By Eryk Michael Smith. Images via Verse.
KAOHSIUNG — There is an easy mistake to make about the Central Park shopping district, perhaps better known to many older Kaohsiung residents as Yu-Chu (玉竹).
Walk through on the right night, and it is tempting to declare: “It’s back!”
On the right nights, you’ll find plenty of young people in and outside the bars. The music, K-pop dance events, DJs, streetwear and vintage clothing shops all give the area a taste of the energy that once made this part of town feel like a center of youth culture.
The old retail version of Yu-Chu, however, is gone. It was never the same place as Xin Juejiang (新堀江), though the two areas face each other across Wufu 2nd Road. Yu-Chu was the older pocket around Yuzhu 1st, 2nd, and 3rd streets, near Central Park and behind the former President Department Store Wufu branch.
For years, it was where youngsters bought assorted accessories needed for urbanites. Then spending changed. Shopping moved north, online, or into larger retail complexes. The pandemic delivered the final (and what until recently seemed fatal) push.
A 2021 report found only seven businesses operating among 60 storefronts and stalls on a 200-meter section of Yuzhu 2nd Street. The situation is different now in 2026, but can it be called a recovery?
There’s no question that there are signs of a new identity developing. One recent property report said rents had dropped by nearly 40%, making the area more accessible to businesses willing to take a chance. That figure, however, should be treated cautiously until it’s backed by broader rental data.
But the shift is visible: places such as OFFLINE on Yuzhu 2nd Street have drawn crowds with music, drinks and K-pop events. VERSE has described the street as one of Kaohsiung’s more active subculture spaces, with bars, tattoo studios, vintage shops and hip-hop-oriented businesses.
The city has not ignored the district. It began work in 2025 on paving, pedestrian space, lighting and street design, and launched the Yuzhu+ store program to help new businesses cover design and renovation costs. The current version of the program remains open, with larger projects eligible for substantial assistance. Details are available from the city.
Earlier this year, City Councilor Huang Wen-yi (黃文益) proposed a more interesting idea: allow businesses to use defined parts of the sidewalk for outdoor tables and chairs, with guidelines/regulations for pedestrian access, noise, and safety.
Economic Development Bureau Director-General Liao Tai-hsiang (廖泰翔) said the city would coordinate with other agencies and produce a management plan within a month. That promise was reported in April.
It may exist, but we were unable to find a public announcement showing what became of that promise.
Outdoor tables will not rescue a shopping district on their own. They also bring obvious problems: late-night noise, litter, drinking, and other legitimate concerns from residents.
Those arguments should be considered carefully, and clear rules for operators spelled out. They are not, however, insurmountable problems.
Yu-Chu has one advantage that many newer commercial districts do not: it already has a character. It is compact, close to an MRT station, beside Central Park, and still capable of attracting young people who want somewhere less polished and predictable than a department store.
The task is not to recreate the early 2000s, or to pretend the area can return to being a fashion-shopping paradise. It is to make the district worth visiting now.
The city should start by considering publishing the basics: How many vacant storefronts are there? How many businesses received Yuzhu+ support? How many are still operating? Has foot traffic actually increased? And what is the timetable for rules that would let responsible businesses create a more inviting street scene?
A few good bars are a beginning. A real revival, however, might also need to give people a reason to visit during daylight hours, too.
Sources: Kaohsiung City Government’s Yuzhu+ program, April City Council discussion, VERSE profile of Yuzhu Street.
