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From Hongdae to Sinchon: Space and Place in Korean Hip Hop

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Hanguk Hip Hop

Part of the book series: East Asian Popular Culture ((EAPC))

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Abstract

The third chapter examines the notion of space and place in Korean hip hop. First, the chapter focuses on technology—particularly online personal computer spaces called “PC communities”—and its role in the localization of hip hop in Korea. From these online spaces, hip hop took root in offline places, most notably in a cultural region in Seoul called Hongdae. This chapter illustrates the changing nature of Hongdae’s significance in Korean hip hop to argue that Hongdae largely functions on four levels: (1) a symbolic space that represents the real and underground, (2) a tangible place for creative production and consumption of music, (3) a community playground for artists, and (4) an imaginary gohyang [hometown] for musicians.

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Correspondence to Myoung-Sun Song .

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Song, MS. (2019). From Hongdae to Sinchon: Space and Place in Korean Hip Hop. In: Hanguk Hip Hop. East Asian Popular Culture. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15697-8_3

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