We are happy to announce the publication of a new book by Dr. Boram Kimhur and Dr. Minjung Oh:

Seoul’s Informal Settlements: Untold Stories of People

In the heart of Seoul’s affluent Gangnam district, there exist hidden neighborhoods often referred to as 'vinyl house settlements' - informal settlements that have existed for decades. Why have some people lived there for more than 20 years without leaving, and why do new arrivals continue to come?

Through in-depth interviews with 13 people across six informal settlements, this book captures their life trajectories and the meaning of “home” in spaces of exclusion. It sheds light on the forgotten communities behind the glittering cityscape, offering rare insights into the realities of housing precarity and urban inequality in South Korea.

By amplifying the voices of marginalized people, the book invites us to critically reflect on the true meaning of housing and belonging in contemporary Seoul.

> Download the book here

(This book is currently available only in Korean.)

The book includes:

1. Gangnam and the Informal Settlements:

   Characters, locations, daily struggles with groundwater, coal briquettes, and dirt roads

   
   

2. Why People Stay (or Cannot Leave):

   Livelihoods, lack of information, survival strategies, and the burdens that tie people to these places