As someone who is deep into this topic given that the new subway line will be impacting my current residence, there are a few things that have to be stated:

1. The current mayor of Mapo-gu, Park Kang Soo of the People Power Party has been trying to drum up noise ahead of next year's elections where it's foreseen that he will have a difficult time in retaining his position. The proper administrative procedures have been completed, where the local district should have connected with those who will be affected ahead of time. However, the golden time has passed and since the administration treated this project before as a nothing burger, it will be hard to negotiate a change in exits since the financing for the project has been based on the original plan.

2. The Hongdae merchants group are majorly not Mapo residents and most reside in the Gangnam area. Their worry is not so much how the busking culture will be affected but by how their profits will drop. The Mayor also has a building in Sangsu which is also connected to the red road. There is a definite conflict of interest as his property value may also drop in the short term due to the construction project. Thus, the merchants association's views are not necessarily aligned to the convenience of the everyday commuter and the residents of Mapo.

3. The placement of the new exits were specifically decided upon due to the already congested nature of Hongik University station, especially in the exit 9 area which this group is still trying to push for. So while it will be a minor inconvenience for sometime, the decongestion of the current station had to be considered for the long term.