One last gold medal for Korea (the usual one)

Korean broadcasters perfectly wrapped up their coverage of the Rio Olympics by masking the parade of world athletes with the portraits of national competitors they already aired 99% of the time during the whole competition - I actually switched from MBC to SBS because there, that patriotic display filled less than half the screen:

Even when other nations are on screen at Rio 2016, Korea broadcasters manage to show national athletes (20160822 - twitter.com/theseoulvillage/status/767507917016698881)

So once again, Korea claimed the gold medal for national chauvinism on TV, a domain where the country faces much tougher and diverse competition than in archery.

In case you missed the Rio games and the previous editions, here's how it works: 

• all major broadcasters sharing the same rights for the games, the competition among them is all about populism and fueling national fervor
• if a national champion is competing, major broadcasters must also air them live on their dedicated sports channel (and when it's PARK In-bee, throw in that dedicated golf channel for good measure) - when that's a second rate athlete, use the sport channel to rerun the exploits of top tier stars.
• on the last day, when there's 0% chance of medal, start one hour later and replay past medal bouts
• otherwise, may be aired live only universal legends in the very exclusive Usain BOLT - Michael PHELPS league (two more games required for Simone BILES, and Team USA B stood no chance with none of that 1992-dream-team material) - these legends are part of the comfort zone, their presence providing both the 'international' label, and the 'sport domination' alibi
• success basically always relies on the same sports - difficult to grow new vocations without 'training' the audience with a decent pedagogy of Olympic diversity...

Baseball returns to the Olympics for Tokyo 2020, and you don't know what may happen if Korea faces Japan in the finals.

Aaah, Tokyo 2020! Different flavor of ultranationalism there. Today, the Olympic flag was handed to Nippon Kaigi darlings Yuriko Koike (the newly elected governor), and Shinzo Abe, who popped up dressed as Super Mario:

Inspired by Queen Elizabeth II's cameo appearance for London 2012, Shinzo Abe showed up as Super Mario. A weird solo performance (lacking the humor and Bond sidekick), particularly from an elected politician less iconic than British royalty... Imagine Erdogan doing the same for Istanbul 2020. If Abe's less into personal ego than into the revival of the fascist regime, he never misses an opportunity to show his face on an international stage (e.g. featured at the end of each ad of the Japan government's ongoing PR campaign on CNN)

Super Tojo ready for Tojo 2020 - let the Nippon Kaigi games begin!

BREAKING - Shinzo Abe unveils new logo for Tokyo 2020 (Hideki Tojo 2020) (20150911 - twitter.com/theseoulvillage/status/642228805260570624)

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Diagonal crossings, High Lines, and Business Verticals (how pedestrians and businesses remodel Seoul... and vice-versa)

Seoul keeps at the same time looking for more sustainable urban planning approaches, and doing more mistakes, because as usual in this city we tend to try a lot of things, but seldom after serious impact surveys. At least that's far less boring than my other hometown Paris, where we tend to make decade-long impact surveys, but seldom do something else. As you well know, a Seoulite born in Paris, I tend to pile up useless bits on an ever changing cityscape. Here's a batch on recent evolutions for Seoul pedestrians and neighborhoods, with the Seoul High Line project as a natural bridge in-between.

Opening up the city to its citizens (not burying them!)

At the micro level, I really appreciate the recent multiplication of Ginza-style diagonal pedestrian crossings, which make life much more simple and safer for everybody. They de facto create temporary no-drive zones that can change a neighborhood without going all the way to car-free streets (e.g. Yonsei-ro). Pedestrians feel that they own the space, even if that's not all the time; there are even permanent tattoos on the macadam to prove they do:

With diagonal pedestrian crossings, you don't need to have a double PhD in statistics and physics to calculate the optimal path to reach point B alive

I am much less convinced by the project to create a vast underground pedestrian network connecting major Jongno-gu landmarks. That would signal a return to a car-centric past when pedestrians where parasites that had to move underground, like ants or termites, across downtown Seoul. I suspect this project to have something to do with the one I mentioned last fall, which would move Gwanghwamun Square sideways, and re-transform Sejongdae-ro into a highway (see "Gwanghwamun, Donhwamun, and the Tale of two Royal Roads"). In other words, back to square one, or rather back to Zero Gwanghawmun Square.

