ABSTRACT

This chapter reveals a potential negative outcome of creative placemaking, that of ‘overtourism.’ In 2006, a small residential community in Seoul (Ihwa-dong) was transformed into a mural village. Within a few years of its transformation, Ihwa Mural Village became a tourist hotspot with social media playing no small role. Tourism gentrification followed with many outsiders investing in the community’s transformation, converting some of the area’s old housing stock into small businesses. Irritation amongst residents continued to increase with excessive tourist numbers and all of the associated problems. Finally, tension on the part of those not benefitting from the murals’ tourism erupted in 2016 with the vandalism of two of the community’s most popular artworks. This chapter begins by addressing the goals of the 2006 Art in City public art project that led to Ihwa-dong’s transformation into a mural village. Although preceding the term by several years, it is argued that the objectives of this South Korean initiative fit well with explanations since given on creative placemaking in the West. Attention is placed on the initiative’s implementation and outcomes, and on the important role of the area’s former lead artist as an intermediary in the community.