Seorae Village, sometimes nicknamed "

Montmartre Montmartre ( , ) is a large hill in Paris's northern 18th arrondissement. It is high and gives its name to the surrounding district, part of the Right Bank. The historic district established by the City of Paris in 1995 is bordered by Rue C ...

", due to its hilltop location, or sometimes "French Village", is a small, affluent

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

enclave An enclave is a territory (or a small territory apart of a larger one) that is entirely surrounded by the territory of one other state or entity. Enclaves may also exist within territorial waters. ''Enclave'' is sometimes used improperly to deno ...

Banpo-dong Banpo-dong is a '' dong'', neighborhood of Seocho-gu, the greater Gangnam area in Seoul, South Korea. Banpo-dong is divided into five different dong which are Banpobon-dong, Banpo 1-dong, 2-dong, 3-dong and 4-dong. The neighborhood is just north ...

Seocho-gu Seocho District () is one of the 25 '' gu'' (local government districts) which make up the city of Seoul, South Korea. Seocho is generally referred to as a part of Greater Gangnam Area, along with Gangnam District. As of 2022, Seocho District r ...

Seoul Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the Capital city, capital and largest metropolis of South Korea.Before 1972, Seoul was the ''de jure'' capital of the North Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea ...

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

. It is home to about 560 French people, roughly 40% of the French community in South Korea. Most of them are employees of French corporations doing business in the country. The majority (370) of the French population are children. The village began to form there in 1985, with the movement of

Lycée Français de Séoul The French School of Seoul (french: Lycée français de Séoul, LFS, ko, 서울프랑스학교) is a French international school in Seorae Village, a community in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The school, the city's only French

international school An international school is an institution that promotes education in an international environment or framework. Although there is no uniform definition or criteria, international schools are usually characterized by a multinational student body a ...

, had formerly been located just north of the Han River in

Hannam-dong Hannam-dong is a '' dong'', neighbourhood of Yongsan-gu in Seoul, South Korea. One of the most affluent neighborhoods in the country, it has been portrayed continuously in South Korea's popular culture as a wealthy and luxurious spot, and for this ...

, a large international neighborhood. French people with children followed, as did bakeries and wine shops. The village is the site of a 20,000 m² park, "Montmartre Park", which is often the site of public events for foreigners. It is near Express Bus Terminal Station on

Seoul Subway Line 3 Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 3 (dubbed ''The Orange Line'') of the Seoul Metropolitan Subway is a rapid transit service that connects Eunpyeong District to Gangnam and southeastern Seoul. Most trains head further northwest to serve Goyang vi ...

. The area has a large concentration of European-style restaurants and dessert cafes, as well as wineries and cafes stand along its main street.

History

Seorae Village is a district of

, on Banpo 4-dong,

. It begins at Seorae-ro by Sapyeong-ro, which is located on the southern end of Banpo-daegyo bridge. The name of French Village comes from the fact that about two hundred French people live there. There is not much difference between this village and a common Korean villages because it does not have exotic French style buildings or signboards. The 300 meter street from Seorae-ro to Bangbae middle school at the end of the hill is paved with three colors blocks (red, white, and blue) to symbolize the national flag of France. Visitors can see signs where French is written with Korean script, such as Attention Ecole (Attention School), Hopital ste-Marie (St. Mary's Hospital) and the signboards of "Le Seine" or "Le Ciel" with the street name of "Montmartre." The village began to form here in 1985 with the moving of L'Ecole Francaise de Seoul formerly located in

to the area. Next, French people started to gather around the school. Since the 1990s, as more French corporations including

Carrefour Carrefour () is a French multinational retail and wholesaling corporation headquartered in Massy, France. The eighth-largest retailer in the world by revenue, it operates a chain of hypermarkets, groceries stores and convenience stores, wh ...

, TGV, and

Renault Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufacture ...

have advanced into Korea, Seorae Village became animated gradually, and developed as a tourist attraction for French people in Korea. The Seocho-gu government announced that they will create access to Seorae Village as a specialized street where French style culture coexists with businesses. Therefore, the French Village is expected to be reborn as the cultural landmark of Seocho-gu.

Landmarks

There are many attractions to look around in Seorae Village. The

French School of Seoul The French School of Seoul (french: Lycée français de Séoul, LFS, ko, 서울프랑스학교) is a French international school in Seorae Village, a community in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea.National Library of Korea is where numerous materials are collected and preserved. It currently holds approximately 4.3 million books and theses, of which roughly 200 thousand are collected annually. Art exhibitions are occasionally held in the exhibition room on the first floor. Surrounded by Seocho Park, the scenery outside is beautiful and the atmosphere is very relaxing. Montmarte Park

Banpo Hangang River Park The Banpo Bridge (Korean: 반포대교; Hanja: 盤浦大橋) is a major bridge in downtown Seoul over the Han River, South Korea, connecting the Seocho and Yongsan districts. The bridge is on top of Jamsu Bridge, forming the upper half of a doub ...

is among the most popular Hangang park. Located between the Banpo and Hannam bridges on the river's south bank, the park was recently redone, with much of the natural vegetation removed in favor of expansive lawns, walking and bicycle trails, and a large play area for children. An inline skating rink and outdoor stages were also incorporated into the new design. Being a riverside park, jet skis, water taxis and river cruise boats exist as open services on the river.. Also, for eating. At

Paris Croissant Paris Baguette is a South Korean multinational chain of bakery-cafés, owned by the SPC Group and headquartered in Seoul. In 1986, it was established as a subsidiary of Shani Co., Ltd., and opened the first 'Paris Baguette' in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, ...

, breads and croissants are made. Paris Croissant is a chain of bakeries found all across Seoul and internationally.

Culture

Every year, several festivals are held in Seorae Village including a costume parade and a Montmartre music festival. In spring, students from the French School of Seoul march in a costume parade. The school hosts this event to promote traditional French culture. The carnival is an archaic tradition connected to the agricultural and seasonal cycle of each year, and has the significance of purification as well. Banpo Seorae Korea/France Music Festival is held every summer. This festival's purpose is to allow people to understand each other's culture and get along. About 2,000 people attend every year, including residents and artists who love music.

Education

French School of Seoul The French School of Seoul (french: Lycée français de Séoul, LFS, ko, 서울프랑스학교) is a French international school in Seorae Village, a community in Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea.Dulwich College Seoul, a British international school, is about five minutes away by car.Find Us
" Dulwich College Seoul. Retrieved on March 30, 2016.

References

External links

Seorae global Village Center

Institut Francais
* Ambassade de France à Séoul {{coord missing, South Korea Ethnic enclaves in South Korea French communities French diaspora in Asia French expatriates in South Korea Neighbourhoods of Seocho District