Seongsu-dong, Home to 'Red Brick Architecture,' Rises as the World's Most Stylish Neighborhood

UK's Famous Travel Culture Magazine 'Timeout' Ranks Seongsu-dong, 'Korea's Brooklyn,' 4th in 'World's Coolest Neighborhoods' This Year... Leading Sustainable Development Through Urban Regeneration and Anti-Gentrification Policies, Especially Giving Seongsu-dong Unique Identity with 'Red Brick Architecture'

Seongdong-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jung Won-oh) announced that Seongsu-dong, a hot place in Seoul, was ranked 4th in the 'World's Coolest Neighborhoods.'

On the 25th, the famous British travel and culture magazine Timeout selected 38 'World's Coolest Neighborhoods' this year, and Seongsu-dong was named 4th.

Seongsu-dong was once the center of the leather, printing, and shoemaking industries, but it has transformed into one of Seoul's most creative neighborhoods. Known as the 'Brooklyn of Seoul,' Seongsu-dong features many red brick warehouses, old factories, and containers, which now house trendy cafes and galleries.

Seongsu-dong was once an area densely packed with aging manufacturing factories, but instead of developing the area, Seongdong-gu has promoted urban regeneration projects and gentrification prevention policies to lead sustainable development. Thanks to this, old factories and warehouses have been converted into complex cultural facilities and cafes by young artists and entrepreneurs, becoming a so-called hot place.

In particular, the historical and cultural value of red brick factories, warehouses, and red brick houses built in the 1970s and 1980s is being preserved. In July 2017, the district enacted an ordinance on the preservation and utilization of red brick buildings, establishing an institutional framework to preserve and support red brick buildings with historical and cultural value. Based on this, from 2018 to 2021, a pilot project supporting red brick buildings was carried out targeting about 30 buildings around the atelier street on the north side of Seoul Forest.

Through these efforts, 'red brick buildings' have become a new urban landscape trend in Seongsu-dong.

Last year, about 28,000㎡ south of Ttukseom Station was additionally designated as a 'red brick building concentration area.' In the future, the district plans to expand the 'red brick building concentration area' from the north side atelier street of Seoul Forest, which was the existing pilot project site, to the area around the Korea National Open University and the cafe street near Seongsu Station.

In May, the global fashion brand KITH opened its first store in Korea on Seongsu-dong's red brick street. This concept store, which combines Asia's first cafe and brunch bar, features an exterior made entirely of red bricks reflecting Seongsu-dong's unique character.

Moreover, unicorn company Musinsa has relocated its headquarters to Seongsu-dong and is sequentially opening offline stores nearby. Fashion companies leading trends, from overseas luxury brands to galleries and fashion platform companies, are also flocking to Seongsu-dong.

This phenomenon, combined with consumer demand for diversity, serves as a foundation for revitalizing the local economy.

Efforts to preserve and develop Seongsu-dong's unique urban cultural landscape have received high external recognition, winning the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award at the 10th Korea High-Efficiency and Eco-Friendly Housing and Building Materials Awards last September.

Jung Won-oh, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, "It is surprising that Seongsu-dong was the only area selected in Korea and stood shoulder to shoulder with the world's coolest neighborhoods. We will expand the red brick building support project throughout Seongsu-dong and continue its unique charm and personality through sustainable development."