A Reinvented Community: The Case of Gamcheon Culture Village

This study explores Gamcheon Culture Village in Busan, South Korea, as a special case of inclusive and participatory cultural-spatial transformation by which the village was transformed from an impoverished and decaying hillside slum into a vital and picturesque location and tourist attraction. The study delineates this process in terms of a distinctive engagement of the arts and cultural dynamics relative to general social well-being. Of particular note are the roles of resident activism and civil society, social entrepreneurs, and the arts and artists as key resources, all coming together in an organic redevelopment process. Evidence indicates an increased sense of community and cooperation, overall improvement in the quality of life, and cultural enrichment for the residents. However, transformation continues, and the sustainability of Gamcheon Culture Village as a successful case of redevelopment is dependent on the ongoing cooperation and participation of the resident base and primary artistic support.