Ulsan bridge restaurants, built with $2 million, see less than $100 daily sales

Ulsan City's ambitious "World Food Culture Hall," a project costing 2 billion won to build six international restaurants on the Ulsan Bridge, is facing a dismal reality of empty tables and dwindling sales just three months after opening.

The unique dining space, promoted as a "first-of-its-kind gourmet destination on a bridge," has failed to attract consistent crowds. On a recent Saturday evening, a time when nearby night markets were bustling, the restaurants on the bridge remained largely deserted. Most visitors were enjoying the bridge as a walkway, passing by the eateries without stopping.

Data from the Ulsan Facilities Management Corporation, which directly operates the Uzbek restaurant, reveals a stark decline. Out of 72 operating days since March 17, only 23 days saw daily sales exceeding 100,000 won. Average weekend sales on June 6 were as low as 17,000 won, with some weekdays seeing no sales at all. Restaurants operated by private entities are reporting a similar trend, with average order volumes dropping by approximately 70% in the first week of June compared to the third week of March.

The project, initially conceived to allow foreign residents to share their native cuisines and foster cultural understanding, faced early hurdles in finding operators. Plans to have foreign nationals directly manage the restaurants shifted to hiring staff, and even then, securing participants proved difficult. Some restaurants are run by existing food business operators, and not all have staff from the advertised nationalities. Additional inconveniences, such as the lack of dedicated restrooms requiring patrons to use a public facility below the bridge, and the impact of weather, are also cited as challenges.

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We are discussing with each restaurant to allow flexible operations. We are also considering measures to boost utilization, such as additional weekend street performances in the fall.