Some might say that there is no job left for the architect here in Seoul. Even the daunting task of designing and creating entire cities has been reduced to a science: no architect needed. Despite this harsh reality, there are a few architects that are visionaries — architects who are questioning how everything gets built, and making powerful statements with their work. I have chosen seven visionary Korean architecture firms that I believe are changing Korean society for the better. These architects are confronting obstacles in Korean society, and their ideas are starting to spread.

With the inception of Korean New Cities in the 1980’s, architects are now facing greater responsibilities to speak out about the importance of good architecture. Along with the Graduate School of Urban Architecture at the Korean National University of Arts, I have extensively researched the growth and spread of Korean New Cities, and have come up with an alternative plan. This alternative plan is based on the analysis of existing Korean urbanity, the conditions of a proposed site for a new city, and the Modernist poet Yi Sang [1910-37]. With this Fulbright Forum, I will present how the Korean visionary architects have influenced my work, and also explain my proposal for a new Korean city in detail.