Seoul Power Station on the Han River between Hapjeong and Sangsu was long known as Dangin-ri Power Station. It supplied electricity from within the city, but as housing and cultural districts approached, disputes intensified over pollution, safety, and land use. The chosen solution did not eliminate power generation: new equipment went underground, while the surface and retired Units 4 and 5 were planned as parkland and cultural facilities.
Reuse means more than preserving an industrial façade
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Dangin-ri cultural project includes exhibition, performance, and creation spaces, an archive, and interpretation of the original generating plant. The 2018–2026 project proposes adapting Unit 4 for cultural use and preserving Unit 5 as an educational record of the industrial facility. Construction and opening dates can move, so confirm current access and programming.
A park does not erase power labor or earlier conflict
Green space and cultural facilities can return public access to the riverfront, but they rest on the work of power-station employees, the electrical grid, and residents who lived beside the facility for decades. Instead of the easy story that “an eyesore became art,” ask who carried the risks and costs and which energy systems continue operating.
A construction zone is not a tourist attraction
Never cross fences or fly a drone near the facility. Follow security and safety instructions, view the stacks and power buildings only from officially accessible areas, and compare them with the river and surrounding redevelopment. Once the cultural venue opens, its treatment of industrial history and labor will remain an important measure of the project.