West Seoul Lake Park: A Cool Place To Go In Seoul
Urban renewal projects in Seoul, Korea make for some really interesting places to visit and see. There are parks that have been regenerated and culture spaces that used to be for wartimes. It’s really interesting. There are a lot of different spots to check out and West Seoul Lake Park, or Seoseoul Lake Park (์์์ธํธ์๊ณต์), is one of them. If you’re in the southwest area of Seoul or just want to take a little trip to see something different, then this is the park to find. It’s also a great stop if you’re headed to or from Gimpo International Airport.
Take an adventure and enjoy the views:
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How To Get There
Address: 20 Nambusunhwan-ro 64-gil, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul (์์ธํน๋ณ์ ์์ฒ๊ตฌ ๋จ๋ถ์ํ๋ก 64๊ธธ 20)
By Subway: Go to Hwagok Station and take exit 5. Check the bus signage but you should be able to catch bus 653, 6625, or 6648 from there and get off at the Seoseoul Lake Park stop.
Basic Information
Hours: 24 hours a day
Amenities: restrooms, baseball field, half basketball court, badminton courts, wheelchair rental and wheelchair accessible, baby stroller rental, parking, pets on leashes permitted.
Parking available: only 57 spots available
Urban Renewal
Opened in October of 2009 after being closed to the public for 50 years and after reclaiming the Sinwol Water Purification Plant in the name of ecology and beautification, this park is much like Seonyudo Park that sits in the middle of the Han River with the leftover cement and steel from the plant being taken back by nature.
The plant, originally called the Gimpo Water Purification Plant that opened in 1959, was transformed under the themes of “water” and “recycling” and reused some of the existing piping and filtering tanks. The West Seoul Lake Park, or Seoseoul Lake Park (์์์ธํธ์๊ณต์), is really beautiful and for those out there that are like me and like the addition of industrial paths that weave this way and that through a natural setting as if climbing through a forgotten land that was given back to nature, this park is a must visit.
What To See
A large lake, a brightly colored 100 seat picnic table, sound fountains that shoot off whenever an airplane flies into the nearby Gimpo Airport, which is pretty often, and a small water park for children are all draws to this area if the architectural design isn’t enough. A lake takes center stage in the park with a walking path that circles around it. The path that circles around the lake is a busy pedestrian thoroughfare with everyone, young and old, getting in their exercise with a brisk walk.
The Mondrian Garden inside the park is where you might feel like you’ve taken a step right into Seonyudo Park. The pipes are left bare and the pillars that once held up a building have been left behind for plants to grow around. Water moves this way and that and people can choose between catwalks above or the pathways between the waterways down below to meander around the area.
The Mondrian Lake features a lot of horizontal and vertical lines that harmonize with the surrounding natural views. It’s quite a calming area if you can take a seat and just enjoy how the sun bounces off the shallow pools of water.
I didn’t get too many pictures of the actual green space, though there is plenty to enjoy. We were having too much fun playing hide and seek and tag along the walkways and paths. If you have children, there are also numerous playgrounds. There are also water pipes sticking up in the ground from the water facility that our little lady found fun to hip over and climb through.
The central lake is home to carp and aquatic plants like water lilies, reeds, and willow trees. With three observation decks, you and your little people in tow will have a lot to see as you walk around taking it all in. This is a great park to visit in Seoul. If you like to get outdoors or you’re looking for a fun thing to do with kids in Seoul, check this spot out. Or maybe you’re a fashionista looking for a cool spot to take some pics. This is a great spot for everyone.
Other Renewal Projects You Can Visit
There are a lot of renewal and regenerative projects happening in Seoul and all around Korea. Here are some other places to check out if you’re interested in this kind of thing.
Oil Tank Culture Park: Near World Cup Stadium, six giant oil tank containers have been renovated and turned into an amazing area for eco-friendly tourism and cultural events. Inside there is an art gallery, exhibition space, cafe, and more. This is a must see.
World Cup Parks : This park system is five parks that were made on top of a gigantic landfill. Most visitors head up to the gorgeous Haneul Park, or Sky Park, and don’t realize that they are actually standing on trash that is being turned into energy to light up the nearby districts. It’s really interesting to learn about and see in action.
B39 Culture Space: This culture space in Bucheon just south of Seoul used to be a trash facility but today it is a cool culture space that welcomes visitors to see art installations inside and out.
Peace Culture Bunker: The Peace Culture Bunker used to be a bunker for tanks that were on the ready in case of invasion. After deteriorating for some years, it was finally transformed into a culture space for locals to host markets and events. There is an awesome observatory here too.
Sewoon Market: Looking to get more young people downtown to the Jongno area, Seoul city transformed a market that was on the brink of dying. Today, there are older locals and younger locals mingling and creating and at the top of the building is an amazing view of both Namsan Tower and Jongmyo Shrine.
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One Comment
kei
What a great reclamation effort! They combined the industrial remnants with enhanced natural beauty so well. I like seeing when the natural setting can be recaptured in a unique way. It doesn’t seem like it’s in a heavy industrial area at all.