Abstract

Sungmisan (Seoul) is the first of the five selected case studies. This neighbourhood in Seoul, South Korea, is known for being an active neighbourhood. And the key element defining the cohesiveness and sustainability of Sungmisan are the village businesses. As these businesses serve the regular life needs of the residents, users of these businesses are drawn into contact with each other over the use of these amenities. The alternative school in particular requires a larger and longer-term commitment because of the deposit that must be paid and due to the longer duration of the education process. The other social amenities – the community kitchen, the thrift shop, and the café – work in tandem to support the Sungmisan community. Although these are socially valuable to the community, these businesses are subjected to the discipline of the market as rising rents threaten the viability of these social enterprises. Sungmisan is important because these local experiences and practices have been codified by the city government for use in other Seoul neighbourhoods.

Keywords: Seoul, village social enterprises, local participation, gentrification, community development, urban redevelopment