Mapo-gu is conducting an online and in-person survey through Aug. 7 on whether to install on-street parking along Eoulmadag-ro 41-1, as the district seeks a balance between improving the pedestrian environment near Hongdae and meeting parking demand, district mayor Yoo Dong-gyun announced.
The district removed existing on-street parking along Eoulmadag-ro — the stretch running from Hongik University Station to Sangsang Madang — in 2023 when it redesigned the corridor as a pedestrian-centered street, converting the reclaimed space into wider walkways.
The makeover has been credited with revitalizing the local commercial district. A 2024 CJ Olive Young analysis of global commercial districts found that sales in the Hongdae area rose 409 percent year-on-year.
Even so, complaints about the parking shortage and the inconvenience caused by illegal parking have continued from nearby merchants and visitors. At a community dialogue with Seogyodong residents held July 20, residents again called on the district to expand parking options in the Hongdae area.
In response, the district is gathering a broad range of views from stakeholders to comprehensively assess both the need for on-street parking and the concerns it raises.
The survey targets Hongdae shop operators, building owners, nearby residents and visitors, and is being conducted both on-site and online.
For the in-person component, survey booths will be set up along Eoulmadag-ro 41-1 to collect responses from visitors. With the cooperation of local community leaders in Seogyodong, the district will also gather opinions from nearby residents, building owners and merchants.
The survey covers four topics: the impact a potential on-street parking installation would have on the local commercial district and visitor convenience; the main inconveniences currently caused by the parking shortage; factors that should be prioritized if on-street parking is installed; and respondents' overall views on whether to proceed with the installation.
The online survey is open to anyone through the "Survey" board in the "Communication and Participation" section of the Mapo-gu website, or by scanning a QR code posted at the survey site.
Based on the results, the district plans to consult relevant departments and hold a stakeholder briefing before deciding whether to proceed with on-street parking and determining the direction of any such project.
"Hongdae is an area where pedestrian conditions, the local commercial district and traffic all have to be considered together, which makes it especially important to listen carefully to a wide range of voices on the ground," district mayor Yoo Dong-gyun said. "We will gather broad input so we can find a reasonable solution that residents, merchants and visitors alike can all get behind."
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