Photo Credit: Daegu Junggu. Red-light districts turning from places for sexual exploitation into spaces for reflection on. Red-light districts, which have long symbolized sexual exploitation, are being reborn as unique spaces through the efforts of local communities.
Three examples are featured here. The communities presented have all compounded their innovations through mutual cooperation and learning. With the goal of redeveloping the Seonmichon red-light district while expanding the protection of the human rights and rehabilitation of prostituted women, the Private-Public Seonmichon Renewal Council was launched in February The Jeonbuk Women"s Human Rights Support Center has been conducting a range of activities including a walking tour of the Seonmichon neighborhood, story collection, and an exhibition of records on the area.
In , the non-profit organization held an exhibition in the red-light district entitled the Re-born Project in partnership with six artists so that citizens could come and witness the process of its rebirth.
Jagal Madang was once one of the most infamous red-light districts in South Korea. The project consists of a range of activities including recording the history of Jagal Madang, art exhibitions, and a talk event, attracted significant attention and participation from local citizens and artists. In October , the Jung-gu Office in Daegu remodeled a brothel in the red-light district to create the Jagal Madang Art Space as part of its continued efforts to convert the area into a place celebrating women"s human rights together with civic participation and the arts.
Starting on April 25, the Jagal Madang Art Space is holding an installation art exhibition on the theme of healing. This exhibition will continue until September The Jangmi Maeul red-light district in Asan, Chungcheongnam-do Province, became a red-light district with a number of hot springs businesses converted into entertainment bars. The Asan City government implemented crackdowns on the red-light district through In , the Asan City government established a plan to close Jangmi Maeul based on collected citizens" ideas for the renewal of the red-light district.
