These days, many people, perhaps tired of city life, are looking for quiet places to escape to, aren’t they? It seems everyone shares the desire to heal in nature. But have you heard that an increasing number of young people are not just resting, but dreaming of a new start by moving their entire lives? Especially in Sobaeksan, located at the foot of Sobaeksan Mountain, a very interesting change is taking place.
Recently, Yeongju City was selected for the ‘Youth Village Creation Support Project’ organized by the Ministry of Interior and Safety. As a result, a former abandoned school in Yongsan-ri, Isan-myeon, is set to undergo a spectacular transformation into ‘Sobaeksan Art Village’. It’s not just about filling an empty building; it’s about creating a cultural hub where young artists gather to create and interact with the local community. I wondered if this was truly possible, but upon closer inspection, I found that this region has its own unique charm.
Sobaeksan Art Village: The Amazing Transformation of an Abandoned School
In fact, there are many projects nationwide that utilize abandoned schools. However, Yeongju’s ‘Sobaeksan Art Village’ seems to have a different approach. From 2026 to 2028, 600 million won in national funds will be invested over three years to establish youth-led regional settlement programs and cultural/employment models. The core is not just renovating buildings, but creating an environment where young artists can actually stay and continue their creative activities.
- Provision of creative spaces: Studios and workshops will be prepared for young artists to work stably.
- Production of local cultural content: The artworks and programs created by these artists will interact with local residents, leading to new cultural content.
- Resident participation programs: Through performances and educational programs involving both youth and local residents, they will communicate and promote mutual growth.
What’s truly important here is that it’s not just about creating a beautiful space, but about supporting a ‘sustainable life’. The plan is to help young people build their careers here and settle naturally by interacting with local residents.
Inspiration from Nature, the Allure that Draws Young People
Honestly, you might wonder why young people these days would leave the city for a place like this, right? I think Yeongju’s pristine natural environment and cultural potential play a big role. The tranquility of the Sobaeksan foothills and the inspiration from historical cultural heritage sites like Buseoksa Temple are immense. For young people tired of the noise and complexity of the city, such nature can truly be a ‘healing’ and ‘source of inspiration’.
- Attraction as a quiet travel destination: With the recent spread of the ‘quiet travel’ trend, Yeongju is gaining attention as a domestic relaxation destination. The serene mountain landscape of Sobaeksan and its humanistic resources provide an ideal environment for contemplation.
- Optimal environment for creation: The tranquility experienced in nature will help artists generate new ideas and add depth to their works.
- Improved transportation accessibility: The operation of KTX-Eum, which allows travel from Seoul to Danyang in about 1 hour and 20 minutes, is also said to be positively impacting rural relocation and settlement in this region, including Danyang County.
If young artists can form new communities with local residents in such an environment and continue their lives and work at their own pace… Wow, doesn’t that paint a truly wonderful picture?
Successful Youth Settlement: What are the Future Challenges?
Of course, for such a project to succeed, there are quite a few hurdles to overcome. No matter how good the intention, to keep young people here for a long time, more than just creative support, practical living infrastructure must be backed up. Things like housing issues and stable income generation methods. Local university officials also emphasized that youth settlement cannot be achieved solely through jobs; cultural environment and community experience must also be formed for sustainability.
- Sustainable housing and income models: Since it’s often difficult to make a living solely through artistic activities, entrepreneurial opportunities linked to local specialties or other job opportunities should also be explored.
- Harmony with local residents: More programs are needed that allow not just young people from outside, but also existing local residents to naturally interact and coexist.
- Strengthening promotion and networking: Providing active promotion and networking opportunities is also important so that more young artists can learn about and participate in this project.
Although it’s still in the early stages, Yeongju City plans to expand youth support through subsequent policies, so I’m looking forward to the future even more. I hope there will be more spaces like this where young people can escape into nature whenever they want to ‘work-life balance’.
I hope the stories of young artists blossoming at the foot of Sobaeksan Mountain will bring new vitality to the Yeongju region and fresh inspiration to our society. I will continue to watch what synergy nature and art will create. Isn’t it truly exciting?