Apgujeong Hyundai Apartments
Updated: Nov 4, 2024
Name: Apgujeong Hyundai Apartments
Architect: Hyundai Engineering & Construction
Date: 1975
Materials: Mainly concrete and steel
Location: Apgujeong
According to my Dad, who moved near the area where the Apgujeong Hyundai Apartments were being built when he was a kid, in the 1970s, he would catch frogs with his friends in the rice paddies where oxen would be plowing the fields next to the construction zones of the Apgjueong Hyundai Apartments. Such an event seems almost anachronistic, but this was the reality of the Miracle on the Han River – an unparalleled rise of one of the poorest and least developed countries in the world to a global intellectual power. The construction of these houses was considered almost insane at the time – not only was building a large-scale private apartment complex a new concept at this time, but the Han River was extremely dirty and floods were frequent, making it a terrible area. Despite this, President Park Chung-Hee’s ethically ambiguous desire to develop South Korea pushed for rapid industrialization and urbanization, and with this backing, Apgujeong became a symbol of the wealthy in Korea in the 1990s. Children who attended college in America and lived in Apgujeong were known as the “Orange tribe,” inspired by California’s Orange County where many of these children lived, and the fruit that was expensive as it had to be imported into Korea. They were infamous for spending large amounts of pocket money and flaunting luxurious lives until the IMF financial crisis in 1997.
Today, Apgujeong remains a popular and important region of South Korea with many celebrities, politicians, and business owners living in the area. Many of the Apgujeong Hyundai Apartments are almost 50 years old – interior remodeling and facility replacement are a must when moving into an apartment there. Although modern private apartment complexes and buildings have been developed such as Nine One Hannam and Eterno Cheongdam, many celebrities and politicians own apartments in Apgujeong due to the popularity and significance of its location.
Within the next 10 years, the half-century-old Apgujeong Hyundai Apartments will likely receive a much-needed facelift in the form of reconstruction. Recently, I visited one of the showcases of potential apartment designs from The H, which emphasized a questionably executed harmony of niche environmental sustainability tactics with a sleek modern design combined with aspects inspired by a traditional Korean balcony. If the reconstruction of Agpuejeong Hyundai Apartments fails, it could destroy a central part of South Korea, turning it into an uninhabitable slum, but it could also transform South Korea into an architectural marvel similar to what the United Arab Emirates has done, creating the pathway for Korea to not rely on semiconductors for national economic security and become a serious global player.
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