Seoul – Catalysing change, improving quality of life

18 April 2018

Discover how Seoul used bold urban projects to transform the city and improve life for its residents.

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A fast-paced urban development in the past resulted in a low quality of life and an unhappy populace in Seoul. In the 2000s, a series of catalytic projects helped reshape the city and align closer to citizens’ aspirations. We look at some projects that propelled Seoul's new chapter.

Seoul – before and after

Seoul is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. With a population of 10.2 million in 2016, it is a megacity and the world’s 16th largest city. Seoul experienced a tremendous growth spurt between the 1960s and 2000, with its population increasing from 1.7 million in 1960 to 10.5 million in 2000 (or 6.2 times increase). At the same time, its car population has increased from 8,000 to 2.5 million (or 312.5 times increase). Such a rapid growth over a relatively short period had a great impact on the spatial transformation of the city, at the expense of quality of life.

Aerial view of Seoul in the 1970s with dense urban buildings and rocky mountains in the background.

Aerial view of Seoul skyline with dense buildings, N Seoul Tower on a green hill, and a stone wall on a forested slope.

Seoul - before and after © Seoul Metropolitan Government

Cheonggyecheon – before and after

Following the instatement of local autonomy in the mid-1990s, the city focused on a series of innovative urban regeneration projects that brought about benefits for the entire city. The removal of the ageing Cheonggyecheon highway to restore the stream underneath was the starting point in the city’s efforts in urban regeneration and engaging stakeholders through conflict management strategies in order to realise a common vision.

Elevated Cheonggyecheon highway curves through a dense Seoul cityscape with tall buildings and hazy hills in the background, 1990s.

Aerial view of Cheonggyecheon stream corridor lined with trees cutting through a dense Seoul cityscape.

Cheonggyecheon - before and after © Seoul Metropolitan Government

Cheonggyecheon – a green haven in the city

More than 10 years after its completion, Cheonggyecheon is today a green haven in the middle of the city, and a respite from the hustle and bustle of its surroundings, which has in turn benefited from the restoration project. The success of Cheonggyecheon catalysed the demolition of a number of elevated highways in Seoul, induced public demand for the demolition of others and resistance to building new ones, and helped pave the way for less resistance in the city’s subsequent urban redevelopment projects.

People wade and gather along a narrow urban stream flanked by stone walkways and tall city buildings.

Cheonggyecheon as a respite in the city © Seoul Metropolitan Government

A small urban stream flows among rocks and green trees with tall city buildings visible in the background.

Lushly planted greenery in Cheonggyecheon © Damien Woon

Two people sit on stone steps beside a narrow urban canal, with city buildings and green trees in the background.

People using the spaces in Cheonggyecheon © Damien Woon

People walk and sit along a urban stream path beneath a wide arched bridge surrounded by green trees.

A gathering space under a bridge in Cheonggyecheon © Damien Woon

Dongdaemun Area Regeneration: before and after

The Dongdaemun area was a manufacturing hub in the 1960s and 70s, and an urban mess up to as recent as 2005, with makeshift street vendors occupying the Dongdaemun Stadium and its surrounding streets. In a bid to shift Seoul’s focus from manufacturing to a design city, the Dongdaemun area was overhauled with the iconic Dongdaemun Design Plaza designed by Zaha Hadid Architects at its helm. Seoul’s officials further refined its conflict management strategies that helped find win-win solutions for both the city and the affected street vendors and merchants.

Aerial view of Dongdaemun market in Seoul, 2005, with crowded streets, stalls, and a large stadium building.

Aerial view of Dongdaemun, Seoul, featuring a futuristic curved building surrounded by dense urban cityscape.

Dongdaemun area before and after regeneration © Seoul Metropolitan Government

Dongdaemun Design Plaza

The Dongdaemun Design Plaza is today an icon and anchor of the Dongdaemun area. It is a vibrant hub for cultural and art activities, as well as a prominent tourist landmark in the city.

Dongdaemun Design Plaza © Seoul Metropolitan Government

Large crowd gathered outside a building with a Seoul Fashion Week banner in an urban setting.

Yonsei-ro: before and after

The Yonsei-ro Transit Mall is a pilot project to promote a pedestrian-oriented environment, and part of the city’s overall vision to shift its focus of transport planning from private transport to public transport, and including pedestrians and cyclists. The project is intended to manage transportation demand by restricting private car access and reducing traffic speeds, enhance public transit experience by enhancing the timeliness, speed, and frequency of public transit, and improve the pedestrian environment by providing pedestrian-friendly urban design such as widened sidewalks, bus-waiting areas, more shelters, and removing of road curbs. On weekends, the Yonsei-ro Transit Mall is converted into a pedestrian-only zone for various activities.

Aerial view of a busy Korean street intersection with cars, buses, pedestrians, and storefronts, labeled Yonsei-ro 2015.

Aerial view of a busy urban intersection in Korea with crosswalks, pedestrians, and surrounding shops.

Yonsei-ro Transit Mall

What used to be a narrow street congested with buses, cars, and people, the Yonsei-ro Transit Mall has shifted its focus towards public transport, cyclist and pedestrians, and is today one of the busiest tourist attractions in Seoul with increased street vibrancy.

Busy urban plaza with pedestrians, a cyclist, a large red sculpture, and a modern glass shopping building with billboards.

Busy Korean city crosswalk with many pedestrians, tall buildings, and Korean street signs at dusk.

Two people sit at a colorfully painted street piano on a busy urban pedestrian street lined with shops.