Songpa-gu Seokchon Lake Cherry Blossom Festival Attracted 2.33 Million Visitors!

‘Beautiful Spring Story, Spring Festival of the Lake’ Held Around Seokchon Lake Until Last Weekend

A Total of 2.33 Million Visitors During the 2-Week Cherry Blossom Blooming Period at Seokchon Lake, with Most Visitors in Their 20s and 30s

From Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon to Gangwon, Chungnam, and Jeju... Visitors from All Over the Country Enjoy Cherry Blossom Views at the Lake!

A total of 2.33 million spring visitors came to Seokchon Lake, a famous spot in Songpa-gu, Seoul, to enjoy the fantastic spring cherry blossoms by the lake.

Songpa-gu (District Mayor Seo Gang-seok) announced, based on mobile phone base station statistics, that from March 27 to April 9, the period of cherry blossom blooming, a total of 2.33 million people visited Seokchon Lake. This figure is 1 million more than the cherry blossom season in 2019, before COVID-19.

By age group, the ‘MZ’ generation was clearly the largest. Among all visitors, those in their 20s and 30s accounted for 50.7%, or 1.18 million people, making them the majority.

Among young people, Seokchon Lake is a famous cherry blossom photo spot, with the Instagram hashtag ‘#SeokchonHosubelkkot’ accumulating 46,000 posts, far surpassing the 34,000 posts under ‘#YeouidoCherryBlossom’. Cherry blossom certification shots taken with the pale pink cherry blossoms by the lakeside background were featured in popular Instagram posts and received many ‘likes’.

At Songpa-gu’s ‘Beautiful Spring Story, Spring Festival of the Lake’ waterside stage, various performances such as busking, pop, and jazz attracted young visitors, along with booths and flea markets offering caricature drawing, face painting, and upcycling experiences. Popular eateries in Songridan-gil and Bangi Matgol, well-known among the MZ generation, were also a draw. A restaurant owner who has operated a business in Bangi-dong for 30 years said, “During the cherry blossom festival period, the number of visitors doubled.”

Visitor statistics show that people from all 17 cities and provinces nationwide came.

▲ Gangwon 23,000 ▲ Chungnam 22,000 ▲ Chungbuk and Gyeongnam 16,000 ▲ Busan 15,000 visitors came in order, showing that residents from all over the country enjoyed the spring days in Songpa beyond the nearby Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon areas. Even from the farthest Jeju, 5,800 people came to see the lake cherry blossoms.

April 1 and 2, when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, saw 540,000 visitors, marking the most popular weekend. The district immediately implemented safety measures with the district office, police, and fire department, and operated nighttime lighting on 1,120 cherry trees so that many people could safely enjoy the fantastic spring cherry blossoms by the lake.

A total of 1 million residents visited the Songpa-gu ‘Beautiful Spring Story, Spring Festival of the Lake’ held until last weekend, marking a successful cherry blossom ending.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “I thank many people for their excellent civic consciousness in cooperating for the safety of the event,” and added, “I hope everyone took home precious memories at the lake in Songpa-gu, dyed with flowers on a beautiful spring day.”

Let’s Walk Together on the Bukaksan Trail: ‘Jongno Health Walking Contest’

Gather at Samcheong Park, Walk a Course of About 1 Hour Passing Malbawi Information Center, Sukjeongmun, and Beopheungsa Site, Returning to Samcheong Park

Open to Individuals, Families, Groups, etc... Participants Who Complete the Course Will Receive a Small Souvenir

Jongno-gu (District Mayor Jeong Mun-heon) will hold the 77th Jongno Health Walking Contest on the morning of the 15th at Samcheong Park (156 Samcheong-ro) and its surroundings.

The event aims to encourage walking exercise, which anyone can do without special costs or equipment, and to contribute to residents’ health improvement.

Participants will gather at Samcheong Park and walk a course of about one hour passing Malbawi Information Center, Sukjeongmun, and Beopheungsa Site, then return to Samcheong Park.

It is meaningful in that it utilizes the newly opened southern Bukaksan trail section from last year.

Jongno Health Walking Competition held in November last year

The event will start at 8 a.m. with an opening declaration, followed by health preparation exercises, correct walking posture education, the walking contest, a raffle, and a closing ceremony. Participants who complete the course will receive a small souvenir.

Anyone can participate, including individuals, families, companies, and groups. Applications can be made online via the QR code on the poster or by submitting an application form to the community service center or district office. On-site participation and other detailed information are provided by the Health and Sports Division.

Jongno-gu is promoting ‘Walking Around the Earth’ until November to encourage walking practice in daily life. After downloading the WalkOn app, participants can join themed challenges such as ‘Healthy Walking in Daily Life’ and ‘Special Walking in Jongno’ and various events.

Additionally, to develop a substantial walking tourism course, the ‘Cheongwadae~Baegak Walking Trail Landscape Improvement Project’ will be carried out until the end of 2024. The target area is about 1.9 km, starting from Changui-mun-ro in front of the Yun Dong-ju Literature Museum, passing the Bukaksan (Baegaksan) trail, and reaching the entrance of the Cheongwadae Chunuchu Building. The project focuses on carefully repairing old fences and handrails, applying a unified design, and neatly refurbishing street facilities to ensure no inconvenience for walking tourism.

District Mayor Jeong Mun-heon said, “It is a great opportunity to heal with family and neighbors while walking around local attractions on a pleasant weekend,” and added, “We will continue to hold walking events that both promote Jongno’s unique tourism resources and contribute to residents’ health improvement.”