Gangnam District

Gangnam District (Korean: 강남구; Hanja: 江南區; RR: Gangnam-gu; IPA: [ka̠ŋna̠m.gu]) is one of the 25 districts of Seoul, South Korea. The term Gangnam translates to "South of the [Han] River". Gangnam District is the third largest district in Seoul, with an area of 39.5 km2 (15.3 sq mi). As of the 2017 census, Gangnam District had a population of 561,052.[1] There is a high concentration of wealth in the district, with prices for an apartment as of 2020 nearly double those in the rest of Seoul. Gangnam District is part of Gangnam School District Eight, along with the Seocho District. This district shares half of Gangnam-daero Gangnam Station area with Seocho District, which is one of the most crowded places in South Korea.[2]

For the broader region of Seoul, see Gangnam
Gangnam
Korean: 강남구; Hanja: 江南區
Autonomous District
Crossing between Teheran-ro and Yeongdong-daero, Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea.
Teheran-ro and Yeongdong-daero streets seen from Park Hyatt Seoul.
Flag of Gangnam
Flag
Location of Gangnam-gu in Seoul
Location of Gangnam-gu in Seoul
Coordinates: 37°29′48″N 127°01′39″E
Country South Korea
RegionSudogwon
Special CitySeoul
Administrative dong26
Government
 • MayorCho Seong-myeong (2022–) (People Power)
Area
 • Total39.49 km2 (15.25 sq mi)
Population
 (November, 2020)[1]
 • Total508,135
 • Density13,000/km2 (33,000/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+9 (Korea Standard Time)
Postal code.
06000 ~ 06499
Area code(s)+82-2-2226,400,500
Websitegangnam.go.kr
Administrative divisions
Cheongdam Intersection, the starting point of Cheongdam Fashion Street

Administration

Gangnam is one of two gu that make up the Greater Gangnam Area with neighboring Seocho District.

The Gangnam District office has designated two smoke-free zones within the district. The first is the section of Gangnam Boulevard between exit No. 2 of Gangnam station of Seoul Subway Line 2 and exit No. 5 of Sinnonhyeon station of Line 9; the second is the 836-meter (914-yard) section of sidewalk along Yeongdong Boulevard from exit No. 5 of Samseong station on Line 2, outside COEX Convention & Exhibition Center and ASEM Tower of the COEX complex.[3]

Divisions
Main article: Administrative divisions of Gangnam District

Gangnam District is composed of 26 dong (neighborhoods):

Economy

Both the Greater Gangnam Area and Gangnam itself are widely known for its heavily concentrated wealth and very high standard of living, which has been compared to cities such as Beverly Hills, California.[4] The most significant indicator is its extremely expensive real estate. Seoul as a whole is known for its expensive housing prices—as of 2011, its average apartment cost approximately US$5,500 per m2—but the average price in Gangnam is almost twice as high, roughly US$10,000 per m2, which is 3.5 times the nationwide average.[5] This is driven in part by the price of land: the 40 km2 making up Gangnam district rivals in valuation with the entirety of the city of Busan, the second-largest city in South Korea which occupies 770 km2. Combined with the neighboring districts of Seocho and Songpa, the Greater Gangnam Area accounts for almost 10% of the land value of the entire country.[6]

While Seoul's traditional business centers such as Central District, Jongno District, Yongsan District and Yeongdeungpo District still maintain their leading roles, Gangnam and its neighboring districts have swiftly become the new core across all areas of business over the last few decades. KOSPI 200 companies based in Gangnam district include KEPCO, GS Group, Hyundai Department Store Group, HITEJinro, Hansol, Hankook Tire, GLOVIS and Korea Zinc Corporation. Besides, POSCO also operates POSCO Center in Teheran Valley, and KT&G operates Kosmo Tower. Other notable companies based in Gangnam include Dongbu Fire Insurance, Young Poong Group, T'way Airlines and Hankook P&G. Gangnam is also home to many IT and other internet-related companies including NC Soft and Pandora TV, and is also a strong hub of the country's financial and banking sectors. Many international companies also operate key offices in Gangnam, including Google,[7] IBM, Toyota, and AMI.

Since January 2012, the area has also been home to FNC Entertainment, which moved into its own company offices in Cheongdam-dong, separate from its parent company in the CJ E&M Music Performance Division Building in neighbouring Apgujeong-dong.[8] Other entertainment companies located there include SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment (until 2018), Cube Entertainment, Pledis Entertainment, LOEN Entertainment,[9] Source Music, Plan A Entertainment, DSP Media, MBK Entertainment, Nega Network, C-JeS Entertainment, WM Entertainment, NH Media, J. Tune Entertainment, TOP Media, Happy Face Entertainment, Dream Tea Entertainment, Polaris Entertainment, Jellyfish Entertainment, DR Music, Stardom Entertainment, and HYBE Corporation.

