Dongtan, the shadow of a young, wealthy city… As one-person households increase, commercial districts and relationships weaken

Dongtan in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province has grown into a city that attracts young, highincome residents on the back of the semiconductor industry and the AI boom, but behind that lies rising loneliness and a decline in the local commercial district. According to a recent survey, Dongtan's monthly drinking rate is among the highest in the country, but drinking gatherings are shifting from the busy streets outside to 'solo drinking' at home. Last month, late at night around Dongtan Buk Square, the floating population was smaller than expected, and merchants complained of poor sales. The number of cooking pubs has decreased, and vacancy rates in major commercial buildings have risen. Experts say that as the influx of office workers in their 30s and 40s and the increase in singleperson households weaken the sense of settling down, interactions within the local community are decreasing and the commercial district is also being affected. Social isolation is also reflected in the pattern of conflict. In Dongtan, there are many cases where disputes between neighbors lead to reports and lawsuits, and reports of school violence and relationship crimes have also increased. Urban planning experts pointed out that, given the nature of new towns that are rapidly formed around jobs, community solidarity can be weak, and that measures are needed to restore relationships within the region and prevent conflict.