Urban-rural migrants and commodication of rural-coastal villages on a touristic island: A case study of woljeong-ri on Jeju island, Korea

Abstract

Recently a significant population migration to rural areas has been occurring in relation to both rural and urban areas in Korea. This urban-rural migration is characterized by region. On Jeju Island the number of Return Non-Farm Households provides the overwhelming majority, unlike other regions. This has partially been the result of the geographical location and tourism industry of Jeju Island. This migration tendency is causing a transformation in the rural space. Thus this paper aims to describe and determine how an increase in urban-rural migrants causes commodification of a rural-coastal village, both in terms of the reasons and the processes in order to understand rural spatial transformation by in-migrants. As a result, service activities by in-migrants in Woljeong village are associated with commodification of the village in terms of consumption of the village landscapes. This includes the ocean view and sales of farm lands and houses. Commodification of the village has overheated commercialization of the village space and competition in the same field of business. Finally, a spatial division between the existing ‘spatial practices’ of the village natives and the commercialized place of new stakeholders has occurred. This means that the rural space and identity have transformed in Woljeong-Ri.