Seowon
Seowon-si
서원시 | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Part of the Seowon Canal System with downtown skyscrapers in the background | |
| Nickname: Cherry Blossom City | |
| Country |  Haesan |
| Administrative District (Province) |  Sugang |
| Built by the New Seollim Project | 1993 |
| Founded by | Seollim Group |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Yoon Ye-dam (Moderates) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 300 km2 (110 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 37 m (121 ft) |
| Population (2015) | |
| • Total | 1,493,873 |
| • Density | 5,200/km2 (14,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+6 (WHT) |
| Website | seowonsi.hn |
Seowon is a planned city in Haesan's Sugang Province located on the Su River, and it is one of the largest cities in the Greater Suyang Metropolitan Area. With a population of over 1.4 million people, the city is currently Haesan's 12th largest by population. Planned and designed by the Seollim Group as a location for their expanded research and design development center just outside of Suyang to avoid higher municipal taxes, construction of the city in its current form began in the early 1990s. While originally a settlement dating back to 104 BCE, the vast majority of the city's 12,000 residents at the time of the expansion had their property purchased through eminent domain and were promised new houses in the completed development, although some lawsuits about inadequate compensation somewhat snarled the conglomerate's initial development plans. Due to Seollim's influence, Seowon is now regarded as an international hub for R&D and design, with most major Haesanite companies locating their design divisions in the city. Many foreign firms also operate in Seowon, especially Novellan research and design divisions who seek to cooperate with Haesanite manufacturers.
The city is noted for its unique and extensive series of canals, the focal point of the city's downtown area, which help contribute to the city center's extraordinarily high walkability. Seowon's municipal government manages a series of water taxi lines running though its canals, currently with 25 stops across three lines. Seowon is also served by the Suyang Transit Authority, with two stops on the Suyang Metro's Line 2 located within the city's limits. Seowon is also a stop on high speed train routes heading north from Suyang, notably City Connector versions of the Trans-Haesan Express.
Seowon tends to be moderate to conservative in terms of its politics, but it has recently been shifting leftward due to many young university graduates moving to work in its design ecosystem. It has some of the lowest municipal taxes amongst Haesan's largest cities, and is regarded as one of the must suburban metropolitan areas in Haesan.
The city is known for its cherry blossoms, planted in large numbers along its canals and numerous pedestrian walkways. The annual Seowon Cherry Blossom Festival is a top destination for those who enjoy watching the flowers bloom and is the city's primary festival. Seowon has also been rated as high as #2 on the "Top 10 Best Walks" internet listicle run by the Seollim Guide.
Notable Places[edit | edit source]
- Central Canal, the flower bedecked central hub of the canal system, and a hub for water taxis and tourist boats
- Design Park, a trendy district home to many foreign design firms and teeming with restaurants and nightlife
- Haesan University of Design, a well regarded specialty semi-private university with extensive ties to the Seollim Group
- Hyesang Gardens, exquisitely maintained royal gardens with a heritage dating back to the 11th century
- Seollim City, the R&D and design hub of Haesan's largest corporation which supports a thriving high-tech district around it