Governing the 24-Hour City: The Multi-Scalar Regulation of Seoul’s Night-Time Economy

Abstract

This thesis examines how Seoul governs the night-time economy (NTE) through a multi-scalarsystem of regulation comprising national, metropolitan, and district governmental actors. Previous research regarding the 24-hour city has largely been focused on the European and North American context, with limited exploration of NTE governance within Asian cities, particularly from a regulatory and institutional perspective. Using a qualitative content analysis with Seoul as a case study, this research analyzes legislation, policy documents, and government publications as primary indicators of regulatory themes in NTE governance. Four key variables of NTE governance are examined: the provision of overnight transportation, night-time commercial activation, the regulation of the alcohol and music industries, and nuisance control. Findings indicate that Seoul’s NTE is governed through a decentralized system, featuring frameworks of delegated authority established by the national government, while the Seoul Metropolitan Government provides key infrastructure and city-wide initiatives with localized district support in implementation and enforcement. Across all levels of government, temporal regulation is generally permissive, with intervention occurring primarily in response to standards violations or excessive nuisance impacts. This study argues that Seoul represents a distinct model of 24-hour governance characterized by infrastructural enablement, delegated flexibility, and responsive enforcement rather than centralized temporal restriction.