From hardware to software: Dynamic and creative city Busan
KDI School of Public Policy and Management, Associate Prof. Yu-Min Joo
(1) City context and challenges (2) Assets and resources
(3) City’s CCIs vision and strategies (4) Enablers
(5) Social, spatial and economic outcomes (6) Lessons learned and conclusion
Outline
City context and challenges
Seoul Gyeonggi
Gangwon
Sejong Daejeon
Ulsan Daegu
Gwangju
Jeju
South Jeolla North Jeolla
South Gyeongsang North Gyeongsang North Chungcheong
Incheon
South Chungcheong
Busan
Busan: The largest port in the country.
50,000,0000 100,000,000 150,000,000 200,000,000 250,000,000 300,000,000 350,000,000 400,000,000 450,000,000 500,000,000
GRDP by Regions, 2019
Source: KOSIS
0 2000000 4000000 6000000 8000000 10000000 12000000 14000000
Population by Regions, 2019
City context and challenges: No longer a “growing” city
Population of Busan (1966-2019) Percentage of population aged 65 years old or more in Busan (1970-2019)
Source: KOSIS Source: KOSIS
City context and challenges: Deindustrialization
Location Quotient (LQ) for manufacturing employment in Busan, 1995 and 2000.
Industries 1995 2000
Clothing and fur products 1.6 (2) 2.15 (2) Leather, shoes, bags, and saddlery 5.42 (1) 5.75 (1)
Wood productions 1.40 (4) 1.33 (5)
Metal manufacturing 1.31 (5) 1.44 (3) Metal assembly products 1.43 (3) 1.33 (4)
Source: Modified from Ryu, 2003
• Heavy-chemical industrialization has been promoted in industrial new towns (Ulsan, Pohang, Changwon, Gumi,Geoje, Gwangyang, and Yeosu) along the Southeastern coast since the 1970s.
• Knowledge-intensive industries are lopsided concentrated in the capital region.
• Example: In 2011, 74.8% of employment in knowledge-intensive business services are located in the capital region; 4% in Busan (Source, Lee and Park, 2013).
City context and challenges: Deindustrialization
1995 2000 2005 2010 2017
National Manufacturing (%) 23.6 22.7 18.1 16.9 16.8 Service & SOC (%) 64.5 66.1 73.9 76.4 78.2
Seoul Manufacturing (%) 23.1 21.7 15.2 10.8 8.7
Service & SOC (%) 76.4 77.8 84.7 89.1 91.1
Busan Manufacturing (%) 26.5 25.1 18.1 17.1 16.8
Service & SOC (%) 70.3 72.0 80.3 82.1 82.3
Number of employees in the manufacturing and service and Social Overhead Capital (SOC) industries (1995-2017)
Source: modified from Kim, 2019
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Busan GRDP / GDP (%), 1985-2019
Assets and resources
Number of firms in cultural industries (% national total)
1999 Film Animation Game Broadcasting Music Total
Busan 2.3% 0.9% 2.6% 5.3% 1.2% 2.7%
Seoul 81.6% 94.5% 84.9% 54.9% 59.4% 77.4%
Capital
region 86.6% 96.3% 94.1% 63.6% 69.8% 84.9%
Source: 2000 statistics on cultural industries
“A deteriorating industrialized port city and cultural desert”
(Hassink &Lee, 2018)However…
• A vibrant art and cultural hub during the Japanese colonization and especially during the Korean War.
• 1924: Chosun Kinema Company (Korea’s first film producer) opened in Busan.
• Local theaters have long served as cultural spaces for citizens and workers in Busan throughout its industrialization (Samil: 1944-2006; Borim: 1955-2007; Samsung: 1955- 2007).
• Busan Youth Biennale took place from 1981-1995, voluntarily organized by local artists, before Korea’s first Biennale in Gwangju in 1995.
Assets and Resources
International festivals:
• Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) 1996~ present
Asia’s largest and internationally acknowledged film festival.
• Busan Biennale 1998 ~ present
Integrated three different art events (Busan Youth Biennale, Sea Art Festival, & Busan Outdoor Sculpture Symposium)
• Busan International Art Fair (BIAF) 2007~present
• Art Busan 2011~ present
Recorded the highest art fair sales in Korea in 2021, exceeding KIAF. Privately founded by a housewife/company manager born and raised in Busan: Sohn, Younghee.
Cultural infrastructure:
• Busan Cinema Center 2011.
• Busan Museum of Contemporary Art 2018.
• Dream Theater 2019
• Busan International Art Center 2021
• Busan Opera House 2023 Other notable mega-projects:
• Busan North Redevelopment project 2008~2022.
Urban revitalization/regeneration projects with arts and culture.
• Creative City Division, Busan City Hall 2010~ present
Busan’s CCIs vision and strategies
• 2001: Master plan titled “Ocean Capital”
• 2005: Dynamic Busan 2020 Road Map
Overall vision: to become the “Ocean Capital” of the 21st century.
