[Walking Through Seoul] Bibimbap, Pizza, Donut, and Seoul

Seoul, Once a "Bibim City" 20 Years Ago,
Transformed into an Isolated "Pizza City"
by Ongoing Full-Scale Redevelopment
Urgent Need for Small-Scale Development
and Public Housing Policies
to Make Seoul an "Interesting City" Again

This spring, I spent nearly two months in Seoul, taking every opportunity to walk around the city. I often recalled that I once described Seoul as a "bibim city." The reason for this analogy was the way people in Seoul live together in neighborhoods where commercial and public facilities are mixed together like ingredients in bibimbap. This was around the late 2000s, when I returned to live in Seoul after 15 years in Japan. Looking at Seoul today, more than 20 years later, I feel that this analogy no longer fits. So, what analogy best describes Seoul as we stand at the threshold of the late 2020s?

The biggest factor in Seoul's transformation over the past 20 years has been ongoing redevelopment. The characteristic of urban redevelopment in Korea is the complete demolition method. Residents of the targeted area are relocated, all buildings are demolished, and new apartment complexes are constructed on the cleared land. This approach was not invented in Korea, nor is it unique to Korean cities, but in other countries, such redevelopment usually takes place on vacant land where no one lives. In residential areas, changes are typically made through small-scale remodeling or reconstruction. As a result, changes tend to occur gradually over time, rather than all at once. Large-scale redevelopment projects such as Hudson Yards in New York or Roppongi Hills in Tokyo are examples that take place in commercial districts in the heart of the city.

In Seoul, because most redevelopment is done through complete demolition, when an area is redeveloped, even the existing roads disappear and a walled apartment complex emerges. While there are still access roads shared by cars and pedestrians, from the outside, the new apartment complexes are disconnected from the existing streets. The commercial spaces outside these new complexes can be used by anyone in the surrounding area, so they are not completely isolated. However, redevelopment erases the traces of the old neighborhoods, affecting not just the local area but the entire city of Seoul.

As redevelopment takes place throughout the city, Seoul is transforming from a "bibim city" into a "pizza city." What does "pizza city" mean? A pizza is made by spreading cheese on a dough base and topping it with ingredients such as pepperoni, ham, bell peppers, and mushrooms. Viewed from above, the cheese forms the background, with various colors depending on the toppings. The round slices of pepperoni are usually large and stand out more than other toppings. Unlike a bibim city, where elements are mixed together, a pizza city is characterized by toppings that are not connected to each other but are isolated. Overall, it may appear diverse, but the elements are separated without forming relationships.

Compared to a bibim city, a pizza city may seem to have similar diversity on a macro level, but it lacks micro-level diversity. In a bibim city, you can feel the various relationships between residential and commercial areas that have formed organically over a long period of time. Within the same residential area, there are both large and small houses, so residents vary in age, occupation, and economic status, leading to a diversity of lifestyles. The buildings themselves also vary in size and type, allowing for a range of commercial spaces suited to different scales and rents. Among these are long-standing businesses beloved by local residents. Recently, diversity has been regarded as a light urban amenity, but from ancient times to the present, diversity has been a driving force that energizes cities. The unique vibrancy of New York, one of the most influential cities of the 20th century, also stems from this diversity.

Old downtown area of Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, and redevelopment apartment complex in Hwanghak-dong, Jung-gu, viewed from Hanyangdoseong. Photo by Hyung Han Hur

In contrast, a pizza city, with much less diversity, is likely to become a dull and lifeless city. Those living in the "pepperoni" spaces receive little stimulation from the city, making it difficult for new and creative commercial spaces to emerge or grow. As Seoul gradually transforms into a pizza city, people increasingly seek out neighborhoods that retain the characteristics of a bibim city. This is why new "hot places" such as Seongsu-dong, Seochon, and Ikseon-dong are emerging. It is no exaggeration to say that the unique identity of Seoul, which is gaining popularity overseas, is being created by these bibim areas.

The problems caused by the pizza city model are significant. The ever-increasing apartment complexes, like pepperoni toppings, are inhabited by the mainstream middle and upper classes. In the "cheese neighborhoods" without pepperoni, the elderly, students, and low-income groups, including foreign migrants?those marginalized by the mainstream?gather. In terms of population, there are not few people living in cheese neighborhoods, but when redevelopment occurs, they are generally unable to move into the relatively expensive apartment complexes. As a result, they are forced to leave their neighborhoods and, ultimately, Seoul itself. The remaining cheese neighborhoods continue to deteriorate while waiting for redevelopment, eventually becoming slums where living conditions are unbearable. Working-class people and students who study in Seoul are increasingly unable to live in the city for various reasons and must commute long distances from outlying areas.

If this trend continues, the future of Seoul is clear. Like London or San Francisco, the city will become a "donut city," with the wealthy living in the center and the working class on the outskirts. What will happen to the cheese neighborhoods? Commercial areas that attract people will remain hot places, while slum areas will become depopulated and may be converted into green parks. At first glance, it may seem positive to have parks among numerous apartment complexes, but if the working-class residents are pushed farther and farther away from Seoul, this is a sad story in itself.

What lies ahead? Most Koreans dream of living in a brand-new apartment. Therefore, the pressure for redevelopment will only intensify. Small-scale development will find it difficult to take root. Seoul will transform even more quickly into a pizza city with few cheese neighborhoods left in the donut hole. It will become a lifeless, unbalanced, and so-called "boring" city. Is there any solution? The first step is to slow the pace of redevelopment and support small-scale development in cheese neighborhoods. Furthermore, it is necessary to actively provide public rental housing so that various types of housing can coexist. Although debate is inevitable, now is the time to boldly discuss solutions for the future of Seoul.

Robert Fouser, former professor at Seoul National University