[Report] "We Need to Develop the Cheongwadae Commercial Area" Blue House Opens... What Will Happen to Seochon and Bukchon?

Seo·Bukchon, Special Opening Brings Big Smiles... Hopjip Crowded "Customers Flocking"
Residents "Regulations Like Hanok Preservation Still Remain" Large-Scale Development "Not Sure"
Experts "Need to Consider Plans Balancing Preservation and Development"

Near Jeongdok Library in Bukchon, Seoul, the 'Independence Activists' Path' area mostly features low-rise buildings due to height restrictions. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Seung-gon, Intern Reporters Lee Joo-eun, Kim Gun-chan, Munhwa-young] "There are various regulations, but there is also hope for commercial district development."

On the first weekend when the Blue House was opened to the public on the 14th, stores near the Blue House were crowded with customers as tourists from all over the country flocked in and COVID-19 social distancing measures were eased.

Kim (65), a self-employed person met in an alley of Bukchon Hanok Village in Gye-dong, Jongno-gu, expressed expectations, saying, "The floating population seems to increase due to the opening of the Blue House." He has been running a famous snack bar in Bukchon for 30 years this year and said, "I think more people will come in the future."

The owner of a pub in Seochon also said, "On the day the Blue House opened, we made sales of several million won." Park, who has been running a chicken restaurant here for over 10 years, said with a bright smile, "There were so many customers coming alone that I couldn't handle them," adding, "It's the first time I've had to put on a pain relief patch while running a business."

University students met in the area said, "We came to see the Blue House opening news," and added, "It felt like just taking a walk, and it was comfortable and enjoyable because it was fun to watch people."

Merchants did not hide their expectations, foreseeing that the appearance of Seochon and Bukchon would change rapidly due to commercial district revitalization.

However, the expectation for development due to deregulation was not high. Since cultural assets and hanoks are located throughout the Seochon and Bukchon areas, the regulatory walls are formidable. Real estate agents in the area also seem to place more hope on commercial district revitalization due to the influx of tourists following the Blue House opening rather than deregulation for development.

On the contrary, concerns about gentrification were as strong as the expectations. Gentrification refers to the phenomenon where existing tenants are driven out due to rising rents caused by commercial district development.

◆ Bukchon and Seochon, 'Street Museums in the City'

Bukchon Hanok Village area. Due to regulations such as the Hanok preservation zone, there are various restrictions on development in practice. As a result, the narrow alleys are also quite tight for vehicles to pass through. Photo by Han Seung-gon hsg@asiae.co.kr

The site of the current Blue House first appeared in history in 1104 during the Goryeo Dynasty when a secondary palace (summer palace outside the capital) was established in Namgyeong (Seoul). In 1395, King Taejo Yi Seong-gye of the Joseon Dynasty built Gyeongbokgung Palace south of the secondary palace, creating a royal garden. However, during the Japanese invasions of Korea (Imjin War), Gyeongbokgung was burned down and was practically unmanaged afterward.

Later, in the 1860s, King Gojong rebuilt Gyeongbokgung and intended to develop the Blue House area with functions similar to the rear garden of Changdeokgung Palace. Buildings such as Yungmundang and Yungmudang were constructed, and civil service and military examinations were held. Then, in August 1948, with the establishment of the Republic of Korea government, it was used as the residence of the first President Syngman Rhee and was called 'Gyeongmudae' by his naming. The name changed to 'Cheongwadae' (Blue House) when the fourth president, Yun Bo-seon, moved in in August 1960. The main building, residence, guesthouse, and Sangchunjae of the Blue House were all built after the 1970s.

The alleyways of Seo·Bukchon generally exhibit a form similar to the photo. Due to development restrictions, tall buildings cannot be constructed, and the alleyways appear narrow. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

Bukchon and Seochon are areas surrounding the Blue House but are not official administrative district names. According to the 'Seoul Hanok Portal' operated by Seoul City, Bukchon is located between Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, and Jongmyo Shrine and was a residential area for the yangban (aristocratic) class during the Joseon Dynasty. It is also called a 'street museum in the city' due to many historic sites, cultural assets, and folk materials. It is called 'Bukchon' meaning the upper neighborhood of Cheonggyecheon and Jongno.

Bukchon saw the collective construction of medium and small-sized hanoks during the process of subdividing large land parcels into smaller plots due to social and economic changes brought by modernization. This is the background for the concentration of hanoks in areas like Gahoe, Samcheong, and Gye-dong.

