Journal Articles

Envisioning Seoul as a World City: The Cultural Politics of the Hong-dae Cultural District

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This article explores how the vision of a world city influences local cultural politics, by looking at an attempt to construct a cultural quarter in Seoul, South Korea. The Hong-dae area of Seoul has a reputation as a vibrant place of urban amenities, emerging cultural forms, and neighbourhoods of cultural workers and artists. In 2003, the city government announced a policy to create a Cultural District in the area. Subsequently, local conflict over defining Hong-dae culture emerged, and the plan was later postponed. This study elucidates how the proposed policy, framed by a vision of Seoul as a world city, led local actors to territorialise, fossilise, ethnicise and capitalise Hong-dae culture. It argues that competition for world city status may politicise and territorialise urban cultural scenes, rather than enhancing the urban amenities of diversity, openness and tolerance.

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Detail Information

Series Title

Asian Studies Review

Call Number

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Publisher

United Kingdom : Routledge Taylor & Francis Group., 2010

Collation

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Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

10357823

Classification

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Content Type

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Media Type

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Carrier Type

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Edition

Volume 34, Issue 3 September 2010 , pages 329 - 34

Subject(s)

Cultural Politics
Korea
Cultural policy
Seoul
Urban cultures

Specific Detail Info

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Statement of Responsibility

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