Magok updates

Last month, ULI organized a presentation of Magok District, starting with an update by SH Corporation, and a visit of the recently inaugurated Seoul Botanic Park, the most significant addition to the puzzle since our 3-part, May 2018 focus (Framing Magok (Part I - Location) / Magok's horizontal verticals (Part II - Cluster) / Magok's lifespace (Part III - Environment)).

'Definitely a greenhouse, and the effect that comes with one. Inside Seoul Botanic Park / 서울식물원. Magok District Seoul' (20190528 - https://twitter.com/theseoulvillage/status/1133291466761969665)

As expected (see the second part of that focus), bringing big players in innovation proved much easier than building a diverse and open startup ecosystem, which requires among other things a vision, planning, and free urban spaces for creativity to bloom. SH decided to devote a stretch along the waterway to a more open neighborhood (명소화거리). Let's hope it will remain low rise, not overly scripted, and free from the usual storytelling and franchises. 

Like the MICE strategy, this happens very late in the process. I couldn't help but think about Canal Walk. Cornerstone hot spots like this new street or the Magok Square should be ready from day one, with the rest of the city revolving around them, not a just final touch supposed to add some sort of soul to a big development.

As I put it in the DMC-Songdo parallel, particularly for a New Town, 'sequence is of the essence'.

'Urban planning sans urban planning. This is where Magok District's 명소화거리 will rise. A potential cornerstone for the whole neighborhood, unfortunately added very late in the project, like Sondo's CanalWalk. Hope it will be low rise, not flashy, but sustainable' (20190528 - https://twitter.com/theseoulvillage/status/1133291466279702528)

Seoul Village 2019
Welcome to our Korean Errlines! Follow Seoul Village on Facebook and Twitter, follow me on Instagram.

Add this page to your favorites
.

Riding along 'horizontal verticals' in Magok District (Part III)

This is the final part of my focus on Magok District:

1. Framing Magok (Part I - Location)
2. Magok's horizontal verticals (Part II - Cluster)
3. Magok's lifespace (Part III - Environment)

The future Seoul Botanic Park will feature 3,0000 plant species (its flower-shaped indoor facility - bottom right - is already visible from a distance).

***

3) Magok's lifespace


If Gangseo-gu is not an usual darling for real estate speculators, Magok scores much better than most Seoul neighborhoods. Beyond its potential and dynamics in terms of location, connectivity, or research hub, people seem to believe in its quality of life, and to trust SH Corporation for delivering the goods.

Rebranded two years ago Seoul Housing and Communities Corporation*, this public institution has led the development from its early stages, with a mandate to put families, environment and sustainable mobility at the core of the project, a clear difference with other innovation clusters where business preempted everything.

Seoul Business Agency (SBA) did play a central role in Magok as it did in the DMC, but in the latter, residential developments were secondary, and not considered as a key factor of success. And we saw how the Gale International - Posco tandem struggled in Songdo.

Pangyo too enjoyed a partnership between national and local authorities for its Pangyo Techno Valley (Gyeonggi Institute of Science and Technology Promotion established in 2010), but for its residential areas, it only had to surf on the Bundang wave, and from the start flush with private money, that very hyped 'New Town' got 'blessed' with more than a few luxury residences.

Like Pangyo, Magok started essentially from scratch. Revamping Guro Digital Complex, and supporting its evolution into a XXIst century G-Valley demands different efforts from Seoul and Kicox (Korea Industrial Complex Corporation).

Magok wasn't dragged down by ailing neighborhoods in need of regeneration. The central role of public authorities is a guarantee that everybody will profit, not a sign of destitution. I don't think Magok will become as 'bling-bling' as Eastern Gangnam either, but I don't see that as an inconvenient.

* 

How does this 'common good' approach translate into the landscape? For instance, beyond the central park, you don't have a collection of green spaces, each one managed by a gated apartment complex, but neighborhood parks connected by green corridors between open blocks. Branded M-Valley by SH Corporation, the residential complexes remain relatively low rise compared to other recent projects this side of the Han River, keeping in mind that this is a first development. Even if we're still in the classic 'apateu' model, there could be a greater sense of open community than in Pangyo's luxury town houses or from the top of a Songdo penthouse...

The green corridors are wider than Yeonnam-dong's 'Yeontral Park' (the Gyeongui Line Forest Trail), but without the streets, shops or restaurants on their sides, and only a few tables to picnic here and there, which minimizes noise pollution for the residents.

As I noticed before, along large sections of Seoul Botanic Park, blocks devoted to research centers sit right across the street (e.g. for the moment LG Science Park and Kolon One and Only Tower), which could be seen as a form of privatization, but could also become a motivation for them to open up, to let visitors roam their own land, to propose services that would flourish along the frontline in probably more anarchic ways, to blur the lines of a strict zoning. 

Tadao Ando's LG Art Center (see part II) provides a clearer example of how local communities can benefit from private infrastructure: parts of the program will involve residents, and the venue will eventually belong to Seoul city. 

