Seoul's cobbler profession faces challenges as skilled tradespeople continue to decrease

Not a single customer stopped by a shoe repair shop that stood near City Hall Station in Jung District, central Seoul, on Monday afternoon.

A cobbler surnamed Jo polishes a customer’s shoes in central Seoul on Sept. 1. [KANG JUNG-HYUN]

Not a single customer stopped by a shoe repair shop that stood near City Hall Station in Jung District, central Seoul, on Monday afternoon. The sidewalks were filled with nearby office workers heading for lunch, but they were just passing by.

Jo, a 75-year-old cobbler, has been repairing shoes in that exact spot for over 40 years.

"Back in the 1980s, I used to earn over 3 million won [$2,150] a month, but these days, I often don’t even make 10,000 won a day," he said. "In July and August, I only made about 450,000 won on average. After material costs and electricity bills, it’s not even close to minimum wage."

He keeps handwritten sales records on a calendar. In July, he earned nothing during eight weekdays.

"When I was younger, I thought this job would last forever," Jo said with a bitter laugh. "But I was wrong. At this age, I can’t start over, so I’m just holding on."

A cobbler surnamed Jo holds up a calendar showing his sales for July in central Seoul on Sept. 1. [KIM KYUNG-HEE]

Shoe repair stands are vanishing from Seoul’s streets. Data submitted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government to Rep. Suh Beom-soo of the People Power Party showed that there were 1,117 repair stands in 2016. That number dropped to 979 in 2019 and 882 in 2021.

As of July this year, only 725 remain, a 35.1 percent decrease over nine years. Eight more closed during the first half of 2025. The city plans to inspect facilities by district in September and October before moving forward with removals.

The decline reflects a broader trend. Data from Statistics Korea show that the number of skilled tradespeople nationwide, a category that includes cobblers, dropped from 2.3 million in the first half of 2017 to 2.28 million in the second half of 2024.

Experts attribute the decline to changing fashion habits. More people wear sneakers with formal wear and fast fashion — the business model of producing cheap, trend-driven clothing at high speed — has made it easier to buy cheap shoes and throw them away.

A 2023 survey by Lim Ho-sun, a professor of clothing and textiles at Sookmyung Women’s University, found that women at universities in Seoul owned three to four pairs of sneakers on average, but only one or two pairs of dress shoes. Comfort was the top priority for 35.3 percent of respondents when buying shoes.

The cobbler profession is also aging. Seoul city data show that the average age of shoe repair stand operators has risen from 62 in 2016 to 69 this year. Younger people are not entering the trade. Older cobblers frequently shorten operating hours or close shop entirely due to health or weather issues.

A cobbler surnamed Jo polishes a customer’s shoes in central Seoul on Sept. 1. [KANG JUNG-HYUN]

The result is poor accessibility. Many shops are hard to find, and even when they exist, they are not often open when needed.

"I wanted to get the heels of my shoes repaired, but the shop near my office is gone," said Kim, a 37-year-old office worker. "The one near my home is always closed after work. I kept going back for days and finally gave up."

Some consumers are turning to online repair services, where shoes are picked up, fixed and delivered back to the customer. Others buy self-repair kits to handle minor issues like worn heels or soles on their own.

"Younger generations prioritize convenience over formality and are more conscious about foot health," said Lee Eun-hee, a professor of consumer science at Inha University. "It’s a natural shift in lifestyle, but we should still think about how to preserve the craft of quality shoemaking and repair."

Jo doesn’t blame anyone for the decline.

"I do wish this skill was still respected like before," he said. "But if even one or two people come here and find it a space to rest or talk, that’s enough for me."

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom. BY KIM KYUNG-HEE [paik.jihwan@joongang.co.kr]