The “youth hubs” near universities, which should be bustling with students, are being avoided by their intended users. Despite investments of billions of won in national and municipal funds, short operating hours and complex reservation procedures have made them difficult to use. “Channel PNU” has found out that these youth hubs near Pusan National University (PNU) have become places used only by those who are aware of them or are instead occupied by startups and middle-aged users rather than young people.

A youth hub refers to a facility established by local governments to support young people’s cultural activities and job or business ventures. Near the Busan Campus of PNU, there are two such youth hubs: Youth Creative Station Kkeumter Plus (DREAM Plus) and Jangjeon Cultural Center (Cultural Center). Located near PNU’s main gate, DREAM Plus is a five-story building with facilities such as a startup lab, meeting rooms, studios, editing rooms, and multipurpose auditoriums. The Cultural Center, situated in Jangjeon 1-dong, where young people make up 44.8% of the population due to its concentration of one-rooms (studio apartments), is a four-story building equipped with youth-friendly facilities like band practice rooms, club rooms, individual practice rooms, and a shared kitchen.

However, as of March 3rd, Channel PNU’s investigation found that neither of these youth hubs is actively utilized by young people. The average daily usage of DREAM Plus’ general rental facilities was only three people in 2024. Similarly, the Cultural Center’s monthly youth users accounted for only 98 out of 338 total users (approximately 29%) in 2024. When excluding holidays, the actual daily average of youth users was just five people.

Young people appear to be avoiding these hubs due to limited operating hours and inefficient reservation processes. DREAM Plus does not operate on Sundays or public holidays and closes at 8pm on weekdays. Reservations must be made between 30 days and 3 days before the intended use, meaning bookings within two days are not allowed. The Cultural Center’s facility rentals are limited to specific time slots (10am-12pm, 2pm-5pm, 6pm-9pm) and can only be booked once per week.

PNU Student A (Architecture Major, 21), stated, “I knew about the facility, but since there are many school buildings which are open 24 hours, I didn’t feel the need to use it. If I’m not at school, I’d rather go to a nearby café where I can use the space at a reasonable price for as long as I want.” Another PNU Student B (School of Economics) said, “There aren’t many 24-hour facilities near the school, so it would be great if we could use the youth hubs at any time, even late at night.”

Another reason for the low youth usage is lack of publicity. Many students at PNU are unaware of what DREAM Plus and the Cultural Center offer or how they can be used. PNU Student C (Dept. of Business Administration, 20) commented, “I’ve walked past the building, but I didn’t know it was a youth hub. If I had known they had meeting rooms, I would have used them, but the lack of promotion is an issue.”

Since these youth hubs are operated with financial support from the state and local governments, youth engagement is crucial. However, due to their low actual utilization rate, questions about their effectiveness are being raised. DREAM Plus was established with 41.45 billion won from the municipal and district budgets and has been receiving 220 million won annually from Geumjeong District since 2023. The Cultural Center was built with 10 billion won in national, municipal, and district funds and operates on an annual budget of 60 million won.

Instead of young people, the hubs are now occupied by companies and middle-aged users. During a visit on February 17th, DREAM Plus was primarily used by startup companies and aspiring entrepreneurs, while at the Cultural Center, middle-aged users crowded the shared kitchen and book café. A Cultural Center official said, “Many young people do make reservations, but nearby elderly residents also frequently use the rental facilities. If the space is available and meets the reservation criteria, we try to accommodate them as much as possible.”

To increase youth engagement, solutions such as extended operating hours and improved reservation systems are needed. However, the local government in charge of these facilities states that changes are difficult due to operational regulations. An official from the Geumjeong-gu Office Culture and Tourism Division explained, “If contacted separately, manual registration is possible, but since these are government-operated facilities, reservation payments are processed as local taxes, which require a set period in advance. Additionally, staff members have designated working hours and lunch breaks.”

Reporter Jeong Su-Vin

Translated by Thadar-Soe