For the moment, residential and research blocks stand out, and local businesses mostly develop around subway stations. The first significant hotel to open in the neighborhood mirrors its positioning: overlooking the park, Courtyard by Marriott is not the chain's most luxury brand, but provides quality stays for both business people and families.

*

Seoul issued guidelines and specs early in the project to make sure that environment, accessibility, or bicycle lanes were taken into account:

Water collection and filtering systems embedded in the buildings, roads, or parks

Accessibility and security at pedestrian crossings

Pedestrian crossings again, this time for bicycle lanes, always a tricky moment for cyclists

With its flatness and absence of major disruptors in its core (hills, river, railways, highways**), Magok District is perfect for cycling. 40% of all roads will have dedicated lanes, in a continuous network connecting the new neighborhood and its Seoul Botanic Park to the Hangang backbone. Beyond a 'Ddareungi' special zone facilitating commuting and leisure rides, or many bike parking facilities, four bike storage systems will be available at subway stations.

Bicycle-friendly Magok (left, one of the green diagonal corridors between apartment blocks - right, a protected bike lane that could be wider, like for instance the one along Seongmisan-ro in Seongsan-dong).

Magok's bicycle network

So it seems that even in this early stage, Magok is aiming at to the vision I finished my 2013 update with (see 'Magok District on cruise mode'):

"Now the most important remains to give some soul and consistence to this alleywayless place. You want to see residents and researchers venture beyond their homes and campuses, roam the streets, enjoy the city. The park and diagonal canal can give purpose, but let's not forget to optimize every single street for pedestrians and bicycles, make this neighborhood a destination from all directions, in continuity with Hangang Park, and the new neighboring communities (Banghwa, Balsan...)."

*

As usual, as an urbanist, I would have done things differently; Magok District doesn't signal a revolution in the Korean New Town or the Korean innovation cluster models. Yet it redefines Gangseo-gu, and beyond Southwest Seoul. It might even demonstrate that a big residential and business project South of the Han River can succeed without arrogance. What matters is that, ultimately, people live happily together in a place where trees, bicycles, and fellow earthlings are welcome.

Seoul Village 2018
Welcome to our Korean Errlines! Follow Seoul Village on Facebook and Twitter

.
* see "Seoul summerscapes: death, taxes, and budongsan" 
** if Gonghangdae-ro is a wide and busy axis, it can't be compared to the Gyeongbu Expressway that separates Seopangyo and Dongpangyo

Riding along 'horizontal verticals' in Magok District (Part II)

This is the second part of my focus on Magok District:

1. Framing Magok (Part I - Location)
2. Magok's horizontal verticals (Part II - Cluster)
3. Magok's lifespace (Part III - Environment)

***

2) Magok's horizontal verticals

In the first part we saw how, by its simple location and connectivity, Magok District enjoyed key assets for a business hub. In the third one, we'll see if its environment can, as advertised, attract researchers and creative minds. Here, we'll focus on the innovation cluster promise.

The signature used in recent advertorials sounds familiar, and as usual with previous Korean projects sharing similar ambitions in the past, 'Korean Silicon Valley Magok' ("한국의 실리콘밸리 마곡") is supposed to create a haven where big fish and small fry cohabit. But as usual, chaebol struggle to envision innovation clusters beyond proprietary ecosystems, which can become a major hurdle for diversity and creativity (see "Redrawing Korean Maps - Innovation Clusters").

Magok doesn't aim at aggregating value around business 'verticals' like the Sangam DMC, conceived as the name suggests for media and entertainment, or even Songdo, when it was desperately looking for a way to reboot and better market itself. Here, we're into 'convergence and fusion technology', more in the Pangyo Techno Valley vein, but with a stronger industrial - manufacturing touch.

As the first big fish to sign for this former swampy rice paddy area, LG Group set the tone for 'convergence and fusion', pooling Research and Development teams from key subsidiaries (LG Electronics, LG Chem, LG Display...) in its LG Science Park complex (18 buildings, capacity of 25,000 employees) to better tackle such challenges as robotics or A.I.. Similarly, Lotte Group is looking for new synergies between Lotte Food, Lotte Confectionery, Lotte Chilsung Beverage, and Lotteria...

Should we dub this higher stage of chaebolism 'horizontal verticals'?

Clockwise, the site of Tadao Ando's future LG Art Center / LG Science Hall, LG Science Park's ISC (Integrated Support Center), Kolon One and Only Tower.

LG Science Park Integrated Support Center (www.instagram.com/p/Bi8rK-slfWJ)

LG also provides the neighborhood with a cultural venue designed by Tadao Ando. The new LG Art Center will open in 2020 on Magokjungang 10-gil, across the LG Science Park and next to the park itself. The group will operate the theater for thirty years before offering it to Seoul city.

