[Insta Walk] Yeonhui Grand Park - A Happy Space for Both Me and My Companion Dog

70s-style Retro Sign in Alley of Yeonhui-dong Residential Area Draws Attention
Space Planning Focused on Two Distinct Gardens
'Animal-Friendly Space, Collaborating with Flora and Fauna Creators at Local Lounge'

Yeonhui Grand Park, formed by joining two adjacent two-story detached houses in Yeonhui-dong, is gaining attention as a space where both people and their companion dogs can enjoy. Photo by Ma Yena PD

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Yeonhui-dong in Seoul, a neighborhood that has produced two presidents, is highly regarded for its excellent feng shui. It was once considered as the site for Gyeongbokgung Palace during the founding of the Joseon Dynasty. Feng shui experts describe Yeonhui-dong’s terrain as Haengju-hyeong (行舟形, the shape of a boat setting sail), centered around the Hongjecheon Stream flowing through the area, which implies a place suitable for a temporary stay. Perhaps because of this, recently, many upscale detached houses in the alleys of Yeonhui-dong have been transformed into offices or cafes. Yeonhui Grand Park, a peculiar space that connects two two-story houses featuring spacious gardens and vintage interior styles with animal and plant-themed content, has also transformed from a house with history into a local lounge sharing content, becoming a new landmark in Yeonhui-dong.

Amid the quiet residential alleys, a house with a 1970s-style signboard catches the eye at once. Entering through the entrance beneath the retro mood signboard with circular lettering on a dark green background, a wide lawn garden unfolds atop stone steps. In the well-maintained old house yard, a long wide table and a pet restroom sit side by side, arousing curiosity. Soon, footsteps of visitors accompanied by their pets follow. Director Lim Donggil, who planned Yeonhui Grand Park, introduced it as "an animal-friendly space, a local lounge where pets and their owners can enjoy together."

Yeonhui Grand Park is designed with the motto of being pet-friendly, allowing both pets and their owners to fully enjoy and experience the space. Photo by Kim Heeyoon

Distinct Gardens of Two Houses Newly Designed by Animal and Plant Creators

The first house, named 'Front Yard,' houses a cafe famous for its milk tea on the first floor. Inspired by the many visitors who come with their pets, the cafe offers special dog milk tea and yanggaeng (sweet red bean jelly) menus, served on neat wooden trays and pottery, which are very popular among pet owners. Within an hour of opening, customers accompanied by their dogs begin to arrive one after another. The cafe’s parlor, embracing the garden beyond the arched entrance, features large windows that fully capture the yard’s landscaping. Inside the parlor, a space formerly used as a restroom has been reborn as a preview exhibition hall showcasing installation art by emerging artists. The wooden stairs leading to the second floor are currently used as a showroom and cafe space.

The meticulous spatial arrangement has a hidden story and planning behind it. Urban Play, the creator of Yeonhui Grand Park, is a city content specialist company that previously successfully launched Yeonnam Market, Yeonnam Mill, and Yeonhui Hall. Director Lim, who was in charge of space planning, explained that Yeonhui Grand Park was also originally conceived as a platform space. "We have been discovering and planning creators active in the local area and their content to build a business ecosystem. Naturally, this led us to consider the role of the space as a platform to distribute content."

When he mentioned that after being captivated by a detached house in Yeonhui-dong, he secured one and waited for the neighboring house to come on the market, the line from the movie Parasite, "There’s a plan," naturally came to mind. In the process of planning the space by connecting the two hard-to-secure detached houses, Director Lim focused on the gardens. "The well-maintained spacious gardens were the protagonists. Naturally, the planning continued with animal and plant creators who could make the most of the gardens, and thus Yeonhui Grand Park was born."

The front yard at the entrance of Yeonhui Grand Park is home to Cafe Jinjeongseong, known for its milk tea. In collaboration with a plant creator, plants that evoke the energy of nature are placed throughout the garden and interior. Photo by Kim Heeyoon

The second house, connected to the 'Front Yard' and called 'Side Yard,' operates a dog behavior correction center called 'Better Than Yesterday' on the first floor. Led by veterinarian and behavior correction trainer Seol Chaehyun, known as a 'surainer' (veterinarian + behavior correction trainer), the center focuses strictly on dog behavior correction, and the spacious garden was an essential element perfectly matching this purpose. The reservation-based center is equipped with features throughout the space to observe dogs’ behavior or maximize their movement.

The chandelier view from the wooden stairs leading to the second floor of the center is a fragment of the house’s glorious past and a legacy of its history. "Even during the interior construction phase, we tried to preserve the unique elements each house had. The stair railings made of iron and wood, as well as the wooden decorations on the ceiling and walls, were originally part of the house’s interior." The planner’s heartfelt care for the original form remains throughout the house as excellent objects, and the shutter sounds of visitors who want to preserve these elements fall like a reward for that insight.

Throughout the interior of Yeonhui Grand Park, elements of interior design from past luxury homes remain intact, capturing the attention of visitors. Photo by Kim Heeyoon

Preserving the Original Unique Elements of the Houses... Planner’s ‘Heartfelt Care’ for the Original Form

While the front yard has a small and quaint garden, the side yard boasts a large and spacious garden. Director Lim paid attention to the difference in garden sizes. "The front yard garden is a small-scale space divided into tiers, so we planned collaboration with plant-related creators, while the side yard garden is an open large garden designed as a place for animal-related creators who need wide spaces. Ultimately, the creators’ content and the space synergized through Yeonhui Grand Park."

What is the next goal for this urban grand park where animals, plants, and people harmoniously coexist? "When naming this space, we struggled between calling it a zoo or a botanical garden. Eventually, we settled on ‘Grand Park.’ Yeonhui Grand Park is a space where dogs and pets can have direct experiences with their owners rather than people just experiencing content. If this kind of space becomes a module and a successful case, wouldn’t it be fun to create other grand parks in different areas? Planning new spaces that fit lifestyles and expanding this proven space to other regions is our future goal."

The well-maintained garden of the luxury detached house has been transformed into a local lounge, featuring tables where many neighbors can gather and a space where pets can run and play. Photo by Kim Heeyoon

As the term for dogs accompanying people shifts from ‘pet’ to ‘companion dog,’ how much have the awareness and attitudes of their owners changed along with this vocabulary change? Yeonhui Grand Park slowly and subtly urges respect and awareness change toward companion dogs by presenting a new lifestyle that both dogs and their owners can enjoy.

Instagram Introductions

@_ha.zi A brand that influences positively just by showing its presence without words, a collaboration with Yeonhui Grand Park that has authenticity and a unique concept.
@billy_ongs A neighborhood with alleys and cafes like this... I want to live in a neighborhood like this! Communicating with each other. A joyful neighborhood. I think this is how alley culture is made.
@jeong_jadoo Yeonhui Grand Park is always so good whenever I visit. The cafe menu is delicious too #WeatherGoodPlace #BestLawnYard
@dog.sunny_ Exciting night walk & tea time at Yeonhui Grand Park. Today, I’m the insider dog of Yeonhui-dong!
@narangki Taking a breath of fresh air with my dog in a quiet place~ A dog-friendly cafe, surprised by the taste and twice moved with the kids.