YongsanCats saves hundreds of felines from disappearing streets in Hannam New Town redevelopment zone

Demolition of Hannam New Town Zone 3 is nearly complete, as seen from Zone 2, which will be redeveloped next, in central Seoul, April 4. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

Construction equipment smashes down old brick buildings and scrapes into the exposed earth underneath, making way for Hannam New Town, a massive redevelopment project located between central Seoul's multicultural Itaewon area and the Han River. As demolition is nearly complete in Zone 3, the first of five adjacent redevelopment zones in the area, residents of Zone 2 are being pushed out in the latest wave of evictions.

Amid the destruction, Julie Choi, the operator of YongsanCats, an animal welfare community active in the area, warns that large-scale redevelopment of the neighborhood affects more than just its human residents.

Naecchi makes a sad face at the YongsanCats shelter in central Seoul's Bogwang-dong, April 4. A mother, her son is also in the shelter. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

Choi, who lives in another part of Yongsan District, estimates she has rescued more than 200 cats from the path of demolition in the area since 2024.

"I started because I could not ignore what I knew these cats were facing," she told The Korea Times. "I also wanted to help create an environment in which ordinary people feel they can take responsibility for even one life."

Julie Choi, right, pets Donnor at the YongsanCats shelter in central Seoul's Bogwang-dong, April 4. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

Now the animal shelter, where her rescues live while awaiting a foster or forever home, faces eviction as part of the latest relocation sweep.

The cat shelter is in Zone 2, just up the alley from a construction fence marking the boundary of Zone 3. The official voluntary relocation period for this region began on Jan. 23 and runs until April 22, clearing out about 1,100 to 1,200 households.

On March 6, she received notification the cat shelter would have to move out by April 16. She calls this timing "dreadful," pointing out how little advance notice she received.

"I had assumed there would be at least two months’ notice, enough time to make careful arrangements, but the process moved much faster than that," she said. "People were leaving at a striking pace, and seeing security patrol the area to confirm who had already gone created a very unsettling atmosphere."

A fork in the road outside the YongsanCats shelter leads toward a construction fence surrounding the demolition area in central Seoul's Bogwang-dong, April 4. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

The cat shelter, located in the semi-basement of a brick building, housed 18 cats as of April 7, already down from more than 65 at the start of the year as cats were adopted or matched with fosters. In total, there are 73 cats under her purview still awaiting forever homes, although this number will increase soon, as two of the cats are pregnant and four kittens are expected to be born within 20 to 30 days.

Yodole sits atop a cat tower at the YongsanCats shelter in central Seoul's Bogwang-dong, April 4. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

Thanks to an outpouring of community support, there's every hope that the shelter's remaining cats can be moved out of harm's way before the deadline.

However, Choi's mission won't end with the closing of the shelter. She estimates there are another 200 street cats in Zone 2 that still need rescue. As well, there are still a few cats remaining in Zone 3, and although she is barred from entering, she has been able to lure and catch the cats that come out from behind the construction fence.

Julie Choi looks down an alley lined with construction fences in central Seoul's Bogwang-dong, April 4. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

Relocation is impractical for the street cats of Bogwang-dong. Choi points out that they can't just move into neighboring areas, which are already the territory of other strays that won't welcome their encroachment. That's why finding homes for them with humans is the most humane solution for this problem. She calls this program trap-neuter-adopt (TNA), in contrast with the more widely trap-neuter-release, in which cats who are trapped and neutered are then returned to the site where they are found.

"I'm a strong believer that none of these cats are mine," Choi said. "I'm just here to bring them to a safer new chapter in life."

Although she has been cooperating with neighbors, volunteers and district government officials, she admits she has handled the vast majority of the work, and the costs.

Vicky peeks out from a cat tower at the YongsanCats shelter in central Seoul's Bogwang-dong, April 4. Korea Times photo by Jon Dunbar

She hopes that YongsanCats can develop a model that can be applied to other cat rescue operations at redevelopment sites.

"With Yongsan District moving toward TNA and a stray adoption program, I hoped this could become a meaningful local model — one that could eventually influence other districts as well," she said.

"I hope we can create a community and a support system where even one person who wants to save one life does not have to do it alone," Choi said. "The power of one person, one caring glance or one voice is often underestimated, but it truly can change a life."

In the lead-up to the shelter's eviction, members of the community have been arranging fundraisers for YongsanCats. The funds raised are put toward medical care for cats currently rescued and others needing rescue, according to Choi.

"This changing area that we're living in, it's difficult for us expats — I imagine it's worse for the cats," musician Geoffrey Lewis said while performing during a benefit show at Uplift on April 4.

Taco Amigo has an improv comedy fundraiser planned for April 18.

A poster for an "Impawrov" comedy fundraiser planned at Taco Amigo on April 18 / Courtesy of Taco Amigo

Choi has also been working with influencers to introduce the plight of the neighborhood's cats to a wider audience.

Putting to use her years of experience working in tech and media, she has also been creating content to share the stories of the cats who have been rescued, creating YongsanCats Studio to share the stories of the rescue cats, to honor the meaning each life holds and to invite people to see street animals differently.

"We hope to become a voice for the voiceless and help carry them toward a safer new chapter," she said. "All cats have a story."

Visit yongsancats.com or follow @yongsancats on Instagram for more information.