Abstract
n The paper focuses on a process of symbolic reconstruction of cities, where existing image or meaning of places is purposely changed with an aim to attract new investments, events or tourists to a particular city. We try to situate the process within the context of growing competition of cities. Symbolic reconstruction also affects tourism development in cities as it provides an easily marketed and consumable image and meaning of places. The case of Cheonggyecheon restoration in Seoul helps us to study how symbolic reconstruction of cities is related to and affected by competitive urban policy of cities, urban renewal and city marketing. Observing local consequences we conclude that while the Cheonggyecheon restoration and resulting symbolic reconstruction helped Cheonggyecheon to become the major tourist attraction and icon of global Seoul, it also results in decline of local places and cultures, contradicting in this way its initial goals.
Highlights
Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is one of the world’s largest cities
While the city is internationally praised as the “Miracle on the Han River” for its rapid economic growth and urban development in the past, it is largely overlooked that Seoul has recently been quickly expanding its cultural industry and becoming one of the top tourist destinations in East Asia
Nine million foreign visitors came to Seoul last year and the impact of tourism on the economic growth, social structure and REVIJA ZA SOCIOLOGIJU 41 (2011), 3: 291–313
Summary
The capital of South Korea, is one of the world’s largest cities. Together with the metropolitan region, it is home to more than 22 million residents, which accounts for almost half of the South Korean population. Urban renewal and city marketing result in what we call symbolic reconstruction of cities, whereby the existing image or meaning of a particular place is purposely changed in order to attract new investments, events and tourists to the city. City marketing strategies range from conventional tools like dissemination of appealing slogans and logos to more sophisticated approaches, which integrate organization of important international events and conventions with construction of iconic urban projects Such practices vary in terms of scale and scope, they aim to reconstruct the image and meaning of a particular place, which we refer to as the symbolic reconstruction of cities..
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