Experience Korea's forgotten slum town, blighted area Daldongne

When it comes to slum towns, one place that comes to mind is the favelas of Brazil. Similar places also exist in South Korea.  

About 70 years ago, right after the war ended, people moved to Seoul in search of better job opportunities.  

They began building houses along the hillside, which eventually formed towns.  

As South Korea gradually developed, these places were forgotten and redeveloped, causing them to disappear from sight.

Surprisingly, a small number of people still live in these places. Most of them are elderly residents who have lived there for a long time.  

When I visited one of these areas, I could see people still living there despite the ongoing demolition for redevelopment.  

They will likely continue to live there until the place is completely torn down. However, most of these areas are now abandoned and falling into ruin.

A snowy street scene in the slum. In the past, this place would have been filled with smoke from cooking dinner and children running through the alleyways

It's surprising to find such old and dilapidated spaces in the heart of developed Seoul. Nevertheless, these places are very safe.  

Apart from the occasional cats watching you, no one posed any threat to us.

Even in this small slum area, there were fences put up. No one lives here now, but their traces still remain vividly.

As most of this town is built on a hillside, the final stop is at the top of the mountain. 

People in the past likely greeted the morning here and climbed to the peak to look down upon the old cityscapes of Seoul.

If you climb up to the mountain peak along the slum, you can look down at downtown Seoul. At night, watching the building lights shine like fireflies, they too must have dreamed of becoming wealthy.

Is it worth visiting this place? The answer is YES.  

Although it's not as large as slums in other countries, most of this area is connected to mountain peaks, offering a panoramic view of downtown Seoul.  

Some of these locations are accessible by bus.

"View of Seoul from another slum area. This place is near Sinchon

The faint lights of the hillside village (daldongnae) in the night view resemble the soft starlight, as if the sky has been turned upside down. 

Exploring these villages takes around 3 hours. 

One unfortunate news is that these hillside villages are being demolished one by one, and soon, none will remain.

A desolate slum where no one lives. This place may have been demolished in 2024. There might still be traces remaining.

Here's the Google Maps address of the town I visited. 

It will likely be mostly demolished by the time 2024 rolls around.

google map

This place still exists, but it's a bit smaller in scale compared to Baeksa Village, and the people living here are relatively more affluent. 

However, the night view is very beautiful, and it's accessible by bus.

google map2

To get here, search for Gungdong Mountain Gymnasium and use the directions feature. Refer to the relevant transportation information. 

 Here is some additional information and precautions: 

• 1. Seoul is very safe, but since these are remote places, it's recommended to go with others, especially at night. 
• 2. When using a taxi, use a taxi app, and try to use the bus as much as possible. Seoul's rush hours are from 7 AM to 9 AM and from 5 PM to 7 PM. During these times, it can take more than twice as long. 
• 3. It can be very hot in the summer, and due to the characteristics of the old downtown area, there are no public restrooms or markets. Bring water with you. It's also recommended to bring mosquito repellent. When I visited in the summer, there were many mosquitoes.