Hello, this is 속초어때 (Sokcho Eottae). At 10 AM on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, one day before the Chuseok holiday, Sokcho (속초) started the morning at 23°C under clear skies. However, today's chance of rain is forecast at 82%, so don't trust the clear sky and leave your umbrella at home. All three access roads, Misiryeong-ro (미시령로), Donghae-daero (동해대로) and Seoraksan-ro (설악산로), have slow traffic, and the Daepo Port (대포항) observatory is already 'crowded'. It means more cars are coming into Sokcho ahead of the holiday.
Today, rather than weather or traffic, I'd like to talk about your wallet. Since Monday of this week, September 21, one more discount has been available in Sokcho, but fewer people know about it than you might think. The 15% discount on Sokcho Sarang gift certificates (속초사랑상품권), which is already in effect, now overlaps with 5% automatic rewards at Good Price Businesses (착한가격업소). And the budget for these rewards is limited.
The Two Discounts Now Overlapping
Let's go through them one at a time.
- Sokcho Sarang gift certificate special discount sale: It started at 9 AM on September 1. The discount rate rose from the usual 10% to 15%, and the monthly purchase limit per person went up from 500,000 KRW to 700,000 KRW. The total size is 6,000,000,000 KRW, and if you use the full limit, you can save up to 105,000 KRW. Purchases are made in the '지역상품권 Chak' (Jiyeok Sangpumgwon Chak) app, and the certificates can be used at 4,505 affiliated stores in Sokcho.
- 5% automatic rewards at Good Price Businesses: In effect since September 21. When you pay with the Sokcho Sarang Card (속초사랑카드) at a Good Price Business designated by Sokcho City, 5% of the payment amount is credited automatically, with no separate application needed. As of August this year, there are 58 eligible businesses, and the funding is 18,000,000 KRW in national funds. The rewards end on the day the budget runs out.
Using the two together changes the math. If you buy gift certificates at 15% off and then pay at a Good Price Business, another 5% comes back, so the effective discount is close to 20%. For example, for a 20,000 KRW meal, you bought the certificates for 17,000 KRW, and after you pay, 1,000 KRW is credited back.
How Far Will 18,000,000 KRW Go?
Dividing 18,000,000 KRW in national funds by 5% gives about 360,000,000 KRW worth of payments. It sounds like a lot, but split among 58 businesses, it averages about 6,200,000 KRW in payments per business. Most Good Price Businesses are small restaurants, barbershops and laundries, so at their size it probably won't run out right away, but during busy periods like the Chuseok holiday, it could go faster.
So you should think of the rewards as first come, first served. If you plan to eat out in Sokcho during the holiday, it pays to look for a Good Price Business first.
Can Tourists Buy Them? Yes, They Can
Many people think 'local currency is only for residents,' but you can buy Sokcho Sarang gift certificates even if you don't live in Sokcho. Anyone aged 14 or older can buy them in the Chak app after identity verification. In fact, a past survey found that about 40% of Sokcho Sarang gift certificate users were people living outside Sokcho, such as tourists.
For travelers, the practical order is as follows.
- Before you leave or right after you arrive, install the Chak app and load only as much Sokcho Sarang gift certificate balance as you need. Just because the limit is 700,000 KRW doesn't mean you have to use all of it. Load only what you'll spend on meals and market shopping during a 2-night, 3-day trip.
- When paying at accommodations, restaurants and markets, first check whether the place is an affiliated store. Many shops around 관광수산시장 (Gwangwang Susan Sijang) and 중앙시장 (Jungang Sijang) are affiliated stores.
- Try having one meal at a Good Price Business. You get an extra 5%, and these places are designated on the condition that they keep their prices below the local average.
However, be sure to check in the app how leftover balances and refunds are handled before you buy. An awkward leftover balance after your trip is the biggest waste.
Where Can I Find Good Price Businesses?
