Review'Green Concrete' documentary questions cost of urban renewal

A scene from the documentary "Green Concrete" / Courtesy of Jinjin Pictures

For Koreans, who must endure scorching summers and freezing winters, apartment complexes have long served as the ultimate symbol of housing efficiency as well as their most prized financial assets.

Beyond property value and redevelopment, these concrete complexes also preserve residents' memories, neighborhood bonds and urban nature.

Director Lee Sung-min’s documentary film, "Green Concrete," explores this tension by capturing the demolition of a massive residential complex in southern Seoul's Gaepo-dong.

Over seven years from 2017, the 103-minute documentary shows both the changing cityscape and the fate of the trees planted there for decades.

A scene from the documentary "Green Concrete" / Courtesy of Jinjin Pictures

Lee, who grew up in the complex, initially returned to document the space before its disappearance.

What started as a personal recording effort soon grew into a collective project gathering former residents to share old photos and memories. Through these shared stories, the film portrays the vanishing apartment complex as one of the few remaining green spots in a concrete-dominated landscape.

Rather than choosing a side in the redevelopment debate, "Green Concrete" looks at what gets lost during redevelopment. Relocation banners are soon replaced by heavy machinery and excavators that dig up trees that shaded the area for decades.

Through intimate footage, former residents are seen revisiting the empty site, gazing through abandoned windows, and asking workers if uprooted trees might be transplanted elsewhere. Many residents felt they grew up together with these trees, which held their memories of living in the neighborhood.

"Green Concrete" does not offer simple answers to urban housing challenges. Instead, it invites viewers to consider what is lost when financial value completely eclipses ecological and emotional heritage, and how communities might better record and preserve their shared history amid constant change.

A scene from the documentary "Green Concrete" / Courtesy of Jinjin Pictures

Instead of just looking back with nostalgia, Lee brings up a key question about urban ecology. She asks whether a city that removes its trees can be healthy for its residents. She also reused wood from the chopped trees to build public art memorials.

The film has earned critical acclaim on the festival circuit, winning the Industry Choice Award at the 20th EBS International Documentary Festival and a Special Mention in the Korean Competition at the 22nd Seoul International Eco Film Festival. In 2025, it was nominated for Best Feature at the Green Film Network Awards.

“Green Concrete” will be released in theaters on Aug. 19.