[Column] The Charm of 'Pedestrian Paradise' Copenhagen

The pedestrian-only street 'Strøget' in Copenhagen, Denmark, is filled with people walking.
[Photo by Lee Chunhee]

“How different could it really be?” Honestly, this thought crossed my mind until I visited Copenhagen, Denmark, known as the world’s most walkable city. Although there are many streets in Korea that claim to be pedestrian-friendly, I rarely felt they were truly pleasant to walk on. More often than not, they simply blocked off roads to cars temporarily, offering a brief sense of liberation rather than something special.

Copenhagen was different. Of course, cars still sped along the main roads, and rush hour brought traffic jams that made movement difficult. However, on pedestrian-only streets like Strøget, there was no sense of cars at all while walking. Unlike in Seoul, where pedestrians are constantly aware of and distracted by vehicles, in Copenhagen, only the presence of people, buildings, and the wide sky remained in one’s perception.

On the first day, I thought this was due to the unfamiliarity of the new environment. But even after walking the same routes for ten days, each day felt fresh. Where did this difference come from? Various factors likely played a role, but the one that resonated most was the “event density.” The concept is that a street you want to walk on should have at least 30 shop entrances per 100 meters. This is not just about stores. In central Copenhagen, building heights are limited to about six floors. As you walk, the sky naturally comes into view. The light and clouds provided a different backdrop every day.

Of course, creating such streets in Seoul today is impossible. It would be absurd to tear down not only roads but also buildings just to make a walkable street. However, if the philosophy that streets must contain variety to be pleasant to walk on is upheld, perhaps this is a future we can reach someday.