In the dowtown Seoul I discovered in the early 90s, pedestrians had to either use tunnels or aerial walkways to cross the major roads. And the Seoul High Line would somehow revive the latter.

Named after New York's High Line Park, itself inspired by the Promenade Plantee of Paris, the idea gained momentum in April last year, partly because the city needed to compensate for the planned destruction of an old walkway that Seoulites had deserted because winos had claimed it most of the time.

Leaving a landmark in the capital is very good PR, and a tradition for French presidents in Paris: Pompidou and Beaubourg, Mitterrand and the Pyramide du Louvre, Chirac and the Musee du Quai Branly... Note that Giscard missed the opportunity and tried later to claim the Musee d'Orsay as his work, and that Sarkozy didn't understand that he would have only one mandate (and that one building is easier to complete than a Grand Paris - Le Havre vision).

Leaving a landmark has also become a must for Seoul mayors eyeing a higher office: LEE Myung-bak had Cheonggyecheon (even if his greatest achievement was the creation of bus lanes), OH Se-hoon had Gwanghwamun Plaza (even if his greatest achievement was the revival of Sadaemun and the rebalancing of Gangbuk vs Gangnam, starting with the redistribution of taxes from the rich to the poor districts), and PARK Won-soon seems to be betting on the Seoul High Line.

Last month, Seoul citizens were invited to walk the line on a sunny Sunday afternoon - in other words: to vote with their feet in favor of the project.

PARK Chung-hee on the Seoul Station overpass (1970). But what fascinates me most is the background, Malli-dong and Kim Gi-chan's beloved Jungnim-dong.

Clearly, this walkway looks much better without cars. It is at the same time more scenic and less integrated to its surroundings than its NYC or Paris counterparts.

Covering the railways over a wide stretch would cost much more, but also provide a greater urban continuity. One thing is sure: if the taxi and bus corridors in front of the new Seoul Station have allowed the return of pedestrians at street level, the Toegye-ro - Tongil-ro - Sejongdae-ro - Hangangdae-ro intersection remains an utter mess, and with or without the High Line, it will require a complete and sustainable overhaul.

After its High Line, will benchmark-frenzy Seoul try to copy NYC's Low Line underground park project? (twitter.com/theseoulvillage/status/538224048778407936) - remind's me of OH Se-hoon's underground utopia (see "Seoul Goes Underground")

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Reviving neighborhoods (not destroying them!)

As we've seen countless times New Town out, Redevelopment in, back to the Urban Jungle", "Inhuman, all too human Seoul", the Gyonam-dong saga...), Seoul has not completely given up its old, disfiguring 'New Town' model.

Another Seoul neighborhood destroyed in a 'New Town' project: in Hongeun-dong, Seodaemun-gu - twitter.com/theseoulvillage/status/555539522843201536 (BTW: join my 800+ followers on Twitter!)

Speculators still pretty much run the show. The Yongsan IBD is cancelled and the US base relocation postponed, but money can't wait for a new big vision. Eight high rise buildings (over 50 floors) have been authorized on both sides of the base, and the front row of buildings circling it will be allowed to go up to 20 floors, guaranteeing a fat return and a privatized view on the future park to a happy few investors, letting the rest of the district out of the loop. Even North of the Han River, Gangnam Style rules...

Yet officially, the trend remains to revive neighborhoods instead of annihilating them. After the 'Human Town' / 'Old Town' approach, a concept based on communities (e.g. "Yeonnam-dong, a new Human Town or a new Old Town, but mercifully not that old New Town"), the next buzzword could be 'industrial convergence', a concept based on business verticals or mini-clusters.

For the moment, this new umbrella for urban regeneration seems to cover too wide a spectrum, from actual industrial zones to more or less farfetched urban storytelling, with the Seoul High Line as its highlight.

