Following President Yoon Suk Yeol's emergency martial law declaration situation, the Yeouido area in Seoul, where the National Assembly is located, has become the center of 'candlelight protests.' The candlelight protests demanding impeachment have been concentrated in Yeouido on weekends, reportedly leading to changes in the businesses of nearby restaurants and pubs. Originally, this area mainly did lunch and dinner business on weekdays, targeting workers from securities companies and other firms, but recently they are experiencing a 'special impeachment boom' with much better business during weekends.
Starting last weekend, more than 10,000 people have been gathering every day at the impeachment candlelight protests against President Yoon. According to unofficial police estimates, 10,000 people gathered on the 7th, 13,000 on the 8th, and 10,000 on the 9th, filling the road in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido and participating in the protests late into the night.
Cho Seung-hyeon (47), who has been operating a food stall on Yeouido's National Assembly Street for over 10 years, said, “I usually only do business on weekdays because I have many office worker customers and rest on weekends, but I decided to open on Saturday (the 7th) after hearing about the candlelight protests.” He added, “There were so many customers that all the prepared ingredients ran out in four to five hours.” He noted, “This is the first time in over 10 years that business has been this good.”
A man in his 40s, referred to as Mr. A, who has been running a chicken store in the same area for five years, said, “I closed the store early because we ran out of ingredients during both weekend days,” adding, “This is the first time it has happened during a winter weekend.”
However, many self-employed people in Yeouido are not pleased with such a 'special impeachment boom.' The weekday candlelight protests are held from around 6 p.m. until late at night, and most Yeouido self-employed people say, “The stores are empty during the times when the protests are held on weekdays.” It is said that office workers who originally visited Yeouido restaurants and pubs at this time go to stores in other areas due to the protests and noise.
Cho Baek-sang (38), who runs a pub near the People Power Party headquarters in Yeouido, said, “Since the candlelight protests started, regular customers have stopped visiting the store,” adding, “On weekdays, the drop in customers feels like social distancing measures during COVID-19 are back.” Mr. Kim (56), who runs a meat restaurant in Yeouido, said, “The protests on weekdays are indeed disruptive to business.” Another merchant running an izakaya in Yeouido noted, “When the candlelight protests occur at the peak time when most customers used to come on weekdays, there hasn’t been much benefit even after the protests finish.”
Meanwhile, the Gwanghwamun area, which enjoyed special patronage during the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye in 2017, has become quiet. This is because the candlelight protests have been concentrated in Yeouido.
Jeong Seok-jip (77), who has been operating a meat restaurant near Gwanghwamun Station for over 20 years, said, “The economy was already bad, and with the candlelight protests being held mainly in Yeouido, the year-end customers seem to have shifted over there.”