Since the 2000s, large-scale urban reconstruction projects have been actively implemented in districts such as Gangnam, Seocho, and Songpa in Seoul. Many of the affected apartments were originally public housing, including municipal and government-sub...
Since the 2000s, large-scale urban reconstruction projects have been actively implemented in districts such as Gangnam, Seocho, and Songpa in Seoul. Many of the affected apartments were originally public housing, including municipal and government-subsidized units, designed for low- and middle-income households. However, these reconstruction efforts have significantly raised housing prices, potentially triggering residential gentrification. This process may not only attract higher-income households but also affect sustainable commuting behavior. Nevertheless, few studies have examined the effects of reconstruction-induced residential gentrification on commuting behavior. This study investigates changes in commuting behavior—specifically, time, mode choice, car commuting time, and destination choice—among residents of Heliocity, a large-scale reconstructed residential complex, before and after its redevelopment. Methods, such as ANOVA and chi-square tests, were employed to verify the occurrence of gentrification within Heliocity. Additionally, multilevel regression modeling, with a difference-in-differences approach, was applied to assess changes in commuting behavior, such as mode choice, travel time, and destination choice. The analysis reveals that, upon completion, Heliocity attracted higher-income households, professionals, and residents with higher rates of private car ownership. Furthermore, both overall and car commuting time increased, and commuting destinations diversified, with more residents traveling to various locations within and beyond Seoul. These results suggest that large-scale reconstruction projects may contribute to longer commuting times, particularly for car users, and to a shift toward more distant destinations, thereby posing challenges to sustainable commuting behavior.