• 2007: 2020 Culture city project.
A culture city based on art and entertainment.
Development of cultural spaces and landmarks
Promotion of cultural industries based on film (Asia’s Cineport Busan)
Develop a city of
entertainment, exhibition, and leisure
• Build a world-class museum
• Build Busan Art Center
• Build National Busan library
• Expand exhibition and convention facilities.
• Build Busan Film Center
• Build one-stop center for film production
• Build Busan Cultural Contents Complex
• Build a Busan film museum.
• Build ocean them park.
• Build national ocean museum.
• Build cultural temple experience town.
2020 Culture city project:
• To promote cultural industries as the new development drive in knowledge-based economy.
• To build the image as a cultural city and to provide citizens with cultural welfare by developing landmark cultural facilities.
Busan’s CCIs vision and strategies
• 2001: Master plan titled “Ocean Capital”
• 2005: Dynamic Busan 2020 Road Map
Overall vision: to become the “Ocean Capital” of the 21st century.
• 2007: 2020 Culture city project.
• 2011: Soft Power City
• A new development paradigm along 3C’s (Creativity, Coexistence, and Cross-Border).
• 2015: Busan 2030 vision and strategies: Smart Busan
Overall vision: to focus on people, technology and culture.
• 2019: Busan culture 2030 vision
Overall vision: citizen-led, happy culture, global maritime cultural city
• 4 key values: maritime, diversity, creativity, innovation.
• 4 goals:
• Maritime cultural city, where culture enables local and global communications.
• Inclusive cultural city, overflowing with diversity.
• Integrated creative city, where creativity builds cultural ecosystem.
• Cultural governance city, together with citizens.
Busan as a city of film:
• 1996: BIFF (Busan International Film Festival) locally initiated.
• 2000: Busan announced its vision to become the hub of film industry in Asia.
• 2004-2011: Ministry of Culture and Tourism designated Busan as Cine Culture City.
• 2014: UNESCO Creative City of Film.
• 2021: Designated deputy coordinator of UNESCO Creative City of Film.
Creative city Busan
Subculture
Against the mainstream Independent character Younger generation
Catalyst for social change
Maritime culture
Openness Free spirit Early adopters
Accustomed to fast changes
Capability to create something out of nothing
BIFF
City of Film Culture City
Creative City Busan
Enabler: City of Film
Maritime culture Subculture BIFF (initiator)
Asia, Young, Non-competition
-Asian Film Academy -Busan Asian
Film School -7 universities:
film related depts.
-Korea Academy of Film Arts
-Busaners passionate abt.
film
-BMDB CINEMA -Korea’s advanced ICT
environment
-UNESCO Creative City
Network -Busan Film Commission -Asia Project
Market -BCC(Foundation)
-Independence of BIFF
-BIFF -Cine Culture City
-Domestic &
international network by key
experts -Financial support
from the city hall (20%) and local
companies -Cinemahouse
hotel (closed down-COVID-19)
-Residency programs -Haeundae beach
hotels -Old neighborhood theaters (closed)
-Long history of Korean cinema
-Unique urban environment -Haeundae beach:
modeled after Cannes film
festival -Unique strategy
Enabler: Culture City
Maritime culture Subculture
-Artists with strong Busan
identity -Busaners valuing
culture -Local cultural
planners / activists / liaison
actors
-Korea’s advanced ICT
environment
-Busan Cultural Foundation -Creative City Division (Busan
City Hall) -Yeongdo Culture
City Center
…
-National funding (Culture City project; Sanbok
Renaissance project) -BCF: Financing
subculture projects -Unique urban
landscape -Empty homes,
schools, &
factories
-Active international
exchanges -First city to promote culture
diversity
City of FILM
Social, spatial, and economic outcomes
Social
• Internal branding
• Community activities
• Growth of talents
Spatial
• KIFF plaza
• Busan Cinema Center (public use)
Busan Cinema Center
Busan Film Anima
-tion Game Broad-
casting Music Total
1999 2.3 0.9 2.6 5.3 1.2 2.7
2018 4 4 6 3 6 6
Econ
• External branding
• Tourism
• MICE
• Film industry / Centum cluster(?)
Cultural industry firms (national %)
Social, spatial, and economic outcomes
Culture City
sustainable development
Social
• Inclusive governance
• Culture for everyday life
• Community development
• Pursuit of SDGs
Spatial
• Regeneration
• Cultural places for neighbor- hoods
Econ
• Tourism
• More livelihood opportunities for local residents
• Pursuit of SDGs
Creativ e city for res ili en t Busa n
The root of creative city Busan
Conclusion and lessons learned
Implications for international community:
• People are the most critical asset.
• Actively search and nurture local strengths and uniqueness.
• Be open minded and learn from others. Networking is important.
• Funding matters. But…
• Governance: the government is kept at arm’s length, allowing the local experts to carefully plan and manage projects.
BIFF Maritime cultural characteristics Subculture = City of Film & Culture for SDGs The seed of creativity:
