"The Brooklyn of Seoul"

Beyond the photogenic nature of the neighborhood, Seongsu is remarkable for its resistance to gentrification. Jeong Won-oh, the head of Seongdong district, where Seongsu is located, is spearheading efforts to protect rent from skyrocketing — by trying to meet property owners 1:1, limiting corporate franchises from entering the neighborhood without resident consent, and tabling South Korea’s first-ever bill to prevent gentrification. Seongsu’s nickname, the “Brooklyn of Seoul,” is up for debate: