There is an alley in Daegu that smells of leather, leather goods and leather polish.
The so-called “Hand-made Shoes Alley” in Hyangchon-dong, Jung-gu District, Daegu, produces a range of hand-made shoes, exquisitely crafted by master leatherwork artisans.
The alley is home to approximately 60 stores and factories. The street is lined with glossy, freshly polished shoes for both men and women in wide ranges of colors and styles.
The alley for hand-made shoes in Hyangchon-dong, central Daegu, offers a selection of high-quality yet affordable handcrafted shoes.
In the 1970s, one store after another began to open in the alley, and at the time more than 120 stores sprung up across the neighborhood. Currently, only 60 or so stores and factories have survived. Behind their survival are the artisans who have carried on the legacy and traditions of more than 40 years.
More than 60 stores and factories are concentrated in an alley in Hyangchon-dong, central Daegu, producing handcrafted shoes of high quality.
Among the masters is Baek Su-yong who runs the store “Jongno Jehwa.” Baek has dedicated 48 years of his life to handcrafting men’s and women’s shoes. He first started the business in Jongno-gu District, Seoul, but then moved to Daegu.
“There’s a single reason why customers keep seeking out my shoes,” he said. “I can make the shoes that they want in terms of design and I can create shoes that best fit their feet. Even the price is quite affordable. You come here and you will have your own pair of shoes.”
Baek Su-yong is one of the artisans who works in an alley for hand-made shoes in Daegu. He has been making shoes for the past 48 years.
Master of hand-made shoes Baek Su-yong crafts shoes in his small workshop in Hyangchon-dong, Daegu.
Regulars at this workshop come not only from Daegu, but also from Busan and from as far as Seoul and Incheon. They travel here, asking for their desired design and having their feet measured. They will then have a pair of perfectly-fitting shoes.
If one thinks that it would cost a lot, as such a pair of shoes takes time and labor, he or she might be all wrong. The footwear on offer here, even though being made with high-quality leather, ranges in price from only KRW 30,000 to 50,000, on average.
“The good quality and the affordable price: these are the reasons why people are always willing to travel from far away to just get a pair of shoes in which they feel the most comfortable,” said Baek.
By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
jiae5853@korea.kr
