Multi-cultural Enclaves around Seoul

Eunjeong LEE 

 lele0327@snu.ac.kr

Introduction

Since the 1980s and 1990s, ‘Spaces of Diaspora’ began to increase in various areas in Seoul(Kim, 2005: 25; Requoted by Song, 2007: 99). Such spaces are also able to be called cultural enclaves and are characterized by not only being composed of a single group but also mixed with many ethnicities including Korean(Lee, 2019: i). There are several representative places called cultural enclaves in and beyond Seoul. All photos below were taken by the author.

1. Itaewon as a multinational space

After deploying a military base by Japan in Yongsan (Yongsan Cultural Center, 2012: 45; Requoted from Lee, 2019: 16), and stationed in the United States at the same place around the 1950s, Itaewon grew into a foreign influenced area(Lee, 2019: 15, 18). Itaewon has been developing into a 'World food paradise' where people can taste various foods from around the world(Song, 2007: 102).

1-1. Islamic culture in Itaewon

In 1976, the Islamic Central Mosque was built around Itaewon, and halal restaurants began to open in the area(Song, 2007: 108-109). Due to the Korean Wave, many Muslim tourists also visit those restaurants to taste Korean food in halal. Koreans are visiting Itaewon to try Turkish desserts such as Kaymak, which is buttery cream with bread, and Baklava which is a sweet dessert with nuts.

1-2. Vietnam QuyNhơn-gil 

Yongsan-gu, where Itaewon is located has sister-city relations with Quy Nhon City, Vietnam. 

In the Vietnam War, Korean soldiers were deployed to Quy Nhon and interactions between the two countries started(My Hang Thi Bui, 2024), there is a monument for 'Vietnam Quy Nhon-gil' located in Itaewon. There are several famous Southeast Asian and East Asian food restaurants around the street.

1-3. Markets by Korean merchants 

As Lee(2019: 3) mentioned, Koreans, like the foreign residents of Itaewon, are also the subjects that reproduce the heterogeneity of the region. Since the establishment of a tailor shop for the US military near Itaewon, it remains to this day, and there are also big clothing stores targeting Americans who are larger than Koreans (Lee, 2019: 28, 35).

2. Daerim: Chinatown in Seoul

Starting with the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and China in 1992, many Chinese immigrants began to move to Korea and gather around Daerim due to its closeness with cheap short-term temporary housing, and labor market(Jin, 2024). In the early 1990s, the first wholesale center selling Chinese food was established in Daerim, and markets, restaurants, and commercial districts gradually formed (Cheon, 2015; Requoted from Jin, 2024: 21). This kind of Sinicization allowed us to observe a variety of Chinese foods including Chinese cold noodles, a variant of Yanbian cuisine, and Chinese hotpot.

3. Nepal and Russia towns near Dongdaemun

There are curry streets around Dongdaemun Station, and ‘Everest Restaurant’ is one of the most famous restaurants even among Koreans. There are also many street banners written in Russian near Dongdaemun Culture and History Park Station. The restaurant ‘Samarkand’ is also famous among Uzbekistans and Koreans. You may also see various commercial spaces belonging to Russian and Uzbekistan cultures such as cosmetics stores, restaurants, currency exchange offices, and courier delivery offices around the area.

4. Beyond Seoul: Ansan and Incheon

Beyond Seoul, there are also many ethnic enclaves with diverse cultures. Some of the famous areas are Chinatown, Myanmar town in Incheon, and Wongok-dong in Ansan. In Chinatown, you can taste Jjajangmyeon, a Korean fusion Chinese dish invented in the area, and you can taste tea leaf salad and milk tea from Myanmar town. Wongok-dong is famous for its multi-cultural space, and many restaurants from various countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Myanmar, as well as a multicultural library and museum.

References

• Jin, Meiling, 2024, A Study on Placeness of Chinese Immigrant Food in South Korea: Focusing on the Case of Daerim-dong, Master’s Dissertation, Yonsei University (Written in Korean)
• Kim, Hyun-Mee, 2005, “Global City, Seoul,” Interpreting Culture in Global Era, Another Culture(Written in Korean). 
• Lee, So-young, 2019, Korean Merchants in Cultural Enclave Itaewon: Historical Anthropological Study on Itaewon in Seoul, Seoul National University Master's Dissertation (Written in Korean).
• My Hang Thi Bui, 2024, The Politics of Sister City Placemaking: Transnational Urban Partnership Regimes Between South Korea and Vietnam, Ph.D Dissertation, Seoul National University.
• Song, Doyoung, 2007, Religion, Food and Formation of Cultural Network in Urban Space: Halal Restaurants of Itaewon Area, Seoul, Comparative Cultural Studies, 13(1): 98~136 (Written in Korean).