Peer-reviewed article

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)-Supported Participatory Playground Regeneration: Social Value Creation Through Child Participation in Seoul, Korea

Younsun Heo · 18 Mar 2026

Abstract

Urban playgrounds are vital public spaces that support children’s play, social interaction, and well-being. However, many playgrounds in socially disadvantaged or aging urban areas experience physical deterioration, limited play diversity, and declining use. Although corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives have increasingly supported playground regeneration, many projects continue to emphasize short-term physical improvements rather than participatory processes and social value creation. This study conceptualizes CSR-supported, child-participatory playground regeneration as a social value creation process and examines how CSR enables process continuity through a structured six-stage participatory approach spanning planning, design, construction, and post-opening use. Two cases were selected from the “Save the Playground” program in Seoul, Korea: Saerok Children’s Park in a stable residential neighborhood and Mukjeong Children’s Park in a high-mobility, multicultural commercial district. Using a qualitative multiple-case study design, the study triangulates workshop outputs, observational records, facilitator field notes, and official program documents through thematic and cross-case analyses. The findings indicate that CSR support primarily ensured process continuity and facilitated multi-actor coordination across project stages. By securing implementation continuity and stabilizing governance arrangements, CSR support allowed participatory outputs to be iteratively translated into design development and post-opening evaluation. Post-opening outcomes differed by urban context; nevertheless, both cases showed social value creation through strengthened place attachment, responsibility-oriented use, and inclusive mixed-group play. This study advances a cross-case analytical framework linking urban context, participatory mechanisms, and post-opening social value outcomes, contributing to a more context-sensitive understanding of CSR-supported participatory design processes and their implications for sustainable urban public space development.