Why ProtoVille?
ProtoVille prototypes the next social protocol where the city runs out of growth. A proto-village inside super-aging Busan, co-creating the next chapter of urban life together with the local community and the nomads.
Why Busan?
Busan is Korea’s second city, and the first modern trade port that opened in 1876. It is also the first popup city. During the Korean War, for 1,023 days, Busan was the interim capital and the whole country itself. Millions of refugees fled into it, and it held them all.
Now it’s the fastest aging city in Korea, and the fastest to empty out. The young go. The ones who remember stay, and get older. A city the country forgot, slowly forgetting itself.
It never left. More than three million people, mountains pressed against the sea, still the busiest port in Korea.
You can still taste the city’s layered history. Milmyeon: cold noodles the northern refugees improvised with U.S. aid flour. Eomuk: fish cake that came from Japan. Ssiat hotteok: a Busan spin on a Chinese street snack. Gukje Market, where refugees traded whatever they had, is still open. The shacks they put up the slopes are now one of the city’s hottest tourist spots.
ProtoVillagers
Vote with your stay.
Who is coming?
Participant cards will include:
- Name or pseudonym
- Occupation or what they are known for
- Photo
- Why they are coming to ProtoVille Busan
- Intention
Who can I meet?
Hosts
The catalysts for ProtoVille Busan that want to show others the gems and charms of this coastal city.
Co-Creators
Individuals that want to give back to the ProtoVille community through hosting workshops, excursions, and other ways that make the event more lively.
Participants
Those that want to experience Korea outside of Seoul, Busan outside of Haeundae. Those that want to be part of a group of people that lift each other up and help accomplish goals together.
Timeline
Weekdays
What to expect on the weekday schedule.
Weekends
What to expect on the weekend schedule.
Photos
Busan photo gallery placeholder.
Quotes from Season 1
Season 1 quotes placeholder.
How to Apply?
Join our ProtoVille Telegram group to be the first to know when applications for ProtoVille Busan open.