The Korean subsidiary of American Megatrends, AMI Korea, is headquartered in Daechidong, Gangnam District.[10]

Economic development

Until the early 1980s Gangnam and its neighboring areas had remained the least developed in Seoul, but prodigious development over the last 30 years has earned it a reputation of being one of the most affluent, dynamic, and influential areas in both Seoul and South Korea as a whole.[11]

In addition, the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center in Gangnam recently hosted several international conferences such as the 2010 G-20 summit and the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit.[12][13]

Education

South Korea is known for its high standard of education and intense competition for university entrance, and Gangnam is considered the national capital of education, which is one of the decisive factors to make Gangnam the most attractive destination in South Korea. In 2010, roughly 6% of the successful candidates to Seoul National University, which is considered the best university in South Korea, were from Gangnam district, while Gangnam's population makes up only 1% of the country's population.[14][15] In 2008, 22.7 out of 1,000 students in Gangnam district went abroad to study, while the nation's average ratio in the same time frame was only 3.6 per 1,000 students.[16] Following the substantial raising of the profile of the Gangnam district internationally, the area has become a popular destination for international students seeking Korean language lessons, marking the rise of Korea as a 'study tourism' destination. Both long-standing locally owned schools such as the Seoul Korean Academy, and more recent foreign-owned entities such as Lexis Korea report a significant increase in interest in the location.

International schools:

  • Korea International School (한국외국인학교)
  • Seoul Academy International School (서울아카데미국제학교)

Former schools

Attractions
Gangnam District at night

The important business district around Teheranno (Tehran Street) runs east–west from Gangnam station to Samseong station and the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center-Korean World Trade Center complex. Several popular shopping and entertainment areas are located in Gangnam District, including Apgujeong, the COEX Mall and the area around Gangnam station and Garosugil.

Cheongdam-dong is notable as an upmarket shopping area, with stores of global and local luxury brands, such as MCM Haus flagship store;[18] Vera Wang's third global and first Asian flagship store 'Vera Wang Bridal Korea';[19] as well as French jeweler Cartier's Cartier Maison, located on Apgujeong-ro, which is the largest in Korea and at the time of opening, in 2008, the seventh largest in the world.[20]

The area has a large concentration of vegetarian and other upscale restaurants that serve Korean cuisine with a modern twist, namely on the main street from Bongeun Temple to Park Hyatt Hotel in Samseong-dong.[21]

Transportation

Gangnam District is served by Seoul Subway Line 2, Seoul Subway Line 3, Seoul Subway Line 7, Seoul Subway Line 9, Bundang Line and the Shinbundang Line.

(Seongdong-gu) ← Apgujeongrodeo – Gangnam-gu Office – Seonjeongreung – Seolleung – Hanti – Dogok – Guryong – Gaepo-dong – Daemosan – Suseo → (Songpa-gu)
(Songpa-gu) ← Samseong – Seolleung – Yeoksam – Gangnam → (Seocho-gu)
(Seongdong-gu) ← Apgujeong – Sinsa → (Seocho-gu) ← Maebong – Dogok – Daechi – Hangnyeoul – Daecheong – Irwon – Suseo – (Songpa-gu)
(Seocho-gu) ← Gangnam
(Gwangjin-gu) ← Cheongdam – Gangnam-gu Office – Hak-dong – Nonhyeon → (Seocho-gu)
(Seocho-gu) ← Sinnonhyeon ← Eonju ← Seonjeongneung ← Samseong Jungang ← Bongeunsa

Festivals

There are several festivals held in Gangnam District.

  • International Peace Marathon Festival in October
  • Gangnam Fashion Festival in October
  • Sports Festival for residents in Gangnam Distinct in May
  • Daemosan Festival

Following the anti-American protests in Seoul in the early 2000s, the local authorities in the Gangnam District have organized various cultural and sporting events, such as the International Peace Marathon, jointly with the United States Forces Korea. In 2009 they were awarded a 'special prize' by the US Army for promoting cultural exchanges with American troops.[24][25][26]

Twin towns – sister cities
See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in South Korea

Gangnam District is twinned with:[35]