The hanoks in this area are characterized by a combination of traditional hanok features with urban characteristics. For example, glass doors are installed in the daecheong (main hall), and tin eaves are attached along the eaves.

Various shops are located around the narrow alleys of Bukchon. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

Seochon, referring to the area west of Gyeongbokgung Palace, was known by various names such as Udae (Upper Village), Jangdong, and Bukri. Unlike Bukchon, which was the residence of the ruling class during the Joseon Dynasty, Seochon was home to the 'jungin'?the middle class professionals specializing in medicine, astronomy, and geography. It was also known as a neighborhood where lower-ranking officials and commoners lived together. Its area is about one-third the size of Bukchon. The architecture is a mix of hanoks and various other building types.

Seochon is also famous as a neighborhood where many artists lived. During the Joseon Dynasty, renowned painters like Gyeomjae Jeong Seon, famous for true-view landscape painting, and Chusa Kim Jeong-hui, a master of calligraphy, lived in Seochon. Later, in modern times, painter Lee Jung-seop and poet Yun Dong-ju were also residents.

For example, in 1818, a letter written in Hangul by Chusa to his wife, who was staying at Daegu Gamyeong preparing for the civil service examination the following year, contains the expression "Jangdong Sangjang," meaning he sent the letter from Jangdong, which was the name of the area around present-day Hyoja-dong and Gungjeong-dong.

Like Bukchon, Seochon also began to see the construction of a kind of 'living-style improved hanok' from the late 1900s. Currently, there is a hanok village in the area consisting of about 600 small hanoks ranging from 66 to 99 square meters.

◆ Real Estate Prices Stirred by Commercial District Revitalization Expectations... Overlapping Regulations Remain

The alleyway in the photo feels cramped enough for two adult men to stand side by side. You can sense the architectural style of the Seobukchon era, but some voices call for deregulation. Photo by Seunggon Han hsg@asiae.co.kr

Due to this historical background, there are many development regulations in the Bukchon and Seochon areas, such as natural scenic districts and height restriction zones. According to Seoul city ordinances, buildings in natural scenic districts are limited to three stories and a height of 12 meters or less. Additionally, areas like Samcheong and Gahoe-dong are designated as height restriction zones, where building heights cannot exceed 16 meters. Seochon, like Bukchon, faces strict building regulations, including 'Hanok Preservation Zones' to protect hanok villages and 'Cultural Heritage Protection Zones' to preserve the view of Gyeongbokgung Palace. Building heights are restricted to 12 to 20 meters, roughly 3 to 5 stories.

The real estate market in the area is also stirred by expectations of commercial district revitalization. A representative from B real estate agency in Bukchon said, "Land prices have risen somewhat, but due to strict building regulations, no one is rushing to buy yet," explaining, "The efficiency is low compared to the price." A representative from C real estate agency in Seochon also explained, "Existing landowners are not putting properties on the market due to expectations of land price increases," adding, "Occasionally available properties are also raising prices significantly."

◆ Finding a Balance Between Preservation and Development

On the afternoon of the 10th, the inauguration day of the 20th President Yoon Suk-yeol, citizens participating in the Cheong Wa Dae opening event in Jongno-gu, Seoul, are touring the Cheong Wa Dae residence. Photo by Transition Committee Press Corps

However, experts are cautious about excessive expectations for deregulation.

Song Seung-hyun, CEO of Urban and Economy, predicted, "Considering the surrounding cultural assets and scenery, it might be difficult to ease regulations easily right now." He also expressed a negative stance on lifting the hanok preservation zone. While deregulation could allow various types of buildings, it might lead to losing the area's unique content. Therefore, he argued that small-scale and conservative development that continues the area's traditions is necessary rather than excessive development.

Seon Jong-pil, CEO of Sangga News Radar, diagnosed, "Some deregulation might be possible in areas like Hyoja-dong or general residential zones, but not at a rapid level," adding, "Urban planning issues such as parking problems caused by indiscriminate development are also significant."

Experts suggest that the future of Seochon and Bukchon depends on how the conflicting challenges of preservation and development are resolved.

Seo Jin-hyung, professor at Gyeongin Women's University and president of the Korean Real Estate Society, said, "It is realistically difficult to ease regulations, but there is a need to partially lift some regulations complementarily to foster the area as a cultural center."

Professor Kim Hyun-soo of Dankook University's Department of Urban Planning and Real Estate argued, "Selective support is needed to create tourist hubs and revitalize commercial districts in connection with the Blue House opening."