[One Day Walk] Healing in the City, Walking along Gangdong Greenway... Godeok Station

Editor's NoteThe subway is a transportation method that anyone can easily access and travel safely, and it is also an important point for daily walking. We introduce pleasant walking spots around subway stations.

The course introduced this time is Godeok Station on Seoul Subway Line 5. The name Godeok means "high (高) virtue (德)" in Chinese characters. It is said to have originated from Lee Yang-jung, who served as a minister of the Ministry of Personnel at the end of the Goryeo Dynasty, opposed the founding of Joseon, and lived in hiding here while maintaining his upright integrity by refusing official positions, earning admiration from those around him as a person of high virtue. There is also a theory that the Joseon-era place name Godaji-dong (古多只洞) underwent phonetic changes to become Godeok.

Godeok-dong is now known as a densely populated apartment area after being developed as the Godeok housing district in the 1980s, but large-scale green spaces are well established throughout the area, boasting outstanding natural scenery. Taking advantage of this, Gangdong-gu Office is actively promoting the "Gangdong Greenway." As part of Seoul Dulle-gil Course 3, walking along the gentle forest trails here gives no sense that this is a densely populated apartment area.

Iljasan Family Camping Site. [Image source=Gangdong-gu Office]

Myeongil Neighborhood Park and Sangil Hill walking trails are famous walking courses for local residents. The slopes are gentle and the trails are well maintained, making it easy even for beginners to walk. Convenience facilities such as restrooms are available throughout. You can walk past Gangdong Kyung Hee University Hospital, a regional base university hospital, and behind Gangdong Art Center, where various performances take place, heading toward Iljasan. There are guide signs indicating your current location and direction along the way, so the risk of getting lost is minimal.

After descending from the walking trail and heading toward Iljasan, you will find Gildong Ecological Park. This is the second ecological park established in Korea, home to over 2,800 species including endangered and nationally protected species. Equipped with wetlands, ecological forests, and a rural experience learning center, it serves as an ecological space where visitors can understand and appreciate the importance of the environment through natural experiences. Across the road from the ecological park is Iljasan, a representative local attraction. Various spaces for "healing" are provided, including the Herb Astronomy Park where you can encounter various herbs, a camping site for family camping, and well-maintained walking trails.

Main stops: Godeok Station - Myeongil Neighborhood Park - Cheonho-daero - Gildong Ecological Park - Iljasan

Course distance: 4.1 km Duration: 1 hour