MANY cities seem to have two personalities. During the day, offices, streets and public transport are busy. After working hours, some districts become quiet while activity concentrates around restaurants, entertainment areas and shopping centres.
For people who cannot afford these places or cannot reach them safely, the city may effectively close early.
Seoul is now trying to change that pattern. In July 2026, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced a major night-economy initiative linking culture, tourism, local business and transport.
The plans include dedicated night-economy zones, longer opening hours for cultural venues, expanded late-night transport and 25 Moonlight Yajang outdoor dining destinations by 2028.
What makes the initiative interesting is that it treats the night as a planning period rather than simply an extension of business hours.
A museum staying open late has limited impact if the last train has already left. A night market struggles if nearby streets feel unsafe.
Outdoor dining may bring life to a district, but it also depends on practical decisions about noise, cleanliness, operating hours and pedestrian access.
Yet a vibrant night economy is not automatically an inclusive night city. If every evening activity requires buying food, paying admission or travelling by private car, many people remain excluded. Public life cannot be measured only by how long cash registers remain open.
This is where the idea of the “third place” becomes valuable.
Parks, libraries, cultural spaces, sports courts, waterfronts, community facilities and well-managed night markets can become places where people spend time beyond home and work.
Some may support local businesses, while others should allow people to participate without feeling obliged to spend money.
For Malaysia, this idea deserves particular attention. Evening hours are often more comfortable than the hottest part of the day, and our existing culture of pasar malam, food streets, parks and late-night dining already shows a strong appetite for life after dark.
The opportunity is to connect these activities into safer, more inclusive neighbourhood networks rather than treating each venue as an isolated destination.
Imagine a student leaving an evening class and walking along a well-lit route to a library, food area or public space before catching reliable transport home.
Imagine families enjoying a park after dinner, older residents joining light exercise sessions, and young people attending free performances without being expected to spend continuously.
Making this possible requires thoughtful planning.
Land-use policies should allow compatible activities while protecting residential areas from excessive noise.
Transport planning should provide affordable late-night services and safe first-and-last-mile connections. Urban design should address lighting, crossings, seating, toilets, weather protection, visibility and universal access.
Placemaking should involve residents and local businesses so that nighttime programmes reflect the character of each community instead of copying attractions from elsewhere.
We must also remember the people who keep the night economy running: cleaners, transport operators, security personnel, food workers, performers and delivery riders.
A city that never sleeps should not expect its workers never to rest.
The Japanese term karoshi, meaning death from overwork, reminds us that longer business hours must be matched by fair scheduling, safe working conditions and reliable transport home.
Perhaps Malaysia should aim for more than a night economy. We could build a night commons: a network of safe, accessible and welcoming places where culture, recreation, local business and community life coexist after dark.
The real measure of success would not be how late the city stays awake, but who feels able to take part. Can a teenager, a lower-income family, a woman travelling alone, an older person or someone with a disability enjoy the city comfortably and return home safely?
When the answer becomes yes, nighttime activity becomes more than an economic strategy. It becomes a new form of urban belonging. ‒ Sept 24, 2026
The authors are Senior Lecturers at the Faculty of Built Environment, Universiti Malaya.
The views expressed are solely of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Focus Malaysia.
Main image: Pexels/Biography
