Busan, a city at the forefront of urban innovation, is ambitiously pursuing its transformation into a “15-Minute City.” At the heart of this initiative is the acclaimed “Deullak Nallak” children’s cultural complex, alongside infrastructure revamps and sustainability projects. However, as the city navigates its unique geographical constraints and socio-economic disparities, questions linger about the feasibility and sustainability of its ambitious plans.
The 15-Minute City is a revolutionary urban planning concept designed to ensure residents can access essential services—education, healthcare, leisure, and more—within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. Introduced in Busan in 2021 under Mayor Park Heong-joon’s leadership, this initiative aims to tackle global climate challenges, enhance residents’ quality of life, and embrace digital transformation.
Busan’s unique iteration of the 15-Minute City incorporates strategies to address its hilly terrain and fragmented infrastructure. By dividing the city into 62 distinct living zones and focusing on connectivity, inclusivity, and sustainability, Busan has laid the groundwork for a transformative urban future.
Deullak Nallak – Children’s Cultural Complexes
At the core of Busan’s 15-Minute City initiative is the Deullak Nallak project, a vibrant network of children’s cultural complexes that reimagine what public spaces can offer. Translating to “Come and Go,” these spaces embody openness and accessibility, transforming underutilized areas into dynamic hubs of learning, play, and interaction.
The first Deullak Nallak center, the Hoehwa Namu Children’s Library, opened its doors in July 2022 in Saha-gu district, setting the tone for what would become a rapidly growing initiative. These centers blend analog and digital elements—LEGO play zones, immersive 3D experiences on topics like climate change and space exploration, and hands-on storytelling programs—designed to engage children of all ages. The flagship center at Busan City Hall has become a bustling example of the project’s success, welcoming over 700 visitors daily with its state-of-the-art facilities.
While these spaces have reinvigorated neighborhoods and sparked children’s imaginations, they have also highlighted disparities in resources and engagement. Smaller locations, such as those in Gamcheon Culture Village, struggle to attract even a fraction of the visitors seen at flagship centers. Here, the challenges of limited accessibility, dated programming, and underwhelming infrastructure reveal the need for a more balanced approach.
Nonetheless, the potential of Deullak Nallak as a driver of urban renewal is undeniable. Facilities like the Hoehwa Namu Children’s Library and the Seo-gu Forest Playground have turned previously neglected sites into vital community assets. They offer a glimpse of how public spaces, tailored to local needs, can strengthen the social fabric of Busan’s neighborhoods. Yet, the sustainability of these spaces hinges on more than their physical presence—it requires continuous investment in programming, active community involvement, and innovative thinking to keep them relevant and vibrant.
Busan’s 15-Minute City: Ambition and Challenge
The 15-Minute City initiative in Busan aims to revolutionize urban living by ensuring residents can access essential services—education, healthcare, leisure, and more—within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. This vision extends beyond physical convenience, aspiring to create vibrant, interconnected communities where social bonds flourish alongside urban functionality.
The city’s approach begins with living zones, dividing Busan into 62 self-contained areas tailored to the diverse needs of its residents. These zones fall into seven types, ranging from residential to industrial and natural areas, each with unique priorities. Pilot projects under the “Happy Challenge” initiative have provided a glimpse of how these zones can function as microcosms of the 15-Minute City.
In districts like Dangam and Gaegum, Happy Challenge projects focus on improving pedestrian access, creating green corridors, and introducing bike-friendly pathways. These efforts have transformed local parks and streets into community-friendly spaces where residents can gather and interact.
Industrial areas, such as Sasang and Saha districts, present more complex challenges. Here, the initiative addresses safety concerns, such as fragmented walkways and inadequate green spaces, while reconnecting these industrial hubs with surrounding neighborhoods. New pedestrian routes and green corridors aim to blend functionality with livability.
These projects highlight the transformative potential of the 15-Minute City model. By prioritizing accessibility and sustainability, Busan has laid a foundation for equitable development across its districts.
Despite these successes, Busan’s 15-Minute City initiative faces significant obstacles, rooted in its unique geography and socio-economic disparities.
