Seoul's Urban Explosion: From 19th-Century Town to 21st-Century Megacity

19th Century: A Modest Beginning

In the 1800s, Seoul was a small town of roughly 100,000 people. By contrast, New York and Chicago already boasted populations exceeding one million each. Seoul's growth was slow, constrained by isolation and an agrarian economy.

20th Century: Accelerated Growth

The 1900s brought dramatic change. Seoul's population surged from about one million in 1900 to over ten million by 2000. Industrialization, emergence as a transportation hub, and its role as South Korea's capital fueled this expansion.

Present Day

Today, the Seoul metropolitan area houses over 25 million people, ranking among the world's largest urban agglomerations. While growth has slowed recently, the city remains a global economic and cultural powerhouse.