The Bucheon Art Bunker B39, a six-story industrial relic near Bucheon IC on the Gyeongin Expressway (Image courtesy of Bucheon Cultural Foundation)
BUCHEON, August 2 (Korea Bizwire) — Once a symbol of environmental controversy, a former waste incinerator in Bucheon has been reborn as a thriving cultural landmark.
The Bucheon Art Bunker B39, a six-story industrial relic near Bucheon IC on the Gyeongin Expressway, is now at the heart of the city’s cultural revival—an emblem of urban regeneration and creative transformation.
The site, originally known as Samjeong-dong Incinerator, was shut down in 2010 after years of public distrust following a 1997 scandal in which dioxin emissions were found to exceed safe levels by 20 times.
Plans to demolish the site gave way to a bold vision for cultural renewal after it was selected for a national project on repurposing industrial heritage in 2014.
In addition to its performance and exhibition spaces, Bucheon Art Bunker still retains incineration facilities from the 1990s. (Photo courtesy of Bucheon Cultural Foundation)
Preserving much of the facility’s original structure—including towering silos and massive storage bunkers—the Bucheon Art Bunker officially reopened in 2018 as a multi-use cultural space spanning exhibitions, installations, film shoots, and educational programs.
The name “B39” draws from multiple meanings: “B” for Bucheon, “bunker,” and “borderless,” while “39” references both the building’s height and the national road it fronts.
Today, the site plays host to immersive media art, sculpture, and fashion shoots—most notably for BTS and major Korean films like Space Sweepers and Kill Boksoon. It also offers community spaces and youth art programs, acting as both a cultural destination and a local development catalyst.
The newly reborn Bucheon Art Bunker (Image courtesy of Bucheon Cultural Foundation)
“Art Bunker is a symbol of Bucheon’s creativity and energy,” said Mayor Cho Yong-ik. “It’s a model of how cities can rejuvenate aging infrastructure into cultural engines that drive urban and industrial renewal.”
Admission and parking remain free, with the venue closed on Mondays and public holidays.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
