A Study on the Development of Youth Forest Character for the Revitalization of Traditional Markets

Abstract

(Background and Purpose) Traditional markets are located in the center of the region and are a living history that retains the lives of ordinary people. However, modern traditional markets are on the verge of disappearing due to changes in consumption patterns, outdated facilities and the aging of shopkeepers. A Youth Mall is a project to foster young merchants run by Small Enterprise and Market Service, which can provide vitality to traditional markets in crisis and contribute to job creation for young people out of occupation. The purpose of this study is to identify the current status of a Youth Forest, one of the Youth Mall created three years ago in the Tong Bok market in Pyeongtaek, and explore ways to boost it. (Method) The study consists of five chapters in total. Chapter 2 identifies problems in traditional markets through a theoretical approach. Chapter 3 understands the concept of the Youth Mall in traditional markets and recognizes the importance of making characters of it. Chapter 4 analyzes the Youth Forest in the Tong Bok market and designs a character that can represent the identity of it and can variously be utilized in marketing promotion. Finally, chapter 5 concludes and summarizes the results of the study overall. (Results) The immediate challenge for the Youth Forest is to build a differentiated brand image and strengthen its expertise by promoting brand marketing. As a result, the study carried out a character design to contribute to revitalizing the local business district and creating jobs for young people through successful start-ups and increased sales of young merchants in the Youth Forest. The character was designed with a focus on enhancing the added value of products and using them in marketing to promote sales and transform into a young brand image. (Conclusions) The conclusions of the study are as follows: First, the Youth Mall is beneficial to both traditional markets and young retailers, considering that it has emerged as the biggest countermeasure of merchant aging, which brings new vitality to the traditional markets and helps young people to achieve their dreams through start-ups. Second, characters build the identity of the Youth Forest and give credibility to visitors by continuously promoting it to residents and outsiders with various promotions. Third, the Youth Forest can be competitive only when it operates in different ways than former traditional markets. Selecting an item that can be applied to the 4th industrial revolution, which can provide a hands-on experience beyond just sales to customers, can induce periodic visits.