The list of 58 businesses is available on the Ministry of the Interior and Safety's Good Price Business website and on the information page of the Sokcho City tourism website. You can also see their locations on a map, so it helps to mark places near your accommodation or along your route in advance.
One thing to watch out for is whether they're open during the Chuseok holiday. Most Good Price Businesses are small family-run shops, so many close on the holiday itself and the days around it. The holiday runs from tomorrow, the 24th, to the 27th, so it's a good idea to call ahead to check whether they're open. It's easy to make a wasted trip at this time of year, so another option is to go early in the holiday period, like this evening or tomorrow morning.
Traditional Markets Are in a 'Revitalization Period' Through This Saturday
Sokcho City designated September 14 to 27 as a traditional market revitalization period. From the 21st through today, the 23rd, four city hall bureaus took turns shopping at traditional markets, and today is the last day. Mayor Lee Byeong-seon also visited 속초관광수산시장 (Sokcho Gwangwang Susan Sijang) on the 21st to do some shopping.
During this period, the city is actively promoting the use of Onnuri gift certificates (온누리상품권) and Sokcho Sarang gift certificates, and is also encouraging people to use the alley restaurants around the markets and Good Price Businesses. If you shop at the market and have lunch at a nearby Good Price Business, you can get both benefits in one trip.
One more market shopping tip: after 10 AM on the day before the holiday, like today, residents buying supplies for ancestral rites and tourists who arrived early are both at the market. With all access roads moving slowly, parking around the markets won't be easy either. Sokcho City is opening 4 parking lots at and around City Hall, with 263 spaces, during the holiday, so leaving your car in the city center and walking may actually be faster.
If You're a Resident, Here's How to Use Them
For people who live in Sokcho, the discount feels even bigger. If you use Sokcho Sarang gift certificates for holiday groceries, ancestral rite supplies and gifts, you get 15% off within the 700,000 KRW limit. On top of that, if the barbershop, hair salon or neighborhood restaurant you usually go to is a Good Price Business, you get an extra 5%.
- Big grocery runs: use gift certificates at traditional markets or affiliated marts
- Everyday services (haircuts, laundry, neighborhood eateries): mainly at Good Price Businesses
- Gifts for family who live far away: from 속초몰 (Sokcho Mall). 속초몰 is issuing 30% discount coupons valid on all products, usable on purchases of 10,000 KRW or more for up to 20,000 KRW, and 21 local businesses sell there.
The gift certificates have a monthly limit, so if you still have some of your September limit left, it's better to use it before the holiday. However, if the 6,000,000,000 KRW budget runs out first, the discount sale could end early, so checking availability directly in the app is the most reliable way.
Sokcho Today: What to Check Before Heading Out
- Weather: Currently 23°C and clear, with a high of 24°C and a low of 17°C. There's an 82% chance of rain, so bring an umbrella if you're going out in the afternoon. Morning and evening temperatures differ by as much as 7 degrees, so an extra layer would also help.
- Sea: Water temperature 22.9°C, wave height 0.8 m. The beaches have already closed for the season, so there are no lifeguards. Please stick to dipping your feet.
- Crowds: The Daepo Port observatory is crowded, while Cheongchoho Lake (청초호), Cheongchoho Lake Park (청초호호수공원), 워터피아 (Waterpia), Sinheungsa Temple (신흥사) and Daecheongbong Peak (대청봉) are moderate. Daepo Port is likely to get busier as the afternoon goes on.
- Traffic: Misiryeong-ro, Donghae-daero and Seoraksan-ro all have slow traffic. It's the day before the holiday, so it may get more congested in the afternoon. Try to finish your driving in the morning if you can.
속초어때 will keep bringing you the latest from Sokcho throughout the holiday. If the discount budget runs out or the conditions change, we'll update right away.
Today we looked at how to combine the 15% Sokcho Sarang gift certificate discount with the 5% Good Price Business rewards. Did you find it helpful? We'll be back next time with even more useful information.
