Parents flock to Dobong-gu's Ssangmun-dong as Seonduk High earns 'hidden gem' school district status

They say the school sends more than 50 students to medical school — on top of dozens to Seoul National University. These days we even get inquiries from Daechi-dong. That's why we call it the 'Seonduk school district.'

— A real estate agent in Ssangmun-dong, Dobong-gu

도봉구 쌍문동 A공인중개업소 관계자

Seonduk High School, an autonomous private high school in Ssangmun-dong, Dobong-gu. [Naver]

Seonduk High School in Ssangmun-dong, Dobong-gu, Seoul, has gained a reputation as a rising elite school after sending dozens of students to Seoul National University, drawing growing interest from parents in the surrounding apartment market. The neighborhood is spreading by word of mouth as a so-called "value school district" — known for offering access to a strong academic environment at prices well below those of established school zones, including nearby Junggye-dong in Nowon-gu.

Industry sources said the area around Seonduk High in Ssangmun-dong has been gaining popularity among parents in northern Seoul, who have taken to calling it the "Seonduk school district."

Interest in Seonduk High surged after its university entrance results improved markedly following its conversion to an autonomous private high school in 2011. The school produced two perfect scorers on the college entrance exam, including one in the 2025 academic year. In the 2026 admissions cycle, Seonduk High placed 35 students at Seoul National University — nine through early admissions and 26 through regular admissions. That ranked the school fifth nationwide by Seoul National University placements this year, and its 26 regular-admissions acceptances marked its best performance in three years.

University placement results for Seonduk High School. [Seonduk High School website]

Apartment complexes surrounding Seonduk High School. [Naver Maps]

A real estate agency in Ssangmun-dong said the school sent more than 50 students to medical schools — including Seoul National University's medical school — in the 2026 admissions cycle, adding that inquiries come from parents as far as Uijeongbu, as well as from Changdong, Gireum and Nowon, particularly those with academically focused sons.

According to data on applications to Seoul's autonomous private high schools for the 2026 academic year, Seonduk High's general admissions competition ratio stood at 1.32 to 1 in last year's high school entrance process — higher than that of Whimoon High in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu (0.62 to 1) and Yangjeong High in Mok-dong, Yangcheon-gu (1.04 to 1), both located in well-known Seoul school districts.

A real estate agent in Ssangmun-dong said Hanyang 6th, Banghak Cheonggu and Geumho Town 2nd are among the most sought-after complexes in the area. The agent noted that Seonduk Middle School — which Nobel Prize-winning author Han Kang attended — also draws attention, adding that some parents specifically seek out units in buildings 105 through 110 of Banghak Cheonggu, classified as the "upper Cheonggu" section, with plans to enroll their children at Seonduk Middle and then Seonduk High starting from middle school.

Hanyang 6th apartment complex in Ssangmun-dong, Dobong-gu. [Naver Street View]

The appeal of apartments in Ssangmun-dong is also tied to jeonse prices significantly lower than those in Junggye-dong and Daechi-dong. The current jeonse asking price for an 83-square-meter unit at Hanyang 6th in Ssangmun-dong is in the mid-to-upper 400 million won ($269,000) range — roughly half the asking price for the same floor plan at Eunma Apartments in Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, and at Geonyoung 3rd near the Junggye hagwon district in Nowon-gu, both listed in the 800 million won range.

A jeonse shortage is also thinning out available listings in the Seonduk school district. According to real estate data platform Asil, jeonse listings for apartments in Ssangmun-dong, Dobong-gu, stood at 27 as of Friday — down more than half from 64 a year earlier. The head of one local agency said that even when jeonse units come to market, asking prices are often too high or inventory too scarce to show prospective tenants, adding that demand is expected to persist into the fall moving season.

Local real estate agents say purchase interest in apartments near Seonduk High has also risen alongside the broader home price rally spreading across Seoul. Ssangmun Paradiseville, located just across the street from the school, changed hands June 29 with an 84-square-meter unit selling for 730 million won — nearly matching its previous all-time high of 735 million won set in October 2021.

Nearby Hanyang 2nd through 4th apartment complexes in Ssangmun-dong recorded 46 transactions through Friday, nearly double the 24 deals logged in the same period a year earlier. An 84-square-meter unit sold for 583 million won (12th floor) last month — the highest price since the complex set a record of 700 million won in April 2022.

hope@heraldcorp.com