Busan’s mountainous terrain makes walkability a challenge in many neighborhoods. Nearly 70% of the city’s urbanized areas are located on slopes steeper than 10 degrees, complicating efforts to ensure equitable access. Even in areas where distances fall within the 15-minute threshold, steep inclines often discourage walking or cycling. To mitigate this, the city is introducing vertical mobility solutions, such as elevators and escalators, to connect hilly neighborhoods with main transit corridors.
Busan’s Eastern districts, such as Haeundae and Suyeong, enjoy superior infrastructure and amenities, while Western areas like Sasang and Saha often lack basic resources. These disparities make it difficult to implement a uniform 15-Minute City model across the city, necessitating tailored strategies to bridge the gap.
The rapid expansion of projects, such as Deullak Nallak, has raised concerns about sustainability. Critics argue that spreading resources too thin risks compromising the quality of services. Smaller facilities, which are less frequented, highlight the importance of balancing growth with robust operational support.
Feedback from Deullak Nallak centers underscores the importance of continuous programming updates to maintain community interest. Facilities like the Seo-gu Forest Playground, despite their unique appeal, risk becoming underutilized without consistent investment in new content and experiences.
Balancing Growth and Sustainability
As Busan accelerates its transformation into a 15-Minute City, the tension between rapid expansion and sustainable development becomes increasingly evident. While the city’s ambitious goals showcase its commitment to innovation, the success of these initiatives hinges on thoughtful planning and execution.
Busan’s goal of establishing 300 Deullak Nallak centers by 2030 represents an impressive commitment to community infrastructure. However, as smaller centers struggle with low visitor numbers and outdated programming, it is clear that scaling up must be matched with a focus on quality. Ensuring that each facility offers engaging, up-to-date content and meets local needs will be critical to maintaining their relevance.
For example, the Hoehwa Namu Children’s Library has thrived due to its strong alignment with community interests, offering programs like immersive 3D storytelling and hands-on activities. On the other hand, smaller locations like those in Gamcheon Culture Village highlight the risks of inadequate funding and underutilization.
One of the defining challenges of the 15-Minute City is ensuring equitable access across neighborhoods. Western districts like Sasang and Saha continue to lag behind their Eastern counterparts in infrastructure and public amenities. Addressing these disparities requires targeted investments, particularly in industrial areas where green spaces and pedestrian pathways remain scarce.
By channeling resources strategically, Busan can bridge the gap between affluent and underserved areas, ensuring that the benefits of the 15-Minute City are distributed fairly.
A successful 15-Minute City depends not only on physical infrastructure but also on the active participation of its residents. Facilities like Deullak Nallak can become true community hubs if they reflect the needs and aspirations of local families. To achieve this, Busan must foster deeper collaboration with residents, schools, and community organizations, allowing their input to shape programs and services.
The “Happy Challenge” initiative, which prioritizes pilot zones as models for replication, offers a promising framework. By using these zones to test and refine strategies, the city can ensure that future expansions are well-informed and impactful.
A City Transformed, A Vision Realized
Busan’s journey toward becoming a 15-Minute City is as ambitious as it is inspiring. Anchored by initiatives like Deullak Nallak and the Happy Challenge, the city is redefining urban life through a commitment to accessibility, inclusivity, and sustainability. These efforts aim not only to reshape the physical layout of the city but also to foster stronger emotional connections among its residents.
Yet, this transformation is not without its challenges. Geographic constraints, socio-economic disparities, and the risks of spreading resources too thin threaten to hinder the realization of this vision. Smaller, underutilized spaces reveal the importance of balancing growth with sustainability, ensuring that every resident—regardless of location—can reap the benefits of the 15-Minute City.
What sets Busan apart is its holistic approach, which looks beyond infrastructure to the heart of urban life: community. By prioritizing emotional proximity, shared spaces, and genuine engagement, the city is not just building a 15-Minute City but creating neighborhoods where people feel connected, valued, and inspired.
As Busan moves forward, the focus must remain on refining and expanding these efforts with thoughtfulness and inclusivity. The city’s vision of a future where every resident lives within reach of opportunity and connection is bold, but with continued investment and collaboration, it is entirely achievable.