It's way too early to judge this new ecosystem, particularly since, like in the DMC, small players are supposed to join after the big ones. Urbanism and architecture can give us clues about the potential, though. For instance, LG Science Park can look like series of containers from a distance, but many buildings are porous, with atria and green walkways, giving the ensemble a campus-like touch, more open to its surroundings than other, more monolithic centers.

Unlike the actual Silicon Valley, where most companies of all sizes and shapes settled in existing urban or peri-urban environments, this research complex consists of contiguous lots, most of which will be developed by one powerful player. So if you're having a coffee in the Eastern half of Magok District, chances are it will be in a building owned by one of those, which may alter the way you pitch your startup over a cup of java.

***

If Magok District will welcome garage startups, they are not its main target. The aim is to boost innovative research in industries that do have fuzzy edges, but also complex cores and cycles, and it already signed enough significant players to succeed. More will want to join in a site ideally located for logistics and within the capital city, but quality of life will also be a factor. Ideally, Magok's environment must stimulate creativity, but in not necessarily too 'speedy' and disruptive ways. 

Is it likely to deliver? That's what we'll check in our last part of this focus.
 
Seoul Village 2018
Welcome to our Korean Errlines! Follow Seoul Village on Facebook and Twitter

Add this page to your favorites
.

Riding along 'horizontal verticals' in Magok District (Part I)

As we've seen before*, Magok District deserves specific attention as Seoul's last big chunk of undeveloped land (until they decide to chop off all remaining mountains), and one of Korea's ambitious innovation clusters.

If new pieces keep being added every now and then to this urban jigsaw puzzle, recent weeks have seen major developments and PR operations, particularly with the inauguration of LG Science Park by MOON Jae-in, two years after PARK Geun-hye's speech at its groundbreaking ceremony. Of course, since many initiatives in Korea boil down to real estate, a lot of this PR aims at promoting new residences in a neighborhood that's been rather overperforming the market.

Time seems ripe for an update on Magok's narrative, reality, and fundamentals. Could it mark an evolution in Seoul's postwar urbanism (for the big picture, see 'Inhuman, all too human Seoul')? Certainly not a real disruption, since in many ways it remains a classic, zoned Korean 'New Town'. And the focus being on business, let's see how this 'swamp thing' can compares to - or coopetes with? - neighborhoods I've seen rise from a landfill (Digital Media City), the sea (Songdo), or a valley (Pangyo).

Like my 2013 focus on the DMC and Songdo***, I'll slice this one into 3 pieces:

1. Framing Magok (Part I - Location)
2. Magok's horizontal verticals (Part II - Cluster)
3. Magok's lifespace (Part III - Environment)

'Magok's future Seoul Botanic Park' (20180518 - www.instagram.com/p/Bi6Wi5illxo)

***

1) Framing Magok

What better image to help you grasp the scale and level of completion of the 3.6 M square meter Magok District than this recent aerial view?

Magok District from above in 2017 (Seoul Metropolitan Government)

Stretching over Magok-dong and Gayang-dong, Magok District lies at the very heart of Gangseo-gu, which badly needed a center to make better sense. It's articulated around the gu's backbone: its road to Gimpo Airport, Gonghang-daero.

• To the West: Banghwa-daero, Banghwa New Town, and Gonghang-dong which hosts the airport. 
• To the North: Olympic Expressway and the Han River. 
• To the East: Gangseo-ro (East), and Deungchon-dong. 
• To the South: the new Balsan District and Gangseo Agricultural and Marine Products Market.

Actually, only a tendril of Seoul Botanic Park - but a most essential one - reaches the Han River. Most of the district remains under Yangcheon-ro, blocked to the West by the Seonam Water Recycling Center, and to the East by Gungsan, a cute hill which I hope will be preserved, along with the village at its feet.

Magok's four defining dimensions were 'industrial', 'business and commercial', 'residential', 'parks and green', with zones clearly visible from the initial masterplan:

Within the district, three main axes have been created to border its 503,000 sqm park:

• Magokjungang-ro to the West, with Magok Station (Line 5) at the intersection with Gonghangdaero, and Magongnaru Station (Line 9, and soon AREX) to split what's North of it into two even parts. If Gongangdaero is as wide as a highway, Magongnaru area is booming around the relatively narrow winding road leading to previously developed Banghwa-dong. 
• The much quieter Magokdong-ro to the East separates for the moment two LG research blocks, with Kolon's spectacular One and Only Tower (!) at the interection with the third axis.
• Magokjungang 10-gil marks the park's Southern border, with LG Science Park on the frontline (obviously, LG's L still stands for Lucky; the early bird did catch the worm).

So this is basically the frame being filled step by step...

