[Choi Jun-young's Urban Pilgrimage] A Shabby City, A Vulgar City

Busan is an eccentric city. While driving, you suddenly realize that the lane has disappeared. You encounter a city bus unexpectedly emerging from what you thought was an alleyway. What you thought was a parking lot turns out to be a roof, and what you assumed was a dead-end alley continues endlessly. People arriving at Busan Station for the first time at night are amazed by the lights of the skyscrapers, and the next morning, they are surprised again to find that those buildings are apartments perched on a mountain. A gigantic bridge spanning the sea, skyscrapers, and nearly century-old wooden houses coexist here, along with shipyards, ironworks, and beaches. Once known as South Korea's second-largest city, Busan has seen its population and businesses leave, earning it the label of a 'shabby city.'

'Shabby City' Busan?
Rapid Industrialization in the 1960s
Population and Businesses Came and Went

If you take a Han River cruise from Yeouido, you can see the history of apartments from the 1970s to the 2020s at a glance. Apartments surround both sides of the Han River like an enclosure, and the eight-lane Gangbuk Riverside Road and Olympic-daero along the river create a boundary that feels like barbed wire. Although trees are gradually increasing along the riverbanks, the concrete embankments give the riverside a bleak appearance. The view of the Han River surrounded by apartments that are neither overwhelming nor elegant might be perceived by some as a 'vulgar city.'

Since overseas travel was liberalized in 1988, many people began traveling abroad, especially to Europe. Those who toured about ten countries in roughly ten days unanimously spoke of the elegance and beauty of European cities. The refined cathedrals and palaces seen from leisurely cruise boats on rivers running through the cities, the well-planned streets without high-rise buildings, and the harmonious houses presented a mature and cultured urban image. These cities were on a completely different level from the vulgar and shabby cities of South Korea.

Seoul and Busan are cities that have developed alongside the founding and growth of South Korea. Busan, the main gateway connecting to Japan, was also the starting point of the railway network extending to China and Manchuria during the Japanese colonial period. Unlike traditional cities such as Gyeongseong (Seoul) and Pyongyang, Busan was a newly and systematically planned city, similar to Incheon, Wonsan, Kaohsiung in Taiwan, and Dalian in Manchuria.

The fate of Busan as a port city changed abruptly with the Korean War in 1950. Refugees fleeing the war from all over the country began building homes wherever there was a small gap and endured harsh times. Even steep slopes, which normally would not be used as residential areas, became densely populated, and markets and street stalls grew as people sought to make a living. Industrialization starting in the 1960s was an opportunity for Busan’s growth. With its port, Busan became a forward base for exports, and many businesses such as plywood and shoe manufacturing settled there, attracting people seeking jobs. Before careful planning and direction setting, the city, space, and population expanded rapidly. Urban planning focused not on the future but on immediately addressing pressing realities: building roads, securing residential areas, and preparing land for schools. If no problems arose, things were left as they were; when problems appeared, they were dealt with improvisationally. As a result, Busan transformed into a chaotic city where everything was in disarray.

'Vulgar City' Seoul?
Urban Planning Destroyed by War
Han River Banks Reclaimed for Urban Areas

Seoul was no different. The Gyeongseong urban plan established during the Japanese colonial period became ineffective by the 1940s and was devastated during the Korean War. If sufficient capital and manpower had been available, the city might have been rebuilt and transformed after the war, but everything was lacking. In a city packed with incoming people, systematic and long-term planning was a luxury. Due to lack of land, new residential spaces in the form of apartments began to be created by reclaiming land along the Han River far from the city center, and beyond that, new urban areas were built across the river. The only means to attract people to the barren and bleak Han River banks was 'housing.' Han River apartments served both as residential provision and as defensive positions in preparation for war. Few people know that there was a sniper’s nest in the Hyundai Apartments in Apgujeong-dong.

Choi Jun-young, Senior Advisor at Yulchon LLC

At some point, the shabby and vulgar cities of South Korea began to attract global attention. Tourism increased, and Seoul became a famous city. People flocked to Busan, which was once considered complicated and lacking in attractions except for summer beaches and raw fish. They started exploring every nook and cranny of the alleys and discovering shabby eateries tucked behind markets. Contrary to the perception of 'nothing to see,' people became enthusiastic about Seoul and Busan. The reason people grew fond of Busan and Seoul was not because of meticulously maintained cultural assets or exhibition spaces. It was the chaotic, complex, and unpredictable spaces and the energetic movement created by the densely packed people that drew and fascinated them.

The Charm of 'Mixing'
Development Alongside South Korea’s Founding
Systematic New Towns Are Boring
Tourists Increase and Global Interest Grows

The charm of South Korean cities, built through struggles and construction, lies in their 'mixing.' Residential, commercial, business, and industrial areas are moderately mixed in some places and wildly mixed in others. The energy generated by different activities occurring simultaneously in tight spaces is becoming an attraction.

We have long thought that cities developed according to urban planning are good cities. Zoning is subdivided, and district plans even specify building appearances and colors. The core of this is spatial separation. Representative cities built this way are the second-generation new towns, which are all dull and lack vitality. Dividing and separating spaces prevents the fusion and synergy of activities, resulting in boring and uninteresting spaces. Sejong City is an example.

Compared to European cities built over centuries through exploitation and war, South Korean cities may appear vulgar and shabby. However, what some perceive as vulgarity and shabbiness is actually the charm and strength of South Korean cities. Just as K-pop, once criticized for being monotonous and lacking creativity, has captivated the world with its diversity and overflowing energy, the moment when the world will be captivated by our seemingly vulgar and shabby cities is not far off.