The other day, as Seoul mayor met with Richard Plunz (Professor of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation at Columbia's GSAPP, Director of the Urban Design Lab at the Earth Institute), 7 zones were announced:
 

The seven 'industrial convergence' hubs

Let's have a closer look at these 'magnificent seven':

• Seoul Digital Media City (Mapo-gu): I already wrote quite a lot about Sangam DMC (see all posts). I'll just add that it's already a national cluster for media and IT, so this is less about 'urban regeneration' than about piggybacking on existing dynamics. Note that the arrival of MBC was one of the few recent changes that helped put the DMC on Seoul's popular culture map: they instantly used their outdoor space to stage events and concerts (from their inauguration to the new year party), integrating the neighborhood in their broadcastings, a bit like Fox News on NYC's Avenue of the Americas. 

• Seoul Station (Yongsan-gu): the verticals selected are history and tourism, more symbolized by the old station turned into Culture Station 284 than by the future High Line. Seoul Station itself will be beefed up as a key entry point to the capital, and many redevelopments are already under way in its vicinity (e.g. along Hangangdae-ro, Malli-dong, Seosomun Park...). Again, the High Line cannot be the only way to solve the urban mess at ground level.

• Yeongdonggwon (Gangnam-gu - Songpa-gu): that's around coex and Jamsil Sports Complex, plus of course Hyundai's future HQs. This area didn't need to be wrapped under the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) banner.

• Seun Sangga (Jongno-gu): inaugurated in 1967, KIM Swoo-geun's fascinating cruise ship forms a long bar between Jongmyo and Chungmuro. Its upper segment was destroyed a few years ago to make room for a small park on Jong-ro, but the reopening of Cheonggyecheon somewhat revived its crux. The whole neighborhood is a DYI paradise now roamed by more contemporary makers in search of odd parts and bits, and Seun Sangga's upper floor hosts the FabLab Seoul (got a project? need a 3D printer or a laser cutter? that's the place). Can this unique start-up hotspot avoid gentrification? Let's hope that at least, its safety will be improved - you don't want to be caught in a fire around here.


Seun Sangga's silicon belly - on FabLab's floor (BTW: you can also follow me on Vine!)

• Chang-dong - Sanggye (Dobong-gu, Nowon-gu): back to Nowon's most coveted space: the Changdong train depot and the Dobong Driver's License Examination Center form a humongous site in Sanggye-dong*, a densely populated area full of apartment blocks divided in very small units. I've regularly posted about Nowon since my 2006 focus, often about subway projects, and always with this site in mind. Back in 2012, it was envisioned as a coex-style complex (see "Nowon confirmed as Seoul's northeast hub "). Last year, the four sections of the project were detailed: the train depot would become a 'Global Business Zone', the drivers center a 'Start-up Zone', and the two blocks on the other side of Jungnangcheon, in Chang-dong, a 'Global Life Zone' (leveraging on cultural and shopping venues built over the past decade). Now the focus is biotech. Whatever. Because of the real estate pressure, the only way here is up.

Changdong (Dobong-gu), Jungnangcheon, Sanggye (Nowon-gu). And more towers all over.

• Mullae-dong - Yeongdeungpo (Yeongdeungpo-gu): a couple of blocks away from Seoul's Time Square, 'Ironworks alley' (철공소 골목) is not only a fantastic spot for post-industrial photo ops, but also a nest for young artists and designers. Or was, until recently: the usual curse of real estate speculation went even faster than for previous arty neighborhoods.

"Mullae Art Village, a Seoul village like no other (but aren't them all?)" (BTW: you can also follow me on Facebook!)

• Janghanpyeong (Dongdaemun-gu): not exactly Seoul's most glamorous neighborhood (between Jangan-dong and Yongdap-dong, between the Naebu and the Dongbu expressways, West of the Cheonho Bridge knot and North of the water treatment plant), Janghanpyeong is known as a hub for used cars hunters, and that's the way the city wants it to remain. It could have some potential, though, once the water treatment is transformed into a more welcoming park.

All this is supposed to follow the model of a successful urban regeneration (!): Bukchon.