'#MagokDistrict map keeps filling up (ad in my mailbox)' (20141207 - twitter.com/theseoulvillage/status/541499306344448000)

 ... its central park still missing, but continuously advertised as a key asset:

***

Keep in mind this brief framing of Magok District when we move on to its business purpose (Part II) and living environment (Part III). It already reveals precious advantages:

• a simple, compact, and flat map
• seamlessly integrated to its urban vicinity, unlike Songdo, or even Pangyo (highway) and the DMC (railway). As you know, I value "urban continuity" as a key factor of success.
• even if it's located in the capital's far west, Magok District is very close to the airport (a clear advantage over Pangyo for instance), but also directly connected to the historic center (Gwanghwamun via Line 5), and to key business hubs (e.g. Yeouido, Yeongdongdaero via Bongeunsa Line 9). When AREX opens at Magongnaru Station, the synergies with DMC and Guro Digital Complex, both one stop away, will be even easier.
• in spite of the Olympic Expressway, Magok provides a unique corridor to the Han River, and its park enjoys relatively little competition in a wide radius. Can it bring Gangseo-gu's half million inhabitants closer together, and reach beyond?

Seoul Village 2018
Welcome to our Korean Errlines! Follow Seoul Village on Facebook and Twitter

Add this page to your favorites

* e.g. "Magok District on cruise mode", "Magok District: SIM City as in "Seoul Intra Muros"? Alleyways as in "Seoul Inter Muros"?", all posts related to Magok District.
** "Songdo, DMC: sequence is of the essence (Part I)", "Part II", "Part III"

Magok District on cruise mode

Since last January's focus ("Magok District: SIM City as in "Seoul Intra Muros"? Alleyways as in "Seoul Inter Muros"?"), Magok District has steadily made the headlines, most notably:

• Business: extension of the LG Science Park project (from 130 to 170,000 sqm, and from 20 to 30,000 Research and Development staff)

At the core of the business district project. New batches of lots are regularly being proposed.

 

• Environment: Seoul city announced for 2016 an eco park combining a lake with a 60,000 sqm urban botanical garden, in addition to wetlands

Forget about the costly and futuristic waterfront project. This ecosystem will host 5,000 species, and might draw researchers as well as tourists.

• Public spaces: selection of Wooridongjin Architects for Magok Central Plaza

A sunken plaza reaching across the street, hopefully more open than the Coex mall patio. Now the neighborhood also needs to care about pedestrians at street level, and this diagonal canal has an interesting potential.

• Commercial and service areas: Shinsegae just signed for a new site connected to the subway. Earlier, Ehwa Hospital confirmed the move from Dongdaemun Gate to Magok.

• Residential areas: emboldened by last July's successful launches, developers started a rather off-the-wall campaign for the new residential blocks (if the visuals are deja vu, you don't often see 'stupid' splashed on the headline of a real estate ad in this town):

The 3 dumb real estate investors: the one who doesn't know Magok, the one who knows Magok but is not interested, the one who knows Magok, is interested, but doesn't buy

 

 

•  ...

The new district is step by step completing its puzzle, leveraging on key assets: Seoul intra muros, the Gimpo airport connection, the DMC-Magok-Guro triangle..., and of course major public transit infrastructures - particularly subway stations - that have been laid out first, far ahead of the inauguration (unlike for most new towns, or Sondgo IBD).

Now the most important remains to give some soul and consistence to this alleywayless place. You want to see residents and researchers venture beyond their homes and campuses, roam the streets, enjoy the city. The park and diagonal canal can give purpose, but let's not forget to optimize every single street for pedestrians and bicycles, make this neighborhood a destination from all directions, in continuity with Hangang Park, and the new neighboring communities (Banghwa, Balsan...).
 
 
Seoul Village 2013
Welcome to our Korean Errlines! Follow Seoul Village on Facebook and Twitter

Add this page to your favorites

Magok District: SIM City as in "Seoul Intra Muros"? Alleyways as in "Seoul Inter Muros"?

I know, Gangnam Style is so 2012, and here we are, starting 2013 on the same side of the river.

Same side, but different neighborhood: Gangseo-gu doesn't look as sexy as PSY's lair, and the Lotte Mall Gimpo Airport as bling bling as Cheongdam-dong boutiques. Yet here as well, plastic surgery is underway on a grand scale.

Seoul's westernmost district is the place where I first set foot in Korea. In 1991, "Kimpo Airport" still ruled as Korea's main international gateway*, and since Seoul Subway Line 5 would only be inaugurated four years later, everybody reached the capital via the airport road (now Gonghang-daero); a rather unspectacular journey through a peri-urban to sub-urban landscape featuring fields, farms, scattered low-rise buildings, and one plastic dummy traffic cop supposed to scare the fast and the furious away.

Last spring, I taped this boring scene from a cab on the same road, but in the opposite direction:




Between Balsan Station and Songjeong Station (Subway Line 5), all you could see for 2 km were crane tops emerging behind these grey construction fences. Halfway, Magok Station remained closed. Like the yet-to-be-inaugurated Magongnaru Station, a couple of blocks to the north, on the parallel Seoul Subway Line 9 (between Yangcheon Hyanggyo Station and Sinbanghwa Station). The two ghost stations - three if you take into account the fact that Magongnaru is also on the AREX line - lie in the middle of the future Magok District, one of the biggest and least advertised urban developments in Seoul.

