A Landscape Revealed

At the foot of Mt. Inwang (인왕산수성동계곡) an interesting thing happened a few years ago. During demolition of the Ogin Sibeom Apartments in 2008, a scene very similar to that of the artist Gyeomjae Jeong Seon’s (1676 – 1759) in his “Eight Scenes of Jang-dong” appeared. During the rapid growth and industrialization of the area, the scene on the side of the mountain had been covered over with an apartment building in 1971 and wasn’t viewed again for more than 30 years. Upon razing the building a stone bridge was uncovered and the city, which had bought the land back for reclamation, decided to turn the area back into the beautiful natural scene that Gyeomjae Jeong Seon had first painted in the early 18th century.

The landscape in the valley has been restored with more than 18,000 twisted pine trees and rocks and paths have been made taking the time to lay the stones in the traditional fashion. Paths criss-cross through the area allowing visitors to go this way and that to enjoy the scene thoroughly while maintaining the openness and attractive nature of the area. Visitors can start here and continue on up to Mt. Inwang for a hike if the mood strikes. The valley has not only been intricately restored but, it is also important as the source of the Cheonggyecheon Stream, the 5.8 kilometer popular resident and tourist attraction that runs from Gwanghwamun to the Han River. The stream in Suseong-dong once joined up with Baekundongcheon Stream and then met up with Junghakcheon Stream which becomes the Cheonggyecheon Stream.  For a lovely day out in a quiet area surrounded by aesthetically pleasing views, this is a great place to head just minutes from the busy Gwanghwamun Square and Gyeongbukgung Palace.

Address:

서울특별시 종로구 옥인동 185-3

185-3 Ogin-dong Jongno-gu, Seoul, Korea

Directions:

Subway/ Bus: Gyeongbukgung Station, exit 3. Out of the exit, walk straight to the maeul (local bus stop) stop and catch bus 09. Take the bus to the last stop on the route which ends at the foot of the valley. The maeul bus takes less than 10 minutes from the subway station.

Amenities: restrooms, convenience store, cafe