'Deserted' Incheon Yeonsugo Underground Passage Renovated into a 'Culture Bunker'

Yeonsugu's 'Cultural Footsteps Project' Utilizing Abandoned Spaces
Cultural Community and Creative Spaces to Begin Pilot Operation by End of Next Month

Yeonsu Overpass Underground Passage Transformed into Resident Life and Culture Center '507 Culture Bunker'
Photo by Yeonsu-gu, Incheon

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyesook] Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, is transforming the aging Yeonsu Overpass underground walkway, which has seen a decline in visitors and poses safety risks, into the '507 Culture Bunker - Living Culture Center,' set to open at the end of next month.

This is the second transformation following the Jindallae Living Culture Center, which utilized the underground walkway in front of Cheonghak Middle School in 2017. It is part of Yeonsu-gu's 'Cultural Footsteps Project,' which repurposes abandoned spaces that have lost foot traffic into community assets.

The '507 Culture Bunker,' developed through the government's Living SOC national subsidy project, will serve as a resident living culture activity space considering the untact (contactless) era, such as for clubs, and will be entrusted to professional organizations like the Yeonsu Cultural Foundation for operation.

The Yeonsu Overpass underground walkway, completed in 1994, had been largely unused and neglected, detracting from the urban landscape and raising concerns about nighttime safety accidents.

The district renovated the space into a living culture area for residents, equipping the underground first floor of 426㎡ and areas excluding some aboveground passageways with a cultural community caf?, a performance creation practice room for resident autonomy, a multipurpose room, a small stage, and a gallery hall.

The district plans to support residents' autonomous cultural activities and the formation of living culture clubs, providing a place for learning and cultural exchange to foster community building. Additionally, through entrustment to the Yeonsu Cultural Foundation, various resident-centered living arts programs will be developed and operated.

Starting at 507 Cheonghak-dong, Yeonsu-gu, the site named '507 Culture Bunker' will hold an opening ceremony on the 20th of next month and will enter phased pilot operation depending on the COVID-19 situation.

Club members are performing at the 'Jindallae Life Culture Center,' created by utilizing the underground passage in front of Cheonghak Middle School.
[Photo by Yeonsu-gu, Incheon]

Previously, in 2017, the district also transformed the underground walkway in front of Cheonghak Middle School into the Jindallae Living Culture Center, equipped with a cultural community caf?, performance creation practice room, multipurpose room, drum booth, gallery stair hall, and small stage, and opened it to residents. Since 2018, it has recorded a cumulative usage of about 10,000 people from over 300 clubs annually, serving as a resident cultural communication space.

Gonam-seok, Mayor of Yeonsu-gu, stated, "We will continue the 'Cultural Footsteps Project,' which utilizes aging and neglected underground spaces to create 'living rest spaces where daily life becomes culture.' We will also steadily prepare for the post-COVID-19 era while sharing diverse cultural content."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.