 

And all this is not supposed to bring confusion with the 5 zones presented last month. Seoul districts have been divided into five sectors: Seonamgwon (SW, project in Sangdo-dong, Dongjak-gu), Seobukgwon (NW, project in Sinchon), Dosimgwon (Center), Dongbukgwon (NE, projects in Seongsu-dong, Seondong-gu, and Jangwa-dong, Seongbuk-gu), Dongnamgwon (SE, project in Amsa-dong).

*

To be continued...

• See all posts related to urbanism and urban planning.

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* Yes, Chang-dong is in Dobong-gu, but Nowon split from Dobong in 1988, when the New Town was delivered (after a resistance narrated in Kim Dong-won's great documentary the Sanggye-dong Olympics). Note that Dobong, itself a spin-off from Seongbuk-gu (1973), was later split in two, spawning Gangbuk-gu in 1995.

Foreigners

Hi, I'm Stephane. I live in Seoul and I'm from Africa, just like any other Seoulite, just like any other human being.

My passport says that I'm French, and that's also true. If I were an American citizen, I guess my blue eyes and my facial features would have census officers tick the "Caucasian" box, but in France like in Germany, keeping any kind of race-related record has been illegal ever since the Nazi Occupation. I can't think of any nation that ever succeeded in completely eradicating discriminations and racism (certainly not France), but in most democracies, incitement to ethnic or racial hatred is a crime.

Over the past few days, Seoul's international community has been taken aback by "The Shocking Reality About Relationships With Foreigners" a sensationalistic program recently aired by MBC, one of Korea's top broadcasters. Radiating xenophobia, this short video uses classic propaganda techniques to depict all Foreigners as sexual predators abusing Korean women:



In spite of a legitimate uproar (but without much pressure from fellow mainstream Korean media), MBC executives refused to apologize, claiming this program had been outsourced. So to a major injury to journalistic ethics, they added an insult to editorial ethics.

Note that MBC has already been on damage control mode for years: PD Diary controversies, nomination of a(n also) controversial president (KIM Jae-chul), months of strike... such is the shocking reality about Korean politics. Somehow, the absence of political debate and the inaudibility of moderates from all sides paves the way for pervasive disinformation and corruption.

Let's be very clear:

- This caricature of a program is by no means Korea. It's an insult to Korean values even more than to media ethics, not to mention, of course, to Koreans and to 'foreigners'. Hopefully, moderates are speaking up online* where, in contrast with MBC's negative video, hundreds of positive messages keep piling up, exposing the shocking reality: mixed families living happily in a welcoming nation.

- Yes, this is not the first incident in that vein, but Korean authorities are already investing in public awareness and pedagogy (tolerance, mutual understanding and mutual respect in a multicultural society), in order to prepare the former Hermit Kingdom and new global player for the major demographic challenges ahead**. MBC's video will certainly be a hot topic at the special 2012 Seoul Town Meeting held on Saturday 9.

- If MBC deserves blame and should apologize, we should at the same time praise Korean media when they do the right thing. I have in mind a front page article by the Chosun Ilbo, a couple of weeks ago, denouncing the contradictions of Korean media when they, at the same time if not in the same breath, boasted about the nomination of a Korean-American as the head of the World Bank (Jim Yong KIM), and lambasted the first 'foreign' members of the parliament (Jasmine LEE)***. Over the past months, the Chosun Ilbo has taken a stand for other just causes through long and well searched campaigns, for instance against bullying at school, or more recently against the culture of permissivity for drunkenness (considered an extenuating circumstance even in the most odious crimes). Promoting fairness in the media and praising fair campaigns is another way of exposing all wrongdoings, and it shows the right direction.

- Such regrettable incidents are not specific to Korea. Yes, even here, we might be witnessing a classic "us vs them" imposture: some pseudo-nationalist hatemongers could try to feed their war on Korean democracy by creating a fake "Foreigners vs Koreans" debate. We've already seen them play ping pong with fellow hatemongers in Japan****, and nationalism sells well in times of crisis... I wouldn't be surprised if they slammed as "un-Korean" any Korean media denouncing their imposture...

