinterpret local agricultural products into beverages and desserts, thereby creating new regional products.

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an Old House into a Bookstore… Continuing the Story of the Alley

The independent bookstore “The Old Question” opened after renovating

a house

built in 1963. CEO Ji Myeong-hun, a former reporter for the Dong-A Ilbo, initially planned to tear down the old building and construct a new hanok. However, after hearing an architect say, “Time is the best building material in the world,” he changed his plans.

Ji created a space that flows like an alleyway, bringing to life the time the building has preserved. His experience studying philosophy toward the end of his corporate career—which sparked his interest in life’s fundamental questions—also led him to run this bookstore. “I wanted to create a space where people could read books, drink tea, and bring out their own long-standing questions,” he explained. This philosophy is also reflected in the bookstore’s name.

Will customers keep coming even after the event

? Kakao didn’t stop at introducing the stories of local shops in a magazine; it also connected them to hands-on experiences. Participants in the “Ggotggot Stroll” could receive Onnuri gift certificates by scanning QR codes at 12 designated locations in the Jeemincheon alleyway and collecting digital cards.

“Gongju Atelier Week” and the “Sipsi-Ilban Market,” both of which involved local small business owners in their planning and operation, were also held. These events went beyond simply browsing shops to provide opportunities to meet local creators and residents and participate in various hands-on experiences. Some programs were featured on local mom communities and sold out within 30 seconds of reservations opening.

Kakao plans to provide the event’s furnishings, curated bookcases, fence designs, and brand intellectual property (IP) for use by local merchants and the local government. It also aims to expand online sales channels through platforms such as the KakaoTalk Channel and KakaoMakers. The goal is to leave behind assets that can be utilized in the region even after the event ends and to broaden sales opportunities for local shops.

“Ggotggot” is a local mutual growth experiment designed to uncover the charm of lesser-known regions and share the stories of local shops and creators with a wider audience. Its success cannot be judged solely by the number of visitors during the event. Only if customers return and sales increase after the event can it evolve beyond a one-time event and establish itself as a sustainable model for local mutual growth.

Yang Hyun-seo, Performance Leader for Kakao’s Mutual Prosperity Business, expressed her commitment, stating, “Following Mokpo and Gongju, we plan to carry out the ‘Ggotggot’ project in two or three additional locations next year,” and added, “We aim to bring new possibilities to the regions and provide people with experiences they will remember for a long time.”

If you’d like to take a stroll through Gongju’s alleys this year-end, try searching for “Ggotgot Walking Trail Gongju” on Kakao Maps. Turn on the themed map and walk along the alleys—hidden culinary gems and unique shops will appear on the map, opening up a journey to discover Gongju’s unique charm.