The Impact of Educational Migration in the Transition to a Modern City: Focusing on Bukchon as the Locus of Educational Migration to Gyeongseong

Abstract:

About 100 years ago, Bukchon occupied a much larger part of Seoul than today, encompassing neighborhoods north of Cheonggyecheon. It was an area where middle-and upper-class residents lived continuously from the Joseon dynasty and major elite educational institutions were concentrated. This study first looks into the educational institutions of Bukchon from the late 19th to the early 20th century, following the Gabo Reform which abolished the status system. It argues that the middle class and students from the provinces migrated to Gyeongseong to take advantage of the educational institutions located in Bukchon. Next, with data on the location of schools and the students’ residency situation around the 1930s, this study examines the trend of educational migration to Bukchon during the colonial period. The analysis reveals that the educational institutions established in the late 19th century persisted and expanded during the colonial period, which led to the continuous movement to the capital of the middle class and students who desired to reproduce their class and achieve economic stability.