From junk electronic parts and second-hand smartphones to high-tech household appliances and audio systems, the electronics town of Yongsan is a place where techies can find virtually anything and everything related to electronics -- or, at least it used to be.



Bae Jong-soo, the owner of a small appliances shop, has fond memories of the electronics town despite its crumbling buildings, but things have changed since he opened his business 32 years ago.



“We had pride,” he said on a recent afternoon. “We weren’t just selling electronics goods. We made the town what it is today after the 1988 Seoul Olympics. But everything here is in bad shape now.”





Bae Jong-soo, who runs home appliances shop Yongsan 365 in the electronics town of Yongsan, looks out of the window during an interview with The Korea Herald. Bak Se-hwan/The Korea Herald



He was referring to Yongsan Electronics Market, home to some of the largest electronics retailers and local computer manufacturers that began sprouting in the 1980s. Rivaling Japan’s biggest digital shopping district Akihabara in Tokyo, the sprawling market behind Yongsan Station thrived for decades, with consumers flocking to the district looking for bargains.



Fast-changing landscape



In the heart of Seoul, the district’s faded facades are in sharp contrast to the rapidly growing digital market of the country, home to Samsung and LG Electronics, two of the most recognizable digital and electronics goods manufacturers in the world.



At stake is Yongsan Electronics Market’s appeal to gadget lovers and tourists. For one thing, prices offered at the market are not as competitive as they once were, due in part to the rise of the online retail industry.



In the 1990s, the electronics district saw annual sales of over 10 trillion won ($9.4 billion). Now sales hover around 5 trillion won, despite inflation.



Fewer visitors come to see the once glitzy displays of “all sorts of things that are electronic” at over 4,000 shops housed in about 20 buildings in the district, according to Bae.



“The number of visitors has halved, so we downsized our shop to save on rent. Because we keep it small here and focus on the online market instead, tourists find the place less attractive to visit and to make purchases,” Bae added.



The emergence of giant online electronic brands has also radically reshaped the retail industry as shopping habits shift. Most of the offline store owners also sell their products online, while reducing the number of employees working at their stores.



“I wouldn’t come here myself if I were a tourist,” Bae added. “Shopping around here is not fun anymore.”





Yongsan Electronics Market. Photo: Seoul Metropolitan Government