Plural and fluid place attachment amid tourism-induced neighborhood change in a disadvantaged neighborhood in South Korea

Abstract

Many urban neighborhoods have emerged as new urban tourist destinations since increasing numbers of visitors seek to experience ‘authentic’ mundane experiences. Ihwa Mural Village (IMV), a disadvantaged urban neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea, is such a case whereby a public art project implemented by the government to regenerate disadvantaged areas has led to the touristification of the neighborhood. The socioeconomic reconfiguration of IMV has complicated people–place relationships and has engendered controversial outcomes. This research draws upon recent debates of ‘fluid and relational’ place attachment and employed qualitative methods to demonstrate how people continuously construct, adapt, and reshape their connections to place and attachments and respond to such dynamics during tourism-induced neighborhood change. Findings reveal that people’s place attachment is plural as it may not necessarily only premised on rootedness. Also, place attachment is multidimensional and fluid that could either amplify or attenuate during the trajectory of neighborhood change contingent upon the proximity to tourism hotspot, diverse neighborhood events affecting their quality of lives, and conflicting benefits. Comprehending the plurality and fluidity of place attachment is imperative to understand neighborhoods experiencing tourism-induced change since it could minimize the potential neighborhood conflicts.