Hello, this is 속초어때 (Sokcho Eottae). Today is Chuseok Day, the Hangawi harvest holiday. As of 6 a.m., it is 20 degrees in Sokcho (속초) with a few clouds, and today's chance of rain is 98%. Once the ancestral rite table has been cleared, this thought will soon come to mind: “When do we go buy food for the remaining two days?” This holiday, you should not decide when to go shopping by looking at the calendar alone. That is because Sunday, September 27, the last day of the holiday, falls on a mandatory closure day for large supermarkets in Sokcho.
Why are they closed on the 27th? Sokcho closes on the ‘second and fourth Sundays’
Mandatory closure days for large supermarkets are set by local governments through ordinances. Some areas, such as Seocho-gu in Seoul, Daegu and Busan, have moved their mandatory closure days to weekdays, but Sokcho keeps closures on the second and fourth Sundays of every month. On the September calendar, the second Sunday is the 13th and the fourth Sunday is the 27th. In fact, services that compile supermarket closure days also list the September closure days for 이마트 속초점 (E-Mart Sokcho) (12 Geumganggyo-ro) as the 13th and the 27th.
The Chuseok holiday runs four days, from Thursday the 24th to Sunday the 27th. Because the very last day of the holiday happens to be a closure day, those who planned to stop by a supermarket for food or bottled water before heading back to Seoul on Sunday afternoon will make a wasted trip. Major media outlets, while summarizing this year's Chuseok retail schedules, also stressed that “the 27th is a regular mandatory closure day under the Distribution Industry Development Act” and urged shoppers to check with each store individually.
- September 26 (Sat): effectively the last day of the holiday when you can do a full shop at a supermarket
- September 27 (Sun): mandatory closure day for Sokcho large supermarkets (fourth Sunday)
- 이마트 속초점 inquiries: 033-630-1234
So are they open today, on Chuseok Day?
Today it varies by store. Of E-Mart's 132 stores nationwide, 87 stores are operating on shortened hours from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and 45 stores, including the Yangjae and Cheonggyecheon branches in Seoul, are closed. At 롯데마트 (Lotte Mart), around 30 of its 112 stores are closed today, and the rest have cut their hours from the usual 10 a.m.–11 p.m. to 11 a.m.–10 p.m. At 코스트코 (Costco), Chuseok Day is a regular holiday, so all stores are closed.
Unfortunately, the retailers' announcements do not include a store-by-store list for the Gangwon region. Whether 이마트 속초점 is among the 87 stores open today cannot be confirmed from the announcements alone. So if you plan to go today, the surest way is to check the ‘store closure days’ menu in the E-Mart app or call the store before you set out. Even if it is open, you cannot get in before 11 a.m. — this applies nationwide — so there is no need to rush out early in the morning after the ancestral rites.
If you are a traveler, plan your route like this
If you are on a family trip and cooking at your accommodation, it is better to split your shopping into two trips during the holiday rather than doing it all at once. For example:
- Today (25th): it rains in the morning, so rest at your accommodation; in the afternoon, check whether the supermarket is open and do your first shop
- Tomorrow (26th, Sat): do your second shop on the way back from the City Museum's Hangawi folk experience event (10 a.m.–5 p.m.). Buy everything for Sunday breakfast and snacks for the car ride home on this day
- The day after tomorrow (27th, Sun): large supermarkets are closed, so buy only what you really need at convenience stores, small and mid-sized supermarkets, or markets
In particular, have items that are hard to find or pricey at convenience stores — such as bottled water, baby formula and diapers, and charcoal and meat for a barbecue at your accommodation — ready by Saturday. Surprisingly often, people think they can buy things at a highway rest stop on the way to Seoul on the last day of the holiday, only to run out of kids' snacks while stuck in traffic.
What about 속초관광수산시장 (Sokcho Gwangwang Susan Sijang)? It is open, but it varies by shop
속초관광수산시장 is open year-round, so it stays open throughout the holiday. However, during the holidays each shop takes different days off, so today, on Chuseok Day, more shutters may be down than usual. Most shops open around 8 a.m., so avoid going too early, and if you have a favorite shop, it is a good idea to call ahead. Inquiries about the market as a whole are handled by the merchants' association (033-635-8433).
Many people will likely head to the market instead of a large supermarket on Sunday the 27th. Parking lots around the market are busiest toward the end of the holiday, so if possible we recommend walking there or going early in the morning. By checking 속초어때's real-time crowd levels, you can get a sense in advance of when the market and the Dongmyeong Port (동명항) area will quiet down.
Sokcho weather and sea today, on Chuseok Day
According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, rain is falling on the central and northern East Sea (동해) coast and mountain areas of Gangwon from last night through this morning due to easterly winds, with total rainfall since the 24th expected to be 5–20 mm. The rain is expected to stop in the afternoon, with cloudy weather continuing, and more rain is forecast for the central inland region from late tonight. Today's high in Sokcho is 22 degrees and the low is 19 degrees, so it will be cool.
- Visiting ancestral graves: better to postpone until the afternoon when the rain stops. Wet grass and mountain paths are slippery, so wear shoes with thick soles instead of sneakers.
- The sea: the water temperature is still warm at 23.1 degrees, but waves are 1.2 m high. The beaches have closed for the season and there are no lifeguards, so do not climb onto breakwaters or tetrapods.
- The full moon: clouds will be thick tonight, making it hard to see. The moon will be at its fullest at 1:49 a.m. on the 27th.
Holiday shopping: just remember this
Traffic is still smooth. As of 6 a.m., Misiryeong-ro (toward Seoul), Donghae-daero (coast and downtown) and Seoraksan-ro (toward Seorak) are all estimated to be flowing freely. But things may change once the rain stops this afternoon. As families who have finished their ancestral rites all head out at once, roads are likely to start backing up first around places that are already busy, such as 테디베어팜 (Teddy Bear Farm), 학사평 콩꽃마을 순두부촌 (Haksapyeong Kongkkot Maeul Sundubu Village), Dongmyeong Port and Seorak Haemaji Park (설악해맞이공원). If you are going to a supermarket, it is best to go at a time that does not overlap with your sightseeing.
- Today (25th), large supermarkets vary by store, and even those that open run short hours of 11 a.m.–9 p.m. (E-Mart)
- Tomorrow (26th, Sat) is the last day of the holiday you can shop at a large supermarket
- The 27th (Sun) is Sokcho's mandatory closure day for large supermarkets, so use markets, convenience stores, and small and mid-sized supermarkets
- Before you go, always check whether the store is open via the app or by phone
Today we looked at the large supermarket closure schedule you should know about when shopping in Sokcho during the Chuseok holiday. Did you find it helpful? We hope you enjoy a relaxing Hangawi with your family once the rain stops this afternoon. We will be back next time with even more useful information.
