Rethinking Gangnam-ization: education, real estate, and regional inequality in South Korea

This study examines the phenomenon of Korean urbanization known as ‘Gangnam-ization’, defined as ‘the proliferation of Gangnam-style urban spaces’. Focusing on the Dunsan area in Daejeon – often referred to as the ‘Gangnam of Daejeon’ – we argue that its development as an exclusive socio-economic zone reflects Gangnam-ization, albeit only partially. We highlight the interplay among private academy clusters (hagwon-ga), school districts (hakgun), and real estate as central to class reproduction through education, a hallmark of the Gangnam model. However, Dunsan resembles Gangnam more in terms of use value than exchange value. As a metropolitan area outside Seoul, it lacks Gangnam’s investment appeal and capacity for property value appreciation, underscoring a key distinction. This suggests that existing discussions of Gangnam-ization may overlook a broader spatial dynamic: the widening economic divide between Seoul and other regions, which is crucial to understanding the evolving nature of urban inequality in South Korea.