Hongik Children’s Park was long known simply as the “Hongdae Playground.” The Free Market that began there in 2002 allowed young creators to present handmade jewelry, household objects, illustrations, and small publications directly to visitors. Unlike a conventional flea market filled with mass-purchased goods, its significance lay in conversation between maker and buyer about process, materials, and price.
A park did not have to keep only one fixed function
On weekends, a children’s play area became a creative market, performance venue, and meeting place. The project was praised for turning an underused public space into a citizen-led cultural square. Yet popularity also generated noise, litter, and tensions over children’s and residents’ right to the park. Public-space renewal lasts only when one form of use does not permanently displace another.
“Free” meant open participation, not zero price
The Free Market did not distribute artwork at no cost. It was an alternative market where creators set prices, explained their work, and met an audience without a conventional retail intermediary. Do not bargain down a price simply because an object is handmade, and ask before touching or photographing work.
Do not confuse historical fame with a current timetable
Street events change or pause according to season, permits, and organizers. Do not rely on an old guidebook claiming that the market opens every week. Check current official notices. On days without an event, the park remains an everyday space for residents and children.