Hannam Village

Hannam Village was a housing base with a grocery store, library, gym, pool, chapel, baseball field, and shuttle service to Yongsan Garrison, the main base. The village consisted of 10 buildings, including 4 highrises with 512 units, and had been leased for more than three decades to servicemen and their family members. It was often called “The Little U.S. in Seoul.”

In the decade leading up to release and development, service members and their families complained about pests, water damage, drainage issues, drafty windows, and more. With plans to move military activities to another base, the military was reluctant to invest more money into property that was being leased. Without investment, Hannam Village struggled to maintain a quality of life equivalent to “neighborhoods outside the fence” which boasted floor-based heating, new appliances and tubs with Jacuzzis. Additionally, the base was located in the stylish and densely-populated neighborhood of Hannam-dong, home to diplomats, politicians, and business moguls. In 2014, the base was closed and purchased two years later for $540 million by Daishin Securities.

With few redeeming qualities, Hannam Village was completely demolished in 2017 and reconstructed as a 341-unit gated compound—a rarity in Korea. In 2019, the Nine One Hannam complex opened, resplendent with “opulent amenities” like a private elevator for each unit, in addition to strict security measures to protect its famous tenants—celebrities like RM and Jimin of BTS, G-Dragon of Big Bang, Jennie of BLACKPINK as well as actors and business executives. In 2024, Nine One Hannam claimed the title as the most expensive apartment ever sold in South Korea, with one of its units selling for $14.5 million.