The Gyeongui Line Forest Park: An Urban Park Near Hongdae
The Gyeongui Line Forest Trail Park (경의선숲길) is long! The first section was opened up near the popular district of Hongdae. This section of the park in downtown Seoul stretches from Hongik Subway Station exit 3 back to Hongjecheon Stream which could lead you south to the Han River or north to a waterfall on Ansan Mountain if you continued a walk in the area.
It was just the beginning though. The park, which stretches along an old train line now extends from Hongdae all the way to Gongdeok. You could walk from one end to the other and have a lovely forested trail to follow in downtown Seoul.
Get ready to explore the Gyeongui Line Forest Park from beginning to end:
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What To Know
The Gyeongui Line is a stretch of railway that once connected Seoul to Sinuiju in North Korea that is more than 100 years old. Built by the Japanese in 1905, it was abandoned in the 1950s and wasn’t reopened as a park until 2016.
While it doesn’t go as far as North Korea anymore, the Gyeongui Line has been reopened except that now it is below ground and a park sits atop it. The Yeonnam-Hongdae stretch is just 1.3 kilometers long and might be the most popular section, but the entire park stretches 6.3 kilometers from Yeonnam-dong to Munbae-dong in Yongsan.
Today, this urban green space has become extremely popular with young people and local citizens as it has great facilities, multipurpose areas, and a mix of trendy bars, cafes, and restaurants. The park has become so popular that it has even been given the moniker “Yeontral Park”, a reference to New York City’s Central Park.
What To See
Not a single venue, but a long outstretching park cut by roads that go through it, there are sections that people stick to that offer slightly differing things to see and do.
Yeonnam-dong Section
Where we’ve spent most of our time, this 1.3km long section is popular with the young people checking out Hongdae and Yeonnam. While the beginning of the path out of the subway station is flanked by restaurants, bars and convenience stores, the businesses and number of people dissipates the further you walk away from the main thoroughfare.
Not only that, but a stream with clean water can be found in the summers and local children play as passerby continue on. The park is a popular pedestrian thoroughfare as well as location for picnics, markets, and events. There are loads of restaurants in the area and some great brunch spots as well.
An old portion of the railway has been left intact and benches and pebble paths make the entire area appealing to the eye. Tall trees sit on the southern side and new saplings that have been planted are sure to be large and in charge in years to come. Flowers and flowering bushes have also been added to the landscape so throughout the summer there are colorful additions to the greenery this park adds to the neighborhood.
Pouring from the subway, the beginning of the path is busy and bustling, but the further you walk, the more space you’ll find. It’s a great area that is in its best heyday right now. Head to the park and find more in Yeonnam-dong to enjoy while you’re at it.
Wau Bridge Section aka Book Street
If you cross the street from the Yeonnam-dong section headed east, you next come to the Wau Bridge Section, also referred to as Tang Tang Street. There are remnants of the old railway tracks and also the Gyeongui Line Book Street which hosts various art exhibitions, events, and programs that encourage reading. There are little bookstores and book-themed sculptures.
Not terribly long, this section can be found from Hongik University Subway Station, exit 6 or Sogang University Subway Station, exit 2.
Sinsu-Daeheung-Yeomni-dong Section
After passing from Hongdae and continuing east, the path gets much quieter no longer having the young vibes of the aforementioned area. Mostly a residential area, you can cross from the busy Hongdae area via the Sogang Sky Bridge. There is a stream to walk along and squares for children to play. There are some nice cafes and wine bars in the area and in the spring a line of cherry blossom trees, and the Mapo Arts Center is located here as well.
Saechang Gogae and Wonhyo-ro Section
Where I’ve spent the least amount of time, this area apparently used to be government storage area during the Joseon Dynasty. The tracks have been mostly covered by bushes and plants, but the signs say that if you continue, you can come to a nice observatory that looks out over Namsan and N Seoul Tower.
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