Demand is increasing for residential areas with pleasant natural environments right outside the door, known as ‘Gongsegwon’ (proximity to parks) and ‘Sopsekwon’ (proximity to forests).
According to the ‘2025 Future Housing Market Trend Analysis’ released by the Housing Industry Research Institute in 2016, 3.5 out of 10 people prioritize comfort the most when choosing a home. This surpasses previously prioritized factors such as transportation (24%) and education (11%). This suggests that apartments near parks or green spaces are preferred over those near subway stations (station areas).
Living near mountains or parks ensures a pleasant residential environment and good views, and residents can conveniently use various facilities such as walking trails and exercise equipment. Especially with the recent spread of the ‘All-in-Ville’ trend, where people seek leisure and cultural activities near their homes, the popularity of residential spaces with Gongsegwon and Sopsekwon is increasing as more people prefer daily leisure over long-distance travel.
In fact, the ‘Hwaseo Station Prugio Brichiel’ officetel supplied in Jeongja-dong, Suwon City, Gyeonggi Province, last June recorded a high subscription competition rate of 40.4 to 1 on average. This complex is planned to be surrounded by a large urban park, and its proximity to Seoho Kkotmoe Park, Seoho Park, Manseok Park, and the planned Suwon Arboretum was highlighted as a key factor in its success.
An industry insider said, “Residential facilities close to parks, mountains, and other green spaces offer convenient access to eco-friendly leisure activities such as walking and hiking, and their pleasant environment increases residential satisfaction, which can drive market prices. Because of the high interest in green space premiums in the sales market, Gongsegwon and Sopsekwon play an important role in choosing residential spaces.”
Meanwhile, Hyundai Engineering has attracted attention by opening a model house on the 18th for a large-scale residential complex consisting of the residential officetel ‘Hillstate Jigeum Deforet’ and the commercial facility ‘Hills Avenue Jigeum Deforet’ in the Jigeum district of Dasan New Town.
The complex will be built on a site at 6192-1, Dasan-dong, Namyangju City, Gyeonggi Province (Jigeum District Commercial 2BL), with 4 basement floors and 10 above-ground floors. Among them, ‘Hillstate Jigeum Deforet’ will be supplied with a total of 840 units on floors 4 to 10, with exclusive areas ranging from 47 to 58 square meters, and the commercial facility ‘Hills Avenue Jigeum Deforet’ will be located from basement level 1 to the 3rd floor.
The officetel interiors are designed with two-room layouts, which are rare in the area, for all units, and a large attic space is provided as a service area for all types. The attic, provided as an exclusive space for each unit, ranges from approximately 29 to 40 square meters depending on the type and can be used for various purposes. Additionally, about 28% of the total 840 units, or 242 units, include terraces to enhance space utilization.
The complex boasts a pleasant natural environment with parks and mountains nearby. Right in front of the complex, a cultural park measuring 594 meters in length and 26.5 meters in width is being created by covering the railway as part of the ‘Gyeongui-Jungang Line Railway Covering and Park Creation Project’ (scheduled for completion in 2024). Once completed, residents’ safety and convenience are expected to improve. The complex is within walking distance of the green infrastructure of Hwanggeumsan Mountain, and the 50,000 square meter Hwanggeumsan Cultural Park is located right in front, allowing residents to enjoy the infrastructure.
Benefits as a complex adjacent to public institutions are also expected. Around the complex are currently the Namyangju City Hall 2nd Building, Uijeongbu District Court (Namyangju Branch), and Namyangju Office of Education, with ongoing construction of the Uijeongbu District Prosecutors’ Office (Namyangju Branch) and Uijeongbu District Court (Namyangju Support). As these projects are completed one after another, the demand from workers in the area is expected to increase, providing a rich hinterland demand.
Excellent metropolitan transportation networks are another strength. The complex is located in a station area within an 8-minute walk to Donong Station on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line, allowing access to Cheongnyangni in 20 minutes and Jamsil and Gangnam within 30 minutes, making it easy to reach both Gangnam and Gangbuk areas. It is also possible to reach major business districts such as Gongdeok and Digital Media City without transfers.
Additional transportation improvements will significantly enhance access to Seoul. First, with the opening of the GTX-B line (planned to start construction in 2022), it will be possible to reach Seoul Station from Donong Station within 30 minutes. The Byeollae Line extension of Line 8 and the new Gyeongui-Jungang Line station (Wangsuk 2 District) are also planned. Road traffic networks such as Wangsukcheonbyeon-ro and Suseok Bridge, which will alleviate traffic congestion during commuting hours, are also being expanded.
Robust living infrastructure that enhances residential convenience is also in place, allowing residents to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle. First, a large mart (basement level 1) and a multiplex cinema are planned to be introduced within the complex, offering residents a one-stop privilege.
Additionally, since the complex is located in the central commercial district, various shops can be conveniently used, and it is close to large convenience facilities such as Hyundai Premium Outlet Namyangju Branch (scheduled to open in November 2020), Lotte Department Store (Guri Branch), E-Mart (Dasan Branch), and Guri Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market. The Namyangju Sports and Culture Center, which can be used as a leisure space, is also within walking distance.
The strong reputation of the Hillstate brand in the region is another positive factor. Hillstate, ranked first in apartment brand reputation in 2020 (according to the Korea Corporate Reputation Research Institute), has successfully supplied ‘Hillstate Dasan’ and ‘Hillstate Hwanggeumsan’ twice before in the area. The upcoming Hillstate Jigeum Deforet is also expected to be introduced with designs and products worthy of the Hillstate name.
A real estate official said, “Hillstate Jigeum Deforet offers easy access to cultural parks created around Hwanggeumsan and additional park expansions are underway, allowing residents to enjoy a pleasant residential life. Especially, as Gongsegwon complexes have recently been highly popular in the real estate market, expectations for Hillstate Jigeum Deforet are high among actual buyers.”
Meanwhile, the model house for Hillstate Jigeum Deforet is located at 330 Mangu-ro, Jungnang-gu, Seoul.
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