You would think a project covering 0.6% of the capital city (3.6 million square meters in Magok-dong and Gayang-dong) would get some attention, but Magok has been droning below the radar for years.

To be fair, there was a decent embryo of buzzlet back in 2005, when the MRC (Magok Research and Development City) was announced, and the buzzwords of the day thrown in for good measure ("green", "U-city", "hub", "international business complex", "knowlegde industry complex"...). As if local authorities had suddenly realized that they'd been sitting on a goldmine for too long, like: everybody's building a global hub in this country except us, and we've got this vast piece of land in Seoul intra muros, next to an international airport, with a unique air-water-land combo**. Let's build and they will come. All we have to do is to make sure we've got dwellings, businesses, industries, and a "Central Park" - foreigners love central parks. 

So everything was set: between 2007 and 2014, SH Corporation would erect yet another successful new town in the country of the perennial real estate miracle.

But even before Lehman hit the fan, no one seemed to care. Pangyo New Town was still the media darling, and Incheon city marketing Songdo, a similar concept on steroids: 6.1 M square meters vs 3.6, the sea vs the river, Incheon Airport vs Gimpo Airport, Gale Intl + Posco vs SH..., and an even bigger "Central Park".

We've already seen how Songdo struggled in the past***. And Magok District was not even the priority for Seoul Metropolitan Government, which had first to launch the Digital Media City, or more recently the International Finance Center (not to mention yet other fishes to fry, such as the Gongneung Future Industry Technology Complex).

But MRC was more than a mere background task. It had an important part to play in the Seoul 2020 Vision, and in 2008, an international design competition generated spectacular proposals for the future Magok Waterfront, reviving the hope to see things happen in spite of the gloomy context. Two years later, development plans had been revamped, paving the way for a more consistent construction kick-off in 2011. I really felt something big was coming last september, when I chatted with the head of Seoul Business Agency before the conference for the 10th anniversary of the DMC project****. He confirmed the city's determination for Magok, and his confidence seemed genuine.

Last November, Seoul Metropolitan City started offering parcels for Magok Industrial Complex: the future research hub (IT / Information Technology, BT / Bio Technology, GT / Green Technology, NT / Nano Technology...) will cover a fifth of the district and a 2007-2031 timeframe. Seven companies were later selected for further discussions, and the first really big media bang came on December 13, when LG Group signed for 6 of his research units and 14,000 researchers by 2020. Note that this chaebol had already been involved in this future "smart city" through its LG CNS subsidiary, designing a "Smart Green Control Center" in partnership with IBM.

Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering and E-Land were listed among the other hot prospects; not exactly poster boys for the above mentioned technologies, but very significant players nonetheless, particularly considering DSME's growing ambitions in defence. Now the focus is on signing an international player to confirm this excellent first draft.

Generally speaking, if you're into IT-media-telecom convergence, there are worst places in the world to open a R and D unit than this part of Seoul. Mapo's Digital Media City and the Guro Digital Industrial Complex are quite close, and the LG-SMG deal already includes at least two gems: LG Electronics and LG Display (these guys will probably meet their LG Telecom friends in the DMC more often than indie start-ups in Guro but that's their problem).

Note that in the fierce coopetition among major business hubs in Korea and particularly across Sudogwon region (Seoul - Incheon - Gyeonggi-do), the "Seoul Intra Muros" dimension in itself has become again a key factor of differenciation, particularly to recruit talents who would rather stay in the capital than move to a distant "greenfield new town". E-Land highlighted this HR premium in its own Magok's plus column... where "cost of land" certainly ranks higher than "culture" (with all respect due to Yangcheon Hyanggyo).

I won't repeat my usual pitch about the non-zero-sum-game of Korean new towns (see for instance "Wet eyes for wetlands and urban mirages"), but we're not just talking about business here. People will live and breathe in Magok District, not just work. There's enough space and time to get it right, and I'd like Magok to achieve something different, something more ambitious in the noble sense of the term than the DMC which, architecturally and street-wise, could almost be any business district in any big city. 

On this rendering where Seoul Housing Corporation mercifully banned very high rise buildings and added more green (BTW will they dare destroy the beautiful tree line that somewhat managed to survive in the video above?), Magok District almost looks like any New Town:

Even more so when you look at the ad:

Guess what: Seoul is not a new town. Furthermore, a neighborhood needs a soul of its own, must belong to a certain continuum, and souldn't be overly scripted: if urban planners do all the storytelling, how can citizens hear their own voices, write their own stories?

And Seoul needs alleyways. By "alleyways", I don't necessarily mean the last capillaries irrigating the actual "Seoul Intra Muros" ("Sadaemun", the original city surrounded by its fortress), but also the kind of inclusions that extend Seoul, the places where the city can freely and randomly stretch, grow more complex, and reach deeper, these intimate scars where your own mind can't help but wander.

