"Vitality has been brought to a quiet, mid-sized city." This was the sentiment shared by Lee Jae-cheon, the owner of the bar 'Strange than Paradise' in the old downtown area of Gongju, Chungcheongnam-do, whom we met on the 16th. Having spent 15 years teaching brewing methods, Lee opened his establishment around Lunar New Year this year, specializing in 'mead'—a fermented honey wine. Believing that only "unrivaled skills hard to find even in the capital area" can draw out-of-town visitors back, Lee participated in 'Got-Got' to introduce the still-unfamiliar mead to a broader audience.

'Got-Got' is a regional commercial district support project by Kakao designed to spotlight local shops and translate interest into actual visits. It evolved from 'Project Dangol', a mutual growth initiative launched in 2022 that supported small business owners with digital education and the use of KakaoTalk channels. "Enhancing merchants' capabilities did not immediately lead to the revitalization of local commercial districts," explained Kim Eun-hwa, Kakao’s Local Impact Leader. "We started 'Got-Got' with the idea of creating a brand that customers could directly participate in." Following a pilot project in Mokpo, Gongju is the second region to host the initiative.

In collaboration with local governments, regional planners, and merchants, Kakao publishes a magazine capturing the stories of shops and their operators. It also curates walking trails, experiential programs, and markets connecting local stores and attractions. In Gongju, 'Got-Got Walking Tour', a tour of shops featured in the magazine, and 'Gongju Atelier Week', organized by local merchants and creators, are running around the Jemincheon area until the 25th. Lee's establishment was also featured in the magazine Got-Got Gongju, published this month.

'Gokmuljip', a business that has discovered and introduced native grains, needed an avenue to sell products to those unable to visit Gongju in person. Chun Jae-park, the brand director of Gokmuljip, felt limited by running a cafe alone when it came to hiring staff and expanding operations. "We wanted to expand our sales channels beyond Gongju and do a better job at what we do." This drove the launch of new products like 'misu' (multi-grain powder). On the 16th, the opening day of the event, Gokmuljip began selling its misu through an online special exhibition on 'Kakao Makers'. Participating in 'Got-Got' became a way to kickstart sales channel expansion, which had been delayed due to the busyness of running the shop. Reflecting on his experience with the magazine and the online exhibition, Director Chun welcomed the initiative, saying, "There are many points that can continuously connect rather than just ending as a one-off event."

The magazine features around 40 shops across various industries in Gongju. Kakao staff selected the stores after receiving recommendations from local entities and conducting on-site visits. Kakao employees also wrote the articles themselves. Kakao integrated its services so that readers of the magazine can find the shops and continue receiving updates even after the event concludes. Scanning the QR code in a shop profile leads directly to its KakaoTalk channel or Kakao Map. Visitors can receive coupons from the channel or check menus and reviews on the map. Shops can then send news and coupons to customers who have added their channel.

A local community stepped up to organize the shops into programs. Jemin Companies is an association of founders and creators that started in the Jemincheon village in 2022. Around 130 people, ranging from merchants running bookstores, cafes, and workshops to freelancers and artists, are gathered in an online group chat. From last November to September this year, they held the 'Sipsi-ilban Market' (a market of shared contributions) four times without any subsidies.

This time, they recruited shops to participate in 'Got-Got' and prepared 'Gongju Atelier Week'. The event consists of 'Open Atelier' (opening workspaces), 'Atelier Salon' (sharing creativity and tastes with shop owners), and the Sipsi-ilban Market. The framework, branding, and fixtures of 'Gongju Atelier' were prepared by Kakao, while local merchants and planners filled out the programs. The city of Gongju assisted with the administrative procedures required for installing facilities and using roads and streams.

Lee Byung-sung, head of Jemin Companies, explained that support from 'Got-Got' has increased the number of market sellers and created new channels for external promotion. The scope of exchange also broadened during the preparation process. Proposing participation in the 'Open Atelier' and 'Atelier Salon' and preparing together created a touchpoint for cooperation among merchants and creators who previously had few interactions. "I think the process of inviting [participants] to the Got-Got project and Atelier Week created an opportunity that led to new cooperative relationships."

Kakao published 2,260 copies of the magazine Got-Got Gongju this month, reflecting its intention to eventually cover all 226 basic local governments nationwide, distributing them for free at 22 independent bookstores in Seoul and Gongju. Kakao's name or logo was deliberately omitted from the cover and main text. Kakao explained that this was out of the desire for local shops to be seen before the corporation.

Kakao and local planners are also discussing ways to tailor the programs to local needs and tastes. Ideas include redrawing tour routes to include shops that couldn't participate this time, or expanding Atelier Week to welcome new merchants. "I hope that local governments, regional planners, and small business owners will join forces to become the main agents continuously promoting the local commercial district," Leader Kim Eun-hwa stated. "We hope the region will take the platform Kakao created with 'Got-Got' and adapt and develop it in its own way."

Gongju's 'Got-Got Walking Tour' runs for ten days until the 25th around Jemincheon and Gamyeong-gil. A 3.5-kilometer 'Got-Got Walking Trail' connecting shops and attractions can be found on Kakao Map. A local docent tour (Oct 24-25) featuring guides leading visitors around the shops is also underway. 'Walking Bingo', where visitors scan QR codes at 12 locations around Jemincheon to collect 'Talk Digital Cards', will run through November 30, offering prizes based on the cards collected. Operating dates and participation methods for Atelier Week and other concurrent programs can be found on the official Got-Got website.

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