Elderly Men at Tapgol Park: Psychological Motives, Cultural Influences, and Spatial Exclusion/Segregation in South Korea

Abstract

Tapgol Park and its nearby downtown area in Seoul, South Korea, have attracted a large number of elderly visitors over the past several decades despite a series of urban redevelopment projects that aimed at relocating them to so-called more elder-friendly recreational spaces. In this article, I analysed the sociocultural phenomena and issues surrounding Tapgol Park and its elderly visitors, which have long attracted national attention and debate. I introduced basic information about Tapgol Park, including its history, geography, and current condition. Then I analysed the psychological motivations of elderly visitors to find out why they visit the park so frequently. In conclusion, it appears that these elders visit the park and its surrounding areas to alleviate the psychological distress common in old age. The sacralisation project, however, has driven many elders away from the park, and this can be seen as spatial discrimination against the elderly seeking psychological well-being in public spaces. Although the urban elderly community centred around the park has some positive aspects, it is also an example of the age-segregation in South Korea reinforced by Confucian values. Referring to one local park in Incheon as an example, I suggest that the problem of age-segregation may also be addressed through the way architectural spaces are structured