Korean Job Discussion Forums

TK421 · Joined: 05 Aug 2009

Anyone else been to this neighborhood in Busan? It's incredibly creepy. It's just a north of Nampodong near the stadium. I don't know what it's called or which dong it's on. Wasn't paying attention but I'd like to know.

Basically, my friends and I were hiking all over this small mountain range in the middle of Busan and when we descended back into the city we came upon a completely abandoned and half demolished urban neighborhood. It looked like it was out of a war zone. We ran into some Korean cops and asked them if we could go in. They said no because there are some crazy people that live in some of the rooms that get angry even though they do not own the places. So naturally, we went anyway to check it out.

We explored the inside many of the houses and apartments. A lot of the furniture was still inside of the houses along with the possessions the families left behind but it was all trashed and everything was knocked over and broken. There were photos on some of the walls of the families and all kinds of creepy stuff. Most of the alleys of the neighborhood were extremely narrow, not even wide enough for two people to walk side by side. At the end of one of the creepiest alleys was a two story house with the creepiest room we'd been in. We all got this weird/ghost room feeling inside and jokingly called it the rape room. I was filming with my camcorder when there was a really loud thud above us and a few footsteps. We got out of there fast. I'm pretty sure I got the noises on film but I have to review. We heard several other people above us in some of the houses. You could tell which houses people were squatting because they'd put glass at the entrance of the house to hear intruders.

We had no idea what happened to that neighborhood or why it was in that condition and it was extremely out of place and bizarre. We assume they're going to eventually clear it and make those tall, uniform apartments typical of Korea.

Anyway, it was a spine tingling experience and thought I'd share it and see if anyone else has been there and if they know what's up with it.

And before any of those oh so annoying parental characters on dave's come in here and inevitably tell me we shouldn't be messing with the homeless/crazy squatters, that's not why we were there, nor did we disturb anybody or anything.

I got plenty of pics by the way if anyone is interested.

sheriffadam · Joined: 10 May 2010 Location: Busan

pics would be cool!

I saw a lot of this in China too, old city blocks that were just waiting to get demolished to make way for a new apartment building.

The demolition crew was squatting in one of the houses as they knocked the others down and karted them away brick by brick, and all the people with the rickshaw bicycles collecting all the scrap metal/copper. Different way of life!

TK421 · Joined: 05 Aug 2009

schwa · Joined: 18 Jan 2003 Location: Yap

For me, I dont think theres anything more poignant than an abandoned home awaiting the wreckers. Memories of the lives lived there, all the simple human joys & dramas that went down in that space. Family pictures still on the wall -- breaks my heart a little.

Heres a song talks about something similar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0YxjH09TDU
Tom Waits, House where nobody lives

WTP Trust · Joined: 13 May 2010 Location: Hittin' the books at Yonsei

Interesting photos, but I don't think there was anything too creepy in any of them.

TK421 · Joined: 05 Aug 2009

Yeah the photos don't do it justice and unfortunately I don't have any pics of some of the darker tiny alleys. It was the atmosphere and the feeling we got in some of those houses. Plus didn't help hearing noises above us.

djsmnc · Joined: 20 Jan 2003 Location: Dave's ESL Cafe

PatrickGHBusan · Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 4:09 am Post subject:

Sounds like the typical neighborhood that is about to be leveled and rebuilt.

I too think creepy is not the most accurate term but you were there and I was not.

caniff · Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Location: All over the map

Redevelopment = way creepy.

mimis · Joined: 24 May 2009

Hardy Boy · Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2010 5:21 am Post subject:

There are some shanty town neighbourhoods in Busan which are very third world like, with narrow alleys, very old construction, full of occupied homes, much creepier than of the photos posted on this thread. Once you come across them you'll never forget them. I didn't take a picture but I have vivid memories of it from '04.

Tigerstyleone · Joined: 01 Feb 2009

Hey Spike didn't your brother Tyler live in a house just like that at one time when he was the leader of a club?

nukeday · Joined: 13 May 2010

There are a lot of these neighborhoods. Try looking up "Urban Exploration Korea"

bobranger · Joined: 10 Jun 2008 Location: masan

Hogwon housing

cj1976 · Joined: 26 Oct 2005

Any sadness that the former residents felt about moving out was probably alleviated by the tasty compensation packages they received.
They're probably happier now, so don't get too upset over it.