Here are the actual 'foreigners': an infinitesimal clique of impostors who, from the inside, are trying to estrange Koreans from themselves, spreading confusion, ignorance, and misunderstanding, fueling hatred, in the opposite direction to the nation's Confucian values and peaceful traditions.

To expose these impostors, Korea keeps repeating, every day, the same evidence: love is the answer.

From and to Korea, with love,

Stephane

Seoul Village 2012
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* most notably in the fast growing Facebook group "Action against MBC Korea and their racist, biased "reporting.""
** see for instance: "In 2050, almost 10% of Korea's population will not be Korean"
*** "Korean Xenophobia Betrays Double Standards"
**** I won't list again all the posts, but quote myself nonetheless (that was about the 1000th demonstration of Korean victims of sexual slavery, where I sent back to back ultranationalists from both countries): "This is not about nationalism, and this is certainly not about Korea vs Japan, but about Japan vs Justice, and about Japan vs its own future. Crimes were committed and victims simply expect justice. Japan must face history in order to face the future, and its leaders cannot hide the truth to Japanese citizens any longer. I've said the same thing about other issues: this is also about saving Japan. And if I joined the protesters, it's also because I love Japan and because I can't accept to see a minority of die hard ultra-conservatives setting a corrupt agenda and betraying the Japanese people. And to Korean ultra-nationalists who try to hijack this case for their own corrupt agenda, I say: clean your own mess first, and restore the Truth and Reconciliation Commission". Now this is about Korea vs its own future. To be future-proof, Korea must face its own past, and denounce those who try to conceal it (see "Truth and Reconciliation - Justice at last"). Education is as always key for the future, and I'm very distressed to see History losing ground in Korean schools ("History Loses Place in School Curriculum").

DMC at full throttle - Songdo from Sim City to Sin City ?

Remember our parallel between Seoul Digital Media City and Incheon's Songdo International Business District* ? Both project have been advancing since, with Songdo building everything from scratch, and the DMC enjoying many transfers from other districts.

Even for education : the Japan School in Seoul moved from Gangnam-gu to the DMC in Mapo-gu, while of Chadwick International School in Songdo was a creation. To be fair, Songdo also benefited from a major transfer with Yonsei Songdo Global Academic Complex (SGAC), and the DMC has already created many original landmarks as well.

Once again, the Songdo project is much bigger and complex to fill, even after signing such majors as Samsung (ie recently for a biopharmaceutical unit). The local press made a fuss about the recent visit of Vegas casino operators, and Grand Korea Leisure, who operate 7 Luck Casino in Seoul, are considering Jeju or Songdo for a second spot... A new Macau much closer to Shanghai and Beijing ?

Meanwhile, leveraging on Seoul Metropolitan Government's determination to create an international multimedia cluster**, the DMC recently received the confirmation from seven major multimedia groups, including JoongAng, back to the broadcasting arena with growing ambitions. Of course, JoongAng Broadcasting Corporation (JoongAng Media Network) already operated Cartoon Network, J Golf, or Q Channel, but the group lost its leadership after the Tongyang Broadcasting Company breakup (note the new entertainment channel brand, jTBC, as an echo to the pre-1980s). The group also purchased CINUS theaters via Isplus (Ilgan Sports).

Korea's biggest media group already moved to the DMC a long time ago : CJ E&M (CJ Entertainment & Media, formerly O Media Holdings) now regroups all the chaebol's media assets, creating a major in music (Mnet, CJ E&M Music.Live, FNC Music, Good Concert, Jisan Valley Rock Festival, Global Gathering...), movies (CJ Entertainment, CGV...), media (CJ Media, On Media, OCN, chCGV, Story On, tvN, OnStyle, NGC Korea, XTM, Olive, CJ O Shopping, CJ Internet...), and games (CJ E&M Games, BiCore, Netmarble...).

Yet the competition is not just national anymore. And there too, Seoul and Incheon are definitely putting more chips on the table...

Seoul Village 2011

* "Seoul Digital Media City Tour"
** see more recently "DMC aims at Tinseltown - welcome to Hallyuwood !".