This so special "Seoul Inter Muros".


Seoul Village 2012
Welcome to our Korean Errlines! Follow Seoul Village on Facebook and Twitter

* The earthwork was just starting for the merger of the two islands that would eventually host Incheon Airport (we used a ferry to reach them and a bus to go all the way to Eunwangni). Reminder: Gimpo Airport is not in Gimpo city, Gyeonggi-do, but within Seoul limits, in Gangseo-gu, a district that happens to border both Gimpo and Incheon cities (not to mention Bucheon and - via the Banghwa Bridge - Goyang, also in Gyeonggi-do).
** Air: Gimpo Airport / Water: Han River + a vertical streamlet potentially upgradable into a marina or else / Land: SW Gyeonggi and Incheon entry point + major highways + Olympic Expressway + Subways...
*** and succeeded as well (see "Songdo on the world map (Green Climate Fund)", and all posts related to Songdo)
**** about this event, see "Korean culture or Hallyu, Cultural contents or discontents"

Korean culture or Hallyu, Cultural contents or discontents

Ahead of last week, I planned to write one post on each one of these 3 events...

• Tuesday, September 11: the 7th Seoul International Media Art Biennale* starts at SeMA Seosomun and across the city under a screamingjayhawkinsian theme: "Spell on you":

 

• Thursday, September 13: DMC 10th Anniversary International Symposium and 2012 Seoul DMC Culture Open. Korea's main multimedia and entertainment cluster will succeed once all majors have joined Sangam, provided they accept to share value with truly independent start-ups**:

• Friday, September 14: conference at the Institut Francais de Coree, "Strategies de globalisation du cinéma coréen et Hallyu" ("Globalization Strategies for Korean cinema and Hallyu") with French thinker Guy Sorman and Korean movie brain KIM Dong-ho (actor slash producer slash founding director of PIFF/BIFF/Busan International Film Festival), moderated by RYU Jin-lyong, Director of the Hallyu Knowledge Center at the Catholic University of Korea. Ever the optimistic "free-marketer", Sorman believes in the power of individual creators. Kim knows better and understands what it takes to support culture. Note that France is the third market for Korean movies after Korea and the US, and the place where the first major K-pop concert in Europe was organized (SM Entertainment with the support of the Korean government). Of course, everybody agreed on the irrelevance of "Hallyu" / "Korean wave" as an umbrella brand for Korean culture, and on these evidences:
  - you don't want to watch a Korean movie because it's Korean, you want to watch good movies
  - culture and nationalism never mix well

... not to mention this fourth event, which I felt no need to write about...

• Saturday, September 8: KIM Ki-duk's "Pieta" wins Golden Lion for Best Film at la Mostra in Venice. The first time a Korean movie ever wins a top prize in a major festival. Park Chan-wook's "Oldboy" would have won the Palme d'Or in Cannes in 2004, had there been no US elections later that year: Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11" clearly received a push to balance Bush-Cheney's Weapons of Mass Disinformation.

... or of course this summer's hit, about to break the 200M view barrier on YouTube:

• Psy's horsing around satire of "Gangnam Style" (as far as I'm concerned, it's still the bicycle, and Stephane Jongno Style - 스테판 종로 스타일!):

I eventually decided to serve all 5 at once, "bibim" (bibim pop culture?). Not because I'm a lazy fella, but because together, they tell a lot about the strengths and weaknesses of Korean culture today.

The point? Korean culture is very much alive and kicking, thank you, and there are many reasons to believe that the future is even brighter, but the ecosystem is not totally sound, and it could become even stronger, more creative, and more sustainable.

Before moving to Korea from France, 21 years ago, I had a tough time reaching for Korean culture (or rather "Korean civilization", as Sorman is right to emphasize). I had the chance, as a kid, to own a book of traditional Korean tales, and as a student, to have met a few Koreans and expats who'd lived there. But even in Paris, home to "Langues O" or Musee Guimet, you had to dig deep. Heck. Even after landing in Seoul I felt frustrated: the first day, if it weren't for that courtesy visit to the office downtown, I wouldn't have caught a glimpse of Namdaemun in that - already back then - sea of high rise buildings.

Now, Seoul's cultural assets are much more highlighted. And now that the whole world is one click away, a Psy can Gangnamstylize tens of millions of people within a few days. Koreanity / Koreanhood / Koreanness / Koreanitude reaches beyond Korean nationals and expats, and millions declare unconditional love for the country even without having set foot in the Peninsula. But precisely, because the whole world is one click away, the fad can pass, the wave recede, or even turn into something negative: if a wavelet can be cute, a tsunami is rarely welcome.

Consider this: the Korean movie industry partly owes its boom to Hollywood. As a reaction to US lobbies who pushed harder into the country, it received a support similar to that of cinema in France, and it's no wonder both countries boast strong market shares for local productions. So much for the "invisible hand" of the market, Mr Sorman.

