Balancing Nature and Urban Life: Insights from Public Perceptions of Cheonggye Stream Restoration in Seoul

Abstract

This study investigates how urban river park restorations are perceived in Korea, where at the beginning of this century urban development shifted from growth-driven approaches to environmentally-oriented planning emphasizing traditional landscape values and cultural heritage. Within this context, the Seoul Metropolitan Government prioritized restoring urban river systems to strengthen human-nature interactions and local identity. A key example is the restoration of Cheonggye Stream (청계천), once vital to Seoul’s urban morphology and social life. Covered by an elevated highway in the 1970s, the stream was reintroduced into the cityscape in 2003 through an ambitious urban river park project. This transformation has attracted academic interest regarding its impact on urban planning, ecology, and economic development. Yet, less attention has been given to understanding how values and meanings surrounding this restoration are formed and negotiated. In Seoul, 'restoration' ranges from historical reconstructions to preserving intangible cultural values. The Korean term 'bogwon'—to return to an original state—adds complexity when applied to dynamic urban landscapes. The Cheonggye Stream restoration has thus become a negotiation site between visions of ideal nature and urban realities, reflecting evolving relationships between nature and urban society.

This provided the foundation for a pilot study by the Research Unit of Landscape Architecture and Landscape Planning at TU Wien in November 2024. Over nine days (November 2–10), an opportunity sample of 100 respondents was surveyed at various locations along Cheonggye Stream, with data collection at different times of day. Weather remained sunny but cold, with morning temperatures around 1°C and afternoon highs of about 15°C. The questionnaire focused on urban river parks (URPs) and included five item groups: (1) abstract preferences for URPs, (2) preferences for nature in URPs, (3) infrastructure preferences, (4) visiting habits, and (5) preferred URP features. The questionnaire items closely followed the socio-cultural framework of the Swiss National Forest Monitoring (WAMOS), adapted to Korean culture and urban river park contexts.

Preliminary results from quantitative analysis indicate that while abstract landscape preferences overlap across cultures, clear differences appear in preferences for nature, infrastructure, and visitation motives. Respondents valued water and greenery but emphasized cleanliness, order, and accessibility—key elements in dense urban areas. Visitation was shaped by convenience and relaxation, with ecological or educational functions secondary. Despite efforts to foster immersive nature experiences, many users saw these parks more as leisure spaces than natural retreats. These findings highlight the need for urban river parks and contribute to theoretical and practical discourse on designing culturally sensitive urban nature spaces, balancing ecological goals with socially informed functions.