See also

References
  1. https://www.citypopulation.de/php/southkorea-admin.php?adm2id=11230%7C Gangnam-gu (City District, Seoul, South Korea) - Population Statistics ... - Retrieved 23-03-01
  2. "Gangnam apartment prices jump 84 times in 40 years". 29 March 2020.
  3. Kwon, Sang-soo (12 September 2012). "City designates area by COEX as smoke-free". Joongang Daily. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. Cha, Frances (17 August 2012). "Interview: PSY on 'Gangnam Style,' posers and that hysterical little boy". CNN. Archived from the original on 24 September 2012. Retrieved 22 September 2012. I've heard it said that Gangnam is the Beverly Hills of Korea. But I would say that Gangnam is the capital of Seoul, which, of course, is the capital of Korea.
  5. 강남아파트 1채 팔면 보성군에서 25채 산다. inews24 (in Korean). 23 March 2011. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  6. 서울시 강남구 땅값, 부산시 전체와 비슷. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). July 2011. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  7. "Google locations." Google. Retrieved 25 May 2016. "Google Seoul Google Korea LLC. 22nd Floor, Gangnam Finance Center 152 Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu Seoul 135-984 South Korea"
  8. Kim, Ji-soo (22 February 2012). "Carving out niche with pop rock bands". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  9. Contact Us – LOEN Entertainment.
  10. "International Offices." American Megatrends. Retrieved 17 February 2019. "Korea: AMI 한국지사 서울시 강남구 대치동 942-18 세풍빌딩 8층 135-845 (AMI Korea, Sepung Building 8F, 942-18, Daechidong, Gangnamgu, Seoul, 135-845 Korea)"
  11. "Gangnam has 'Style' and so much more". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on 26 January 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. Cho Jin-seo. "Seoul unveils G20 summit's symbol," The Korea Times (ROK). 8 July 2010. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
  13. "Seoul Nuclear Security Summit Gets Underway Monday" Chosun Ilbo. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 2012-03-26
  14. "The number of SNU entrants in 2010, sorted by regions". Prime Economy (in Korean). 4 February 2010. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  15. "The number of SNU entrants from Seoul in 2010, sorted by districts". Yonhap News (in Korean). 3 February 2010. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  16. 지역 간 유학률 격차 커져 … 강남구 1000명당 23명 최고. Yonhap News (in Korean). 20 October 2010. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 26 September 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  17. Home page. Japanese School in Seoul. 5 August 2004. Retrieved 19 October 2016. "大韓民国ソウル特別市江南区開浦洞153" - 153 Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
  18. "MCM Haus Flagship store". CNN. 1 June 2011. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  19. Lee, Rachel (29 June 2012). "Vera Wang opens 1st Asia flagship in Seoul". The Korea Times. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  20. Garcia, Cathy Rose A. (28 September 2008). "Cartier Opens Flagship Store in Cheongdam". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 7 November 2013. Retrieved 9 March 2013.
  21. Cho Jae-eun; Chang Hae-won; Choung Hyuk-min (3 August 2011). "Feast of food in a concrete jungle". Joongang Daily. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 27 January 2013.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  22. Rogers, Simon (25 October 2012). "Gangnam Style: how Seoul's most exclusive neighbourhood went global". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  23. Rachel Sang-hee Han; Frances Cha (17 December 2012). "13 things you've got to do in Seoul". CNN. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
  24. "Gangnam-gu Promotes Further Exchanges with USFK". Gangnam-gu. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  25. Fisher, Max. "Gangnam Nationalism: Why Psy's anti-American rap shouldn't surprise you". The Washington Post. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
  26. "American troops participate in Gangnam Marathon". The Official Homepage of the United States Army. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
  27. "Beautiful Days". Korean TV Drama. Korea Tourism Organization. Retrieved 1 June 2012.
  28. "'Bourne Legacy' Puts Seoul on Hollywood Radar". The Chosun Ilbo. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 28 June 2012.
  29. "'Gangnam Style' Goes Viral". 5 September 2012. Archived from the original on 9 December 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2012.
  30. "There is no gangnam district in Gangnam style music video". MK News (in Korean). 12 September 2012. Archived from the original on 19 December 2012.
  31. Ho, Stewart (10 August 2012). "Will Moon Geun Young Make Her Small Screen Comeback Through Cheongdamdong Alice?". enewsWorld. CJ E&M. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  32. Park, Jin-hai (7 May 2013). "Psy showcases Korean fashion: 10 Corso Como Seoul offers fashion and culture in new Gangnam style". The Korea Times. Archived from the original on 24 December 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  33. "Welcome to the plastic surgery capital of the world". CNN. 9 August 2012.
  34. Gi, Maeng-gi. "내 ID는 강남미인! (My ID is Gangnam Beauty)". Naver WEBTOON.
  35. "자매결연도시". gangnam.go.kr (in Korean). Gangnam District. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
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