Cheongnyangni Red-Light District Disappears into History... Transformed into a 65-Story High-Rise Apartment Complex

Final Deliberation Result of Seoul Urban Redevelopment Committee: Abolition of Cheongnyangni 4 District Red-Light Area Preservation Plan... Park to Be Created on Former Red-Light Area Site... Cheongnyangni 4 District to Develop 40,000㎡ with 7-Story Underground to 65-Story Aboveground, 4 Apartment Towers with 1,425 Units, Officetels, Retail, Lodging, Various Commercial and Residential Facilities, and 3 Parks

Cheongnyangni 4 District Perspective Rendering

A view of the former Cheongnyangni shantytown

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The red-light district around Cheongnyangni Station, commonly known as ‘Cheongnyangni 588,’ will disappear forever into history.

Dongdaemun-gu (District Mayor Yoo Deok-yeol) actively voiced the opinion that the preservation plan for the red-light district around Cheongnyangni Station should be completely abolished as a negative historical remnant hindering regional development. As a result, the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Urban Redevelopment Committee’s final review led to the achievement of abolishing the preservation plan for the red-light district.

The Cheongnyangni red-light district was once home to about 200 sex work establishments and was considered one of Seoul’s representative red-light districts along with Mia, Yongsan, and Yeongdeungpo.

In line with changing times, Dongdaemun-gu has been planning to erase traces of the Cheongnyangni red-light district and create a landmark in northern Seoul through urban environment improvement projects.

Designated as Cheongnyangni 4 District, the plan includes developing 1,425 apartment units in four buildings ranging from seven basement floors to 65 above-ground floors on a 40,000㎡ site, along with officetels, retail facilities, lodging facilities, various commercial and residential facilities, and three parks. Infrastructure improvements such as expanding the road to seven lanes were also planned.

However, in the 2012 review by the Seoul Urban Redevelopment Committee, it was decided that “since the Cheongnyangni 4 District area had been a red-light district for the past 40 years, the history of the red-light district, including its formation background and human and physical conditions, will be documented.” Subsequently, procedures for changing the redevelopment promotion plan related to restoring the red-light district were pursued.

During the process, prospective residents of Cheongnyangni 4 District, as well as those of Cheongnyangni 3 District, Dongbu Agricultural Market, and nearby officetels, strongly opposed the plan through public opinion collection and public hearings, expressing their disapproval.

In response, Seoul reflected Dongdaemun-gu’s strong will to abolish the preservation plan for the red-light district and the opinions of local residents in the final review by the Urban Redevelopment Committee. The site of the red-light district will now be newly developed into a park through a design competition and returned to the residents. This result was achieved nine years after the plan to restore the red-light district’s history was established.

Through this, the district will be able to create another park in Dongdaemun-gu, where green spaces are relatively scarce.

Yoo Deok-yeol, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, stated, “By listening to residents’ opinions and continuously advocating for the abolition of the preservation plan for the red-light district to Seoul, we were able to replace the preservation plan with park creation. We will successfully promote the redevelopment project of Cheongnyangni 4 District, which will become a landmark in northern Seoul, and take a step forward toward a future-oriented city.”

Meanwhile, the district is conducting a re-examination of the redevelopment promotion plan amendment until April 22. Related opinions can be submitted by visiting the Housing Maintenance Division of Dongdaemun-gu Office.

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