Seoul’s nocturnal urbanism: An emergent night-time economy of substitute driving and fast deliveries

Abstract

Seoul has undergone a very rapid urbanisation and modernisation process, particularly in the years since the Korean War, as the city became part of the global capitalist system. Examining night-time mobility in today’s Seoul, this article seeks to contribute to the recent scholarly attention given to night-time economies and related new spatial practices. In particular, it considers the night-time substitute driver services (or daeri-gisa) and fast grocery delivery, along with their spatial practices related to the urban built environment of Seoul. After examining statistical and ethnographic data on substitute drivers and grocery deliverers, I conclude that while the influence of external factors in global capitalism cannot be denied, the thriving night-time driver/delivery services in Seoul are also shaped by local urban conditions including intricate public transportation, a frequent ‘company night out culture’ and the predominantly vertical organisation of residential space.