The city’s Seoul Future Heritage program aims to preserve and promote non-designated tangible/intangible heritage worth passing on to future generations. This year, twenty-nine candidates were selected and presented to the Seoul Future Heritage Preservation Committee after a thorough survey, and while nine were shortlisted after passing the deliberation stage, four were selected as finalists upon agreement by their respective owners to be designated as Seoul Future Heritage.

Kyobo Bookstore was the largest bookstore in Korea at the time of its establishment in 1981, and has since played a symbolic role as a major cultural space for bibliophiles in Seoul.

Myeong-dong Kyoja is a restaurant that specializes in kalguksu (Korean noodle soup). Opened in 1970, it is the birthplace of the popular “Myeong-dong kalguksu” and it has been in business for two generations. The importance of its locality and cuisine was judged to be of cultural value.

Gungsan Underground Tunnel is located in Magok-dong, Gangseo-gu. It was excavated in the 1940s during the Japanese occupation of Korea, but halted following national liberation. The importance of its historicity that retains the atrocity of Japanese imperialism was judged to be of historical value so that citizens can look back on the history of suffering and sacrifice of the Korean people.

Pyeongsanjae is a U-shaped hanok with several wings in Jongno-gu that was built in 1959. Originally located in Tongui-dong, it was relocated to Pyeongchang-dong in 1978. The importance of its well-preserved architecture was even officially recognized as a valuable hanok by the city in 2020.

The four selected finalists of Seoul Future Heritage will not only receive a copper plaque and paper certificate in recognition, but also be publicly promoted via media to extend their value. Seoul also plans to produce online content using virtual reality (VR) to increase public awareness and enhance accessibility to Seoul Future Heritage.