Many shops and restaurants in central Seoul get ready to close at around 6 o’ clock in the evening, but not here in Euljiro, south of the Cheonggye Stream in central Seoul. Walk deeper into the alleyways selling tools, hardware and electric gadgets, and you’ll find yourself among an impressive array of people sitting outside at bright red plastic chairs and tables adorning the streets. Those sitting at the tables range from young couples and friends to people dressed in suits who have obviously just left the office to senior citizens who have a good laugh over whatever topic comes to mind.

While it might appear that they are there for different reasons, those who visit this part of Euljiro at this time of evening are all there for the same thing - to enjoy a pint of cold beer with nogari, or butterflied and dried young pollock fillets, usually grilled over charcoal. The so-called Euljiro Nogari Street is one of the hottest neighborhoods in Korea these days not only among youngsters looking for a retro treat, but also business people whose workplaces are nearby and senior citizens who have been regulars in the neighborhood for decades.

The street is easily accessible by public transport, with the Euljiro 3-ga station for both line 2 and 3 only a block away. Prices are low, considering that the pubs are located in the center of the city. Usually a nogari fillet is sold for 1,000 won ($0.90), and beers go for 3,500 a pint.

Seoul, even with its scores of avid drinkers, didn’t always have an alley of pubs located in its center. Until the 1990s, printing factories and publishers filled Euljiro, and the street was once known as “Printers’ Alley.” Even though the first few pubs opened for business in the 1980s, most started popping up during the financial crisis in 1997, as office workers with little to spare left work searching for cheap but hearty food.

Ironically, the good days were over by the time the 2008 recession came around. Bad business resulted in bitter disputes that developed into turf wars between two factions of pubs that were separated by the two-lane road that runs through the street. The pubs eventually came to a truce two years ago, only to officially demand the Administrative Office of Jung District to authorize their expansion out to the streets. This was a bold move, as the sale of food outside of restaurants is prohibited under Korean law, even though many businesses offer the option until a formal complaint is made.

Fortunately, the local authorities were eager to listen to the demands of the dying alley. The Administrative Office officially allowed the businesses to expand outdoors in August 2016. This decision resulted in a threefold increase of pubs and eventually, nearly three thousand daily visitors. The success of Euljiro inspired others to follow suit, with similar streets popping up in Gwangju and Daegu.

In order to minimize complaints from the locals, both the pubs and the local authorities are trying to regulate the street. The Administrative Office allowed pubs to do business outdoors in only four alleys within the neighborhood. The pubs themselves set up an independent committee to regulate sales and business behavior, even providing guidelines for the pubs to follow. Under the guidelines, businesses must close at midnight, and the streets should be spotless for the other businesses that open in the morning. The foldable tables, chairs and parasols can be of any color, but must blend in with the surroundings. Most importantly, businesses should try their best to serve the local community, with the committee donating all proceeds from an annual beer discount festival to the impoverished in the neighborhood.

Already famous among Seoul residents, the pubs are also getting more international coverage. “A British broadcaster filmed us for seven hours with lights and all, even in this sweltering heat!” says Bang Ju-young, owner of Manseon Hof, a pub in Euljiro. The local authorities are even planning a major advertising campaign to promote the street as a major attraction in Seoul, with a plan to set up new signs and advertisement billboards. “We’re always packed. It’s still mostly the old folks, but we’re seeing more and more foreigners too.” says Bang. “One day, it will become the Oktoberfest of Seoul.”

Yet, the street is not without its problems. Despite a surge in customers and growing support from the local government, the pubs are plagued by a lack of staff. “I need ten more people in order to run things smoothly here,” says Bang. Prospective employees are mainly discouraged by the labor-intensive work, as well as the burden of dealing with drunk customers.

The pubs are also suffering from low profits. Because nogari is known as a cheap bar snack, the pubs are selling them at low prices, hoping it will be evened out by high consumption. Pubs began to pursue a low-price, high-volume business model that is making owners reluctant to raise prices, despite a steady increase in expenses for personnel and raw materials.

Like a number of other pubs, Bang even signed an annual contract with the pollock fishing boats to maintain a steady supply of nogari. They do offer other dishes on the menu to compensate for the deficit, including fried chicken with garlic sauce and the famous golbaengi-muchim (spicy moon snail salad with noodles), Euljiro’s original signature dish. High alcohol sales also allows the pubs to sustain themselves.

No one can guarantee that nogari will be available forever, with many concerned that a drop in supply caused by overfishing and a decrease in quality followed by such high levels of supply could hurt sales.

Nevertheless, Euljiro Nogari Street is a success story for Seoul’s urban renewal. “The city’s administration was quick to respond to the business’ needs, and subsequently reinvigorated a central district once suffering from urban decline. This tactic is applicable to any districts with a similar predicament,” says Jung Gwang-ho, a professor at the Graduate School for Public Administration at Seoul National University.