Lee Ji-woon living in Hongseong, South Chungcheong Province (Image courtesy of Lee Ji-woon)
SEOUL, Feb. 15 (Korea Bizwire) – Over the past decade, Seoul has seen an exodus of 5.47 million people, a significant population shift that highlights changing urban dynamics in South Korea’s capital. Statistics Korea reports a net outflow of 860,000 residents, with only 4.61 million people moving to Seoul during the same period, from 2014 to 2023.
The soaring cost of housing tops the list of reasons for this mass departure, with 1.74 million people citing it as their primary concern. Other factors compelling residents to leave include family matters (1.58 million), employment opportunities (1.35 million), education (200,000), and living environment (150,000).
Leaving Seoul, a city where people, homes, businesses, and infrastructure are densely concentrated, is a multifaceted decision that can’t easily be attributed to a single cause.
These are the stories of three individuals in their 20s, 30s and 40s who made the decision to leave Seoul. Each of them cited unique yet somewhat overlapping reasons for their departure. Despite the challenges they faced after leaving and their ongoing concerns, they agreed that returning to Seoul was not desirable.
Freelance editor Jeon So-hyun living in Incheon (Image courtesy of Jeon So-hyun)
Jeon So-hyun, a 25-year-old freelance editor now residing in Incheon, shared her experience of growing up in Seoul’s educationally competitive districts of Mok-dong in Yangcheon-gu and Nowon-gu. After living in various locales, including Jeju Island and abroad in Hungary and the Czech Republic, she felt suffocated when she returned to the streets of her childhood.
“In Seoul, there are academies for self-improvement everywhere, and gyms are within a 5-minute walk. Many friends moved to Seoul for better universities and jobs. It felt like a place where people gather to succeed or at least to progress,” said Jeon.
Seoul felt like a city where not only people but also goods were in excess, compelling residents to consume a wide range of products and services.
Having settled in Incheon, after stops on Geoje and Jeju islands as well in other smaller cities in South Korea, Jeon is planning a community and conducting interviews with those interested in living a better life outside Seoul.
Lee Ji-woon spends time with his dog (Image courtesy of Lee Ji-woon)
Lee Ji-woon, 48, who now lives in Sejong, felt utterly depleted after 11 years in a corporate job in Seoul. The relentless overtime and stress, along with the city’s infamous traffic congestion, compelled him to leave his job and seek a quieter life away from the city.
After quitting his job, Lee pondered how to make a living and remembered the inconvenience of lacking places to visit with his dog. After exploring various regions, he and his wife moved to Hongseong, South Chungcheong Province, and opened a pet-friendly pension.
For about four years, they focused solely on running the pension. Later, Lee worked for a startup in Seoul while also maintaining a home in the country. Now, he has moved to Sejong and works part-time for a startup in Jeonju.
Local creator Lee Ji-hye living in Ulleungdo Island (Image courtesy of Lee Ji-hye)
Lee Ji-hye, 32, who currently lives on the island of Ulleungdo in North Gyeongsang Province, initially left Seoul not because of dissatisfaction but out of a love for travel. Over time, her experiences of panic attacks and claustrophobia in crowded places in Seoul led her to realize that the city was not the right fit for her.
In 2020, she decided to completely leave Seoul and, after passing through Andong, settled on Ulleungdo. She is now active as a ‘local creator’, planning events and travel programs and producing souvenirs by utilizing local resources.
The trend of leaving Seoul is not without its challenges, including finding employment and adjusting to a new lifestyle. However, the individuals interviewed expressed satisfaction with their decisions, appreciating the slower pace of life, closer proximity to nature, and the opportunity to live more in line with their personal values rather than being caught up in the relentless pace and consumption-driven culture of Seoul.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