Anyway, Korea is progressively emerging. If not as a consistent global player, at least by sending more often visible signals in most cultural fields. To name a few:

- Language. At the same time the most important cultural asset for any people, and the most challenging task for Korea (even Koreans have a tough time mastering this beautiful tool). The trend is obviously very positive, with a boom in the number of people studying the language. But to go even further, pedagogy must improve, and it will necessarily as the base grows. And it is essential to reach beyond the minority target likely to get involved and learn the language. For that, Korea can leverage key assets, and must raise the awareness of Hangeul, a linguistic wonder, and Tripitaka Koreana, also a technological marvel... preferably a more subtle way than the Hunminjeongeum Society way***. Korean vocabulary must also permeate other languages, as naturally and peacefully as possible. Such popular culture as music is a good entry point (the "style" in Psy's title is relevant for the song but a missed opportunity for that purpose), but why not start by harmonizing the spelling of popular foods? Which brings us to the second domain...

- Food. I won't repeat my usual pitch**** on this vital dimension of Korean culture, arguably its best chance of shining durably. The globalization of Korean cuisine is now clearly identified as a major project, and Korean "brands" are getting more visible (dishes, industrial products, ingredients, restaurant chains...), but the political will doesn't always translate in tangible results. Among the most interesting "quality" trends: the rise of slow food and 'appellations', the invitation of world chefs to discover and adapt Korean cuisine and its ingredients... The future lies in the hands of amateur cooks across the globe, and on millions of palates, far beyond those of connoisseurs. And yes, street foods are as important as the finest dishes.

- Land. Korea is at last becoming a touristic destination, and every year visitors discover new dimensions beyond K-drama hotspots and UNESCO landmarks. From Boryeong Mud Festival to Temple Stay, the whole spectrum is covered. All major international editors have now produced guides, and the literature about the country has boomed everywhere. I can't believe the number of magazines and blogs covering every dimensions of Korea. When I started this excuse for a site, I would never have dreamed to see a blog devoted to Seoul subway station neighborhoods (the excellent Seoul SubUrban - seoulsuburban.com), or so many sites gathering so many great pictures of Seoul's fascinating alleyways. And like everywhere else, the democratisation of SNS, imaging tools, location based services enabled an always on process of mapping, recording, tracking - another reason why, for instance, I don't need to post about restaurants anymore. 20 years ago it was almost impossible to find pictures of old Seoul, and now the city does a terrific job at compiling its archives (see "Seoul Through Pictures 6", "Seoul from above : 40 years of archives soon available"...). I'm also glad to see Seoul city's official Facebook page move progressively away from the K-pop bubble and propose series of photos showing all different aspects of the city, even less glamour ones.

- Music. Saying that The Noraebang Nation loves music is an euphemism. But it's significant to notice the differences between "artisans" and "creators": on one hand world class musicians, directors, and voices, on the other few composers or writers really well known abroad. Personally, my favorite Korean song is LEE Mi-ja's "동백아가씨" ("Dongbaek agassi"), a trot that would sound corny as hell if it weren't for LEE's haunting voice. Of course there are great composers and writers, but vibrant democracy activist anthems belong to the past, and if the indie tradition remains, that side of Korean culture is not really well known overseas. Korea is nonetheless becoming a place where important things happen, with a vibrant rock festival scene, and systematic stops for the world tour of top names, from Lady Gaga to Robert Zimmerman (see "Bob Dylan knock knock knockin' on Seoul's door"). Mind if I don't mention K-pop? Actually nowadays, many K-pop hits are composed by non-Koreans - unlike Seo Taeji's "Nan Arayo!", a hit that crossed the frontiers long before the nip and tuck factory (SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment) started mass producing dancing clones for export markets. Anyone can make it on YouTube and the success of PSY is a refreshing break, but this virtual horse rider does belong to a major stable.

 

- Performing arts. Definitely a strong point for Korea, particularly when you mix dance and voice. From Korean drums to Nanta, from mask dances and shamanic 'gut' to b-boy, from Pansori to K-pop... Yes, that's where I put K-pop, a popular kind of performing art where dance and surgically enhanced masks matter more than music itself*****. Even RAIN is better known for his looks and dance than for his songs, which he writes himself. Note that if the country can boast a strong tradition of festivals nationwide, it has not yet become a place where international artists create major works. It shouldn't be long though, and not just for a question of infrastructure (see previous episodes of the Seoul opera drama).

- Plastic arts. Forty years later, PAIK Nam-june remains the country's only artist with a global star status, and he was not recognized home until the dictature he fled fell. But many creators deserve critical acclaim, Seoul and Korea are a place to be (see "SeMA to block blockbusters"), and there's a lot of money around. Of course, as is too often the case with contemporary art worldwide, outsiders have a tough time getting their chance. But the ecosystem seems very strong, and all bases are covered: young talents, galleries, museums, patrons, exhibitions... And creatively speaking, the tradition-modernity continuum is perfectly working. 

