redevelopment

Jieun Choi
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Euljiro: A Hub of Innovation Under Threat of Destruction

Euljiro is in the heart of Seoul. To its west is Gwanghwamun—filled with government offices and corporate headquarters. To the east is Dongdaemun—famous for the Zaha Hadid-designed DDP and all-night shopping malls. But despite its central location, the area stayed relatively unchanged for decades, providing affordable work space

Mandy Nguyen
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Getting Lost in Alleyways and Seoul's Childhood

Not far from the busiest center of Seoul, with all the traffic and political rallies, there is Seochon, a quaint neighborhood in Seoul. In it, there is a single arcade that has been operating since 1988. It’s managed by Seol Jaewoo, a local resident who successfully crowdfunded to keep

Ben Jackson
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Pretty and Polluted: Jeju Overfilling With Tourists

2011 was a busy year for the civil servants of Jeju Island. South Korea’s most famous island — bar Dokdo — had made the shortlist for the so-called “new seven wonders of nature.” With no restrictions on the number of telephone votes cast by each individual, Jeju’s public

Ben Jackson
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A Complex Issue: The Apart-ization of South Korea

Itaewon has a reputation as Seoul’s ‘foreign’ area. Standing next to U.S. Army Garrison Yongsan, it has long catered to the off-base needs and urges of military personnel, gaining a sleazy reputation in the process. Many South Koreans were afraid to set foot there until a few years

Se-Woong Koo
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End of Itaewon As We Know Nears

Rendering of Hannam Newtown District 3 as it would look after redevelopment (courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government) Itaewon in central Seoul is one of South Korea’s most diverse and interesting neighborhoods. American soldiers from the nearby military base are a fixture. Diplomats from around the world are stationed at

Eunseon Park
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"Jae-gaebal": Resisting Seoul's Brutal Apart-ization

Seemingly endless rows of concrete towers awe foreigners who come to Seoul for the first time. Seoul may have become the capital city more than six centuries ago, but few things survive from that time to convince visitors of this history. Colonial rule (1910-45) and the brutal Korean War (1950-53)