Among the five strategies(5Cs) of UNESCO’s World Heritage preservation policy – Conservation, Communication, Credibility, Capacity Building, and Communities – ‘Communities’ has been emphasized as a key element for ensuring the sustainability of the World Heritage system. Particularly since the 40th anniversary of the adoption of the World Heritage Convention in 2012, the importance of community participation has gained increasing attention, deepening interest in the relationship between cultural heritage and local communities. This study examines Seowon in the Honam region that maintain close relationships with local communities through their locational characteristics. Originally established as Neo-Confucian educational institutions, Seowon emphasized cultivation and academic inquiry in nature, and thus tended to be located at a certain distance from villages. However, some Seowon in the Honam region deviate from this trend by being situated adjacent to villages and actively interacting with local societies, both directly and indirectly. This phenomenon appears to be influenced by the regional topography, where expansive plains and natural connections between villages and hills facilitated stronger community interactions. This study analyses the enshrined figures, establishment processes, Seowon records, Hyangyak(community compacts), major activities, and current operations of such Seowon to investigate how they have historically formed and maintained ties with local communities. Through this analysis, it is suggested that Seowon have functioned not merely as spaces for education and ancestral rites but also as pivotal centers strengthening communal identity and fostering social cohesion.