Signals emerged in the June 3 local elections that Seoul's Gwanak District is no longer a one-sided "stronghold" of the Democratic Party of Korea. Analysts say conservative leanings have strengthened in areas dense with people in their 20s and 30s around Line No. 2 station zones, creating cracks in the existing political landscape.
According to resident registration demographics, as of May, of Gwanak District's total population of 478,154, the 20–39 age group corresponding to the "2030" cohort numbers 196,036, accounting for about 40%. As such, Gwanak is one of the areas that represents youth sentiment. Gwanak has served as a stronghold for the Democratic Party. Except for the eighth local elections in 2022, when Oh Se-hoon won by a landslide, Gwanak chose the Democratic Party.
In the 2022 presidential election, where President Lee Jae-myung lost to Yoon Suk-yeol, Gwanak District chose Lee. Lee won 50.32%, a margin of 17,340 votes, and in the 22nd general election in 2024, Democratic Party candidates won in both Gwanak A and Gwanak B.
In this Seoul mayoral election, Democratic Party candidate Chong Won-o won, but a closer look at the vote by neighborhood shows a drift in the "2030" sentiment. Chong Won-o and Oh Se-hoon won 51.68% (134,851 votes) and 44.28% (115,522 votes), respectively. However, by neighborhood in Gwanak, in Nakseongdae-dong, Chong Won-o of the Democratic Party of Korea received 3,841 votes, while Oh Se-hoon of the People Power Party recorded 3,953 votes, leading by 112.
In Sillim-dong, Chong led by only 70 votes. Oh also held an edge in Seorim-dong and Namhyeon-dong. These areas are close to Seoul Subway Line No. 2 station zones and are cited as regions with a high share of people in their 20s and 30s. In areas where Line No. 2 station zones and clusters of officetels and new housing are concentrated, bringing in many young office workers, the race flipped or turned into a razor-thin contest.
By contrast, in Nanhyang-dong and Nangok-dong—traditional low-rise residential clusters where the population aged 50 and older reaches 49% and 52%—Chong Won-o took 54.5% (6,028 votes) and 54.4% (3,987 votes), respectively, comfortably outpacing Oh by 11 to 12 percentage points.
This result differs from Gwanak District's past image as a "stronghold" of the Democratic Party of Korea, and the divergence is attributed to youth job-market struggles and real estate issues. A college student surnamed Lee (25, male) who moved up from Gwangju and lives near Seoul National University Station said, "I made a different choice from my parents, who support the Democratic Party of Korea," adding, "There's a perception that the Democratic Party of Korea has failed to solve problems as housing prices have surged and finding a job has become difficult." He added, "On real estate and jobs, more friends actually sympathize with arguments from the conservative camp."
A person surnamed Kim (30, female), who commutes from Inheon-dong to Mapo District, also said, "Honestly, in the past I would have chosen the Democratic Party without much thought," but added, "This time, for the first time, I chose Oh Se-hoon." Kim said, "I felt there was a difference in name recognition, and I thought (Oh's side) could stabilize housing prices through redevelopment or expanding apartment supply rather than public rental housing."
Political circles interpret Gwanak District as a "microcosm" of the changing political landscape in Seoul. A political source said, "A clear political divide is emerging between station-zone areas where middle-class young office workers have moved in and long-term residential areas centered on existing low-rise housing," adding, "It is no longer easy to see Gwanak as a one-sided Democratic Party stronghold." The source added, "This is a case showing that Seoul politics is being reorganized around generations and classes, moving away from the traditional Gangnam-versus-Gangbuk framework."