Toss Opens "Bitter Sweet Market" to Spotlight the Challenges and Growth of Small Business Owners

• Toss Impact's first offline initiative features a three-day dessert market Seoul
• About 20 small-business dessert brands to take part; free admission, with visitors randomly receiving dessert coupons
• A curated exhibition of signature desserts and owner interviews conveys the "bittersweet" journey of entrepreneurship

Toss announced that it is opening the "Toss Bitter Sweet Market," an offline dessert market designed to spotlight the challenges and growth of small business owners. Held at Seongsu-dong, Seoul, the market will run for three days, from December 19 to December 21.

The market is the first offline initiative undertaken through Toss Impact, the framework through which Toss pursues social value across three pillars: experiences for everyone, safe technology, and a foundation for growth. With this event, Toss set out to listen to the stories of small business owners and the self-employed, and to support their journeys.

A total of 21 dessert brands are taking part, offering a wide range of treats from bungeoppang (fish-shaped pastries) and Dubai-style chocolate to traditional Korean rice cakes. Admission is free, and visitors—on a first-come, first-served basis—randomly receive dessert coupons worth KRW 3,000, KRW 5,000, or KRW 10,000 that can be used on-site.

The venue is organized to let visitors experience more than dessert. On the first floor, signature desserts are displayed alongside description cards, while the second floor features "Bitter Sweet Moments," an exhibition of photos and written interviews with the participating owners about their journeys.

"Just as the word 'bittersweet' suggests, the path of small business owners is sweet yet never light," a Toss representative said. "We prepared this event so that customers can taste not just dessert, but the genuine heart behind the challenge and creativity of these entrepreneurs."