A Reinvented Community: The Case of Gamcheon Culture Village

ABSTRACT

This study explores Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan, South Korea, as a special case of inclusive and participatory cultural-spatial transformation by which the village was transformed from an impoverished and decaying hillside slum into a vital and picturesque location and tourist attraction. The study delineates this process in terms of a distinctive engagement of the arts and cultural dynamics relative to general social well-being. Of particular note are the roles of resident activism and civil society, social entrepreneurs, and the arts and artists as key resources, all coming together in an organic redevelopment process. Evidence indicates an increased sense of community and cooperation, overall improvement in the quality of life, and cultural enrichment for the residents. However, transformation continues, and the sustainability of Gamcheon Culture Village as a successful case of redevelopment is dependent on the ongoing cooperation and participation of the resident base and primary artistic support.

Notes

¹Located on the southeastern tip of the Korean peninsula, Busan is the second largest city in South Korea with a population of approximately 3.5 million.

²Relics from the Bronze Age, such as dolmens, have been excavated in and around the area.

³Most urban poor and working-class districts in South Korea were formed on steep hillsides during the industrial period, with landscapes typically reflecting difficult access and little development.

⁴Taegukdo is centered around the Taeguk, or yin-yang symbol, as “the true meaning of life and the universe” (Steele 2013a).

⁵The grant program was set up by the Ministry to create jobs for artists and promote tourism and arts in towns. Grants were made to nine artist groups around the country, including the Art Factory in Dadaepo.

⁶The Town Art Project website is found at http://www.maeulmisul.org.

⁷The local government is Saha-gu Cheong (government of the district of Saha).

⁸Moon’s contribution was approximately US$200,000, including rental fees for the space, and he continued financial support to the organization through 2011.

⁹One of the largest industrial complexes in Busan, South Korea, it is located in Dadaedong, Saha district, Busan.

¹⁰The space is composed of several small spaces with different functions, including one exhibition space, three workshop spaces, and 10 studios for local artists (Jang 2011).

¹¹http://www.gamcheon.or.kr.

¹²Details about products and services can be found on the official website.

¹³This is a take on the statement by Drayton (2006:42) that “everyone is a changemaker,” as mentioned in Phills, Deiglmeier, and Miller (2008).