These 4 Art Parks In Korea Will Make You Happy To Hike

I love getting outside and it’s even better when there are cool artworks or exhibitions to see. It certainly makes it more fun when our little kiddo is involved too. Whether you’re looking to find nature and art at the same time on your own, or with your kids in tow, there are some great art parks, or sculpture parks, in Korea that you should check out.

The combination of art and nature is unbeatable in many ways and the art installations also make the outdoors fun even in the winter when the view is rather stark. PS, some or most of these parks don’t really require a lot of hiking. I just liked the alliteration. I visited all of these places with a very young child and we were just fine so I know you will be too.

Anyang Art Park, Anyang, Korea: Hallie Bradley

Whether you want to see something cool in Korea in the summer, spring, autumn, or winter, these are some places you can go.

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Anyang Art Park (안양예술공원)

One of, if not, the most popular art parks in Korea, the Anyang Art Park is just south of Seoul. This art park features artworks that are hidden along trails that are on a forested hillside that sits just next to a babbling stream.

Even with a young child, we made it to the observatory peak of this park, so it’s doable for most people and families even if you have those that aren’t avid hikers with you. There are a few art installations that are the most popular… and yet some of these still seem to be off the radar of the locals that live and work there. There are some fun installations in the forest, along the stream and along the road lined with restaurants and cafes nearby.

The installations are a bit spread out so go up into the mountainside to see what you can see and then head down for a cafe break before heading back out again. Don’t worry, the installations aren’t all that difficult to get to though they can be quite hidden due to the forest and if you ask for directions to things, it’s quite likely people won’t know where to direct you… so be prepared for a little wander but there are maps posted here and there. There are cute cafes, plenty of restaurants and in the spring the stream is lined with cherry blossoms, and in the autumn colorful foliage.

If you want to see ALL of the some 52 installations, take a look at the map on the main road as it has them laid out easily and has ALL of the installations.

Plan A Trip

Find out more: The Anyang Art Park Guide
Address: 131 Yesulgongwon-ro, Manan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggi-do (경기도 안양시 만안구 예술공원로 131 (석수동))
By Subway: From Seoul head down the blue line to Gwanak Subway Station. Go out exit 2 and walk toward the main road where you can see a bus stop and take bus 900 just two stops.
Days: Every day
Admission: Free

Gimpo Sculpture Park (김포조각공원)

The Gimpo Sculpture Park, created in 1998, sits on the foothills of Munsu Mountain (문수산) and was originally established as a unique unification theme park. The 30 artworks from 16 artists are meant to express the pain of Korea’s division as well as the hope for unity.

The artwork here blends seamlessly with the natural surroundings and really makes for a fun day out in a forest. The path takes about an hour or a bit over to walk. It’s not a difficult walk, I wore a dress and sandals, but I would say sneakers would have been just a bit more comfortable, but it was definitely doable in what I wore. Unlike Anyang Art Park, the sculptures are all along one easy path to follow that begins and ends in the same location. Visitors traipse up and down a forested hillside to take them all in.

Plan A Trip

Find out more: The Gimpo Sculpture Park Guide
Address: 38 Yonggang-ro 13beon-gil, Wolgot-myeon, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do (경기 김포시 월곶면 용강로13번길 38)
By Public Transportation: From Daehwa Subway Station on the orange line, go out of 4, 5, or 6 and do a U-turn to find the bus stop and take bus 97. You’ll ride for about 50 minutes and get dropped off at the Gimpo Sculpture Park stop.
Days: Every day
Hours: Sunrise to sunset
Admission: Free

Yeonmisan Art Park (연미산자연미술공원)

This location in Gongju, Korea is host to the Geumgang Nature Biennale which is an international nature art exhibition hosted by the Korean Nature Artists’ Association that was established in 1981. The artists’ association developed as a field-oriented nature art movement that focused on free expression through installations, drawing, and performance. The sculptures are all made from natural materials including metal, rock, or wood and they are scattered along the trails.

Geumgang Nature Biennale (금강자연미술비엔날레), Gongju, Korea

At the entrance, visitors can receive a map, which I highly recommend grabbing so you’re sure you don’t miss anything, and then you’re off. One of the installations that drew me to the event was the giant Pine Bear. It’s huge and you can even climb up into it. As you walk, you’ll see installations that you’re meant to interact with, sit on, or climb into and others that you just enjoy from the surrounding area. Take the time to see them all, walk up and down the paths and just enjoy the dense forest.

Plan A Trip

Find out more: The Yeonmisan Art Park Guide
Address: 98 Yeonmisangogae-gil, Useong-myeon, Gongju-si, Chungcheongnam-do (충남 공주시 우성면 연미산고개길 98)
By Public Transportation: From Seoul Express Bus Terminal, take a bus to Gongju Bus Terminal. The bus takes an hour and a half and costs less than W10,000. From the bus station, you should go outside and cross the street to the bus stand and you can take bus 741. Get off at the fourth stop called Yeonmisan.
Days: Tuesdays ~ Sundays
Hours: 10:00am ~ 6:00pm
Admission: Adults: W5,000; Children: W3,000

Ichon Han River Park (이촌한강공원)

One of the 11 Han River Parks, the Ichon Han River Park sets itself apart as it features a number of cool artistic installations. Unlike some the other parks on this list that feature installations that sort of become one with their surrounding forest or nature space, the Ichon Han River installations stand out a lot!

From bright pink penguins to flamingoes and yellow snails, these are cool, fun, and make for a quirky park to picnic in in Seoul.

Most visitors seem to stick to the eastern end of this long park which is where most of the recreational facilities are, but head to the westernmost end and you’ll find where these awesome artworks and more have been installed. Under the Han Rive Art Project, the government took a part of the park that didn’t feature anything all that interesting and definitely made it a great spot to take a walk.

Plan A Trip

Address: 62 Ichon-ro 72-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul (서울 용산구 이촌로72길 62)
By Subway: Ichon Subway Station, exit 4. Walk straight for about 800 meters.
Days: Every day
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Admission: Free

Are you ready for a fun day outside in nature in Korea? There are plenty of places to go and these are some truly fun spots to check out and tag on your map for next time you feel like taking an art and nature filled adventure in Korea.

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