Last updated on August 16, 2024
Spring brings city wanderers out of their long winter hibernation. This past weekend people filled the alleys and lanes of popular pedestrian areas of Seoul to enjoy the nice weather and the street life.
One of the most popular areas in Seoul is the area running from Insa-dong through Bukchon and ending in Samcheong-dong. The area is the traditional center for art and culture in Seoul and has a large number interesting galleries, shops, and cafes. The area combines the old with the new: it has the highest concentration of traditional houses, but has some of the trendiest galleries and cafes. The old and the new often mix eclectically as some traditional houses have some contemporary interiors.
In the shadow of this area sits Seochon, one of the most interesting yet “undiscovered” areas of Seoul. Seochon, or West Village, refers to the area to the west side of Gyeongbokgung Palace that extends to the foot of Mt. Inwang in the west. The neighborhood begins at the intersection of Gwanghwamun and Gyeongbokgung Station and ends at Jahamun Tunnel to the north.
In many ways, Seochon is a rougher version of Bukchon. During the Joseon Kingdom, the district was home to middle-level court officials, whereas Bukchon was home of the most powerful families and institutions. The same pattern continued in the early 20th century, which explains why the lots and houses in Bukchon are bigger than Seochon.
Both areas have the largest concentration of traditional houses in Seoul, but Bukchon has more. The streets and alleys of Bukchon are more attractive and the infrastructure for tourists is more developed. Seochon is more cluttered with nondescript three- and four-story concrete and tile buildings and lively open markets.
Efforts to preserve Bukchon began in the 1980s, but were interrupted briefly in the early 1990s, before beginning again in the late 1990s. Much damage was done during the years when building restrictions were relaxed, but the traditional atmosphere remains largely intact. The city of Seoul offered homeowners financial incentives to remodel and rebuild their houses in a traditional Korean style, and imposed stricter restrictions on new buildings.
By contrast, efforts to preserve Seochon began in the late 2000s and official support only began in 2010. As in Bukchon, the city has begun offering homeowners incentives, and will start other infrastructure improvements this year. Plans to preserve Seochon follow a long and acrimonious debate about redevelopment in areas with the highest concentration of traditional houses.
In the early 2000s, those areas were designated for redevelopment, which in Korea means apartments. Those plans were cancelled in 2008 as part of the city’s effort to save traditional houses, particularly within the Four Gates. The change divided residents into pro-development and pro-preservation camps. The city and pro-preservationists won the day, but debate remains about how best to proceed.
While the debate over preservation raged on, the area nearest to Gyeongbokgung Palace and the subway station began to attract galleries, small shops, and cafes. New cafes and restaurants began to open in other parts of Seochon, and the area began to get some good press. Artists and other creative class types have also begun to move to the area in search of something different.
A common refrain in discussing Seochon is that it is unique. It feels like a small town, but sits in the heart of Seoul. It has the traditional ambience of Bukchon, but feels more like a place where “real people” live. The old and new are jumbled in a curious and captivating way found nowhere else in Seoul.
Seen from another perspective, Seochon is the only area that combines traditional, retro, and contemporary all into one. The traditional houses represent the 1930s-1950s. The markets, commercial strips, and two-story houses represent the 1960s-1980s. The concrete-tile residential buildings represent that 1990s-2000s. The galleries and cafes represent the present. Each layer of development brings destruction and redevelopment, but together they reveal the sweeping history spanning from the early 20th century to the present in a compact area.
With all its layers of history, the question is how Seochon should evolve from here. The city’s plans focus mainly on the first layer, but Seochon is much more than traditional houses. It is the closest residential area to the Blue House and strict building restrictions from the 1970s to the 1990s left much of it frozen in time, giving it a unique retro ambience unlike any other location in Seoul.
The implications of Seochon’s future lie in its layered past and eclectic present. It is the perfect laboratory for creating a unique mixed-use area with a vibrant sense of community and a thriving local economy. To do so, the city will need to remain vigilant to ensure that that preservation remains as vital as development.
If successful, Seochon will serve as a model of mixed-use urban revitalization for other cities in Korea.