- Cinema. Hallyuwood has never been stronger, and its future headquarters, the DMC, is not even fully operational. BIFF contributes to fuel the influence of an emerging Asian champion. Popular filmmakers and actors are getting international recognition (Park Chan-wook, Bong Joon-ho, Choi Min-sik, Song Kang-ho, Jeon Do-yeon...), even if it's a total outsider who caught the spotlights this year: KIM Ki-duk has always been rejected by Korea and recognized by Europe. Korean auteurs regularly receive critical acclaim in international festivals, and there seems to be room for everybody. Yet the system is dominated by very strong players who sometimes deprive creators from their authors' rights, because they're simply used to take all the value, not to share and nurture it.

- Literature. With SHIN Kyung-sook's "Please Look After Mom", Korea now holds an international bestseller. A silver lining in a country plagued by an education system that destroys creativity and all apetite for reading "non-useful" stuff (see "Seoul village libraries"). Among the interesting trends: more visibility for national treasures, a renewed interest for major XXth century authors...

- Media, Broadcasting. Korean media are not yet recognized as major global players, but media concentration has considerably increased under LEE's presidency, and traditional Korean broadcasters have gained visibility overseas, in particular with Arirang and KBS World, sending regular waves to the most distant shores. Among potential global powerhouses, CJ Group can leverage a full control of the value chain at home (production, distribution, broadcasting,...). The quality of contents is an issue: K-dramas are more consumer goods than timeless masterpieces; good exports in the short term, liabilities for the image if nothing comes next. The Land of Netizens has brought major innovations in the online media landscape (ie Ohmynews, Cyworld), but always struggled when it came to build truly international platforms.

- I could go on for years. Among other dimensions:
. Sports. The successes at the Olympic Games, the World Cup, or golf tournaments are fine, but Taekwondo played a very important role in the diffusion of the culture. I remember my surprise the first time I heard all the Korean words my teenage nefew learned in France along with the sport. Sports was also the medium that accelerated a minor yet significant cultural change: Western newscasters were criticized for not pronouncing Korean names correctly, and the right order prevailed at the turn of the millenium.
. Games are another interesting entry point. Unfortunately, the popular MMORPG invented in Korea, Lineage, has no reference to Korean culture whatsoever.
. Intangible assets. Korea protects its Great Masters, but a little bit too much. The cult of "wonjo" ("original") is a drag for the evolution to new levels, and the old masters are idolized to the point they have no contact with younger talents nor time to teach and pass the knowledge to the next generations. Han-dicrafts are han-dicapped.
. Architecture. The ondol and hanok revival also reaches beyond borders, and old techniques are successfully adapted to modern architecture. All the big names of architecture have produced one or several buildings in Seoul, but Korean architects are not famous overseas. Except for some interior design and a few really creative people who were allowed to toy around on a smaller scale, no wonder if you consider most landmarks.
. ...

Of course, all this is very subjective, selective, reductive, but the trends seem clear: globalization is under way, but more could be done to boost diversity and creativity, and to develop pedagogy / awareness / opportunities for the public.

Among the things I'd like to see:
- a reform of education (see previous posts)
- more sub-titles for Korean movies: Seoul is multiplying foreigner-friendly theaters and that's great, but with IPTV all Korean movies should be available with this feature. I'd watch ten times more Korean movies if this simple revolution happened.
- more context in the promotion of Korean contents, an historic perspective, keys for neophytes to visualize the cultural continuum
- guarantees for authors and creators: scenarists should be credited and keep their authors' rights, artists should get the fair payment for their work, not just feel grateful for being exposed.
- and most urgently, a licensing system that specifies the duties of broadcasters for cultural diversity. If you zap channels on your TV, all movie channels air the same kind of popular action movies and the pedagogy cannot be done, the public is not even aware of the existence of other contents. And it should not only a matter of what but a matter of who: major broadcasters should be prevented from using solely their own catalogue, and even finance independent creation as is the case in France. There's no other way of guaranteeing actual cultural diversity, and of course a sound and balanced ecosystem.
- ...

Seoul Village 2012
Welcome to our Korean Errlines! Follow Seoul Village on Facebook and Twitter

* a.k.a. Mediacity Seoul (20120911-1104 - see mediacityseoul.kr)
** see among other posts related to the DMC: "Seoul Digital Media City Tour" (July 2010), "DMC aims at Tinseltown - welcome to Hallyuwood !" (February 2011), "DMC at full throttle - Songdo from Sim City to Sin City ?" (April 2011)... Note that SMG wants the buzz to move to the other side of the Han River, towards its Magok District project in Gangseo-gu.
*** see "Hangeul exports to Indonesia subject to dumping?"
**** see "Korean Cuisine Aiming At World's Top Five. China is watching"
***** and a non-sustainable business as it is - "K-popping bubbles"

---
UPDATED 20120918 (typos!!! and links)