[One Day 10,000 Steps, One Day 1,000 Characters] Enjoying Nordic Walking and Barefoot Walking at Hosumanbo... The Park is Fun

Opened in October 2009, Seoseoul Lake Park is an eco-friendly park themed around ‘water’ and ‘regeneration,’ built on the site of the former Sinwol Water Purification Plant in Yangcheon-gu. Originally established as the Gimpo Water Purification Plant in 1959, this area was renovated and opened to the public as a resting place for citizens after 50 years. By maintaining the forest and hiking trails of Neunggolsan Mountain, which borders Bucheon City, it has been reborn as the largest park in the southwestern region, covering a total area of 217,946 m². The park’s size is comparable to Yeouido Park. Every Monday at 10 a.m., a new program called ‘Hosumanbo’ is held at Seoseoul Lake Park, where participants walk around the lake. The lake, located at the center of the park, spans 18,000 m² (about 2.5 times the size of a soccer field) and features 41 sound fountains.

Seoseoul Lake Park Fountain
Photo by Seoul City

While strolling around the lake, participants can learn the correct walking posture and enjoy explanations about various plants such as trees and flowers around the lake, as well as the unique beauty of Seoseoul Lake Park. In addition to the lakeside path, there is a course along the Neunggolsan hiking trail, offering a feeling of walking through the forest. The program starts in front of the park management office and is open to all visitors, with on-site registration available.

At World Cup Park in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, you can learn Nordic walking and foot bathing (Fridays of weeks 1 to 3 at 10:00 a.m.), as well as one-day Nordic walking sessions (Thursdays of weeks 1 and 3 at 2:00 p.m.). Nordic walking, which originated from Nordic athletes using ski poles for off-season training, involves applying force to the poles with each step, increasing energy consumption and muscle strength, allowing aerobic exercise to be combined in a short time. At the Wind Plaza in World Cup Park (located within Noeul Park), participants can deeply learn Nordic walking on the grass over a three-week course and enjoy foot baths with warm water at the Noeul Eco Classroom to soothe tired feet. The ‘Nordic Walking and Foot Bath’ program, held on Fridays of weeks 1 to 3 at 10:00 a.m., recruits 12 adults on a first-come, first-served basis through the Seoul Public Service Reservation system, with a participation fee of 6,000 KRW for three sessions. For those who find three sessions difficult, there is also a one-day Nordic walking experience (Thursdays of weeks 1 and 3 at 2:00 p.m.).

Participants are learning Nordic walking at the 'Seoul Citizens Healthy Festival' held at Seoul Plaza. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

In front of the artificial turf soccer field at Boramae Park in Dongjak-gu, ‘Singing Bowl Meditation,’ a meditation method that helps stabilize the mind and body using singing bowls, is held every Wednesday at noon starting April 12. This practice focuses on the sound produced by a singing bowl to calm and heal the mind and body. At the grass plaza in Boramae Park, the ‘Health 100-Year Project’ (Living to 100 in the Park) is conducted for elderly visitors. Participants can check their physical condition such as blood pressure, perform exercises to relax muscles, and maintain body balance.

At Yeouido Park in Yeongdeungpo-gu, there is a program called ‘Let’s Exercise in the Park!’ designed for office workers to relieve stress through stretching and proper walking exercises. It is held during lunchtime for office workers who sit for long hours, providing simple health checks such as blood pressure and guidance on correct posture through stretching. After correcting posture, participants take a walk around Yeouido Park to relieve stress. The program is held every Friday at 12 p.m. for 40 minutes at Samojeong in the Traditional Forest area of Yeouido Park.

A citizen running in Yeouido Park, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Meanwhile, the districts of Seodaemun-gu, Mapo-gu, and Eunpyeong-gu will jointly hold the event ‘Small Talk Walking Challenge - Because It’s Spring, Let’s Walk Together’ on the 26th.

Participants will start with simple warm-up exercises guided by a health exercise manager from Seodaemun-gu Health Center at 1:30 p.m. in front of the Independence Hall within Seodaemun Independence Park. Then, based on fitness levels and walking speeds, they will be divided into five groups and depart promptly at 2:00 p.m., finishing around 5:00 p.m. The total distance is 8 km, covering the route from Independence Hall to Seodaemun Prison History Hall, Ansan Jarak-gil, Ansan Cherry Blossom Square, Hongjecheon Stream, and Gajwa Station. An urban guide will share stories about the history, nature, and culture along the course. A total of 150 participants are being recruited on a first-come, first-served basis, and the event is free of charge.