[One Day 10,000 Steps, One Day 1,000 Characters] From Waterfront Cafes to Tree-Lined Streets... Walking in Seoul Gets More Fun

Last November, the waterfront terrace cafe in front of Hongjecheon artificial waterfall
Part of the waterfront emotional city... Renovations of Dorimcheon, Segokcheon, and Dorimcheon
Creation of 100,000㎡ of street forest paths... Transforming roads, idle land, and school routes into healthy roads
Yongsan Station and park area developed as pedestrian and green axis 'Yongsan Gateway'

View of Hongjecheon from the stair deck connected to the Hongjecheon waterfront terrace cafe. On Sunday, March 5, many citizens are walking along Hongjecheon.

On the 5th, inside the cold shelter set up at the ‘Hongjecheon Artificial Waterfall Riverside Terrace Cafe’ in Seodaemun-gu, friends and families gathered in small groups to chat and enjoy the scenery of Hongjecheon. Along Hongjecheon, citizens were seen walking or running. Opened last November, this place is the first riverside open-air cafe in Seoul. It was created on a total area of 2,362㎡ by removing part of the existing parking lot and the entire warehouse in front of the artificial waterfall. Once the ‘Music Cafe’ (291㎡) and ‘Book Cafe’ (68㎡) officially open, it is expected to become a new landmark of Hongjecheon.

So-called Seoul-style riverside emotional cities like the Hongjecheon riverside cafe are being promoted throughout Seoul. Ten months after Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced in April last year the promotion of four pilot projects for ‘Seoul-style riverside emotional cities,’ a total of 20 locations are currently being developed as riverside vitality hubs. Five locations to be opened to the public this year are ▲Upper Hongjecheon in Jongno-gu ▲Dorimcheon in Gwanak-gu ▲Segokcheon in Gangnam-gu ▲Dorimcheon in Dongjak-gu ▲Bulgwangcheon in Seodaemun-gu. All have completed basic and detailed designs, with construction starting in April and completion scheduled by December. The upper Hongjecheon in Jongno-gu will be reborn as a ‘historical and cultural space in everyday life’ where history, nature, and emotional night views coexist.

On March 5th, citizens are resting and having conversations at a cold shelter set up in front of the waterside terrace cafe located before the Hongjecheon artificial waterfall.
[Photo by Asia Economy]

Along the foothills of Bukhansan, a riverside terrace offering views of the waterway and representative historical resources such as Hongjimun and Tangchundaeseong will be installed, along with a walking path for exploring cultural assets and lighting that provides a beautiful night view with soft illumination. Gwanak-gu’s Dorimcheon will feature a ‘shared riverside terrace’ and ‘rest area’ linked to nearby local markets such as Sinwon Market and Sundae Town. Gangnam-gu’s Segokcheon will transform into a ‘riverside residential culture’ space where diverse residents and generations, including nearby residents, office workers, and children, can come together. From upstream to downstream, plazas, galleries, and terraces will be created along the entire Segokcheon waterway to provide venues for meetings, festivals, performances, and play, according to Seoul city’s plan. Dongjak-gu’s Dorimcheon will utilize embankments to create ‘community and play spaces’ for residents. Facilities such as the children’s playground ‘Cherry Blossom Playground’ with slides and rock climbing, and ‘Sumadang,’ a meeting and exercise space for young and middle-aged adults, will be installed. Seodaemun-gu’s Bulgwangcheon will establish a ‘riverside emotional street’ in the Jeungsan Station area, which has been cut off by roads and various facilities, attracting residents’ footsteps.

Additionally, basic and detailed designs reflecting the characteristics of each area are underway for four locations?▲Jeongneungcheon in Dongdaemun-gu ▲Godeokcheon in Gangdong-gu ▲Bulgwangcheon in Eunpyeong-gu ▲Seongnaecheon in Songpa-gu?with construction targeted to start this year. Ten locations with designs to be completed by this year include ▲Seongbukcheon in Seongbuk-gu ▲Gupabalcheon in Eunpyeong-gu ▲Danghyeoncheon in Nowon-gu ▲Jangjicheon in Songpa-gu ▲Anyangcheon in Geumcheon-gu ▲Yangjaecheon in Gangnam-gu ▲Uicheon in Gangbuk-gu ▲Jungnangcheon in Seongdong-gu ▲Yeoecheon in Seocho-gu ▲Anyangcheon in Guro-gu. The goal is to complete basic and detailed designs this year and finish construction by 2024. Seongbukcheon in Seongbuk-gu will have ‘plazas’ installed at four existing locations: Fountain Plaza, Wind Yard, Beombawi Park, and Dreamland Children’s Park. Gangnam-gu’s Yangjaecheon will feature the riverside terrace cafe ‘Yangjaecheon Connection Cafe,’ a ‘Book Cafe,’ and an ‘Observation Space.’

Status of Seoul Waterfront Vitality Hub Development (As of February 2023) [Source=Seoul City]

Seoul’s creation of 100,000㎡ of ‘fine dust reduction street forests’ is also noteworthy. The target areas include urban pedestrian spaces, traffic islands, and elementary school commuting routes. In urban pedestrian spaces where street trees were previously planted only in a single row, a new linear green belt of 10,000㎡ will be created considering sidewalk width and street type. Aging green belts of 28,000㎡ will be upgraded with multi-layered structures and rainwater storage and utilization facilities. Approximately 700 street trees will be planted in gaps where trees are missing, and about 1,500 tree protection frames and covers that no longer fit due to tree growth will be maintained. Vacant spaces of 63,000㎡ such as traffic islands and medians will be greened with perennial ground cover plants that bloom bright flowers. Some areas will be linked with existing street trees and green belts to create eight ‘garden-style street forests’ with rest facilities where citizens can briefly rest while enjoying flowers.

On six elementary school commuting routes, in collaboration with the Korea Forest Service, a 2.9 km street forest called ‘Safe Green Forest for Children’ will be created. Small trees (shrubs), medium-height trees (sub-canopy trees), and ground cover plants will be densely and thickly planted between street trees. The plan includes Seoul Gwanghui Elementary School, Seoul Sungdeok Elementary School, Seoul Gireum Elementary School, Seoul Imun Elementary School, Seoul Bukseong Elementary School, and Seoul Nokbeon Elementary School. Seoul city expects these street forests to make citizens’ daily lives healthier and become green resting places that add vitality.

Basic Plan for Yongsan Gateway Development in Seoul [Source=Seoul City]

The park area connecting Yongsan Station to Yongsan Park will be transformed into the ‘Yongsan Gateway.’ The plan is to complete a pedestrian and green corridor connecting Yongsan Park, Yongsan Station, Yongsan International Business District, and the Han River, enhancing the symbolism of the junction with the ‘National Symbolic Boulevard’ linking Gwanghwamun, Seoul Station, Yongsan, and the Han River to spread synergy. Among the returned Yongsan base sites, the northern officer dormitory complex near Seobinggo Station was opened in August 2020, and the southern site near the Presidential Office is scheduled to open this year. Seoul city announced the ‘Yongsan Link’ plan in May 2008, a two-story aboveground and three-story underground integrated space connecting Yongsan Park and Yongsan Station, and pursued the project, but it was not realized due to the global financial crisis and the cancellation of the Yongsan International Business District urban development project. Currently, the area is used as a flat park mainly above ground, and construction is ongoing for the cultural park north of District 4 near the International Building.