[One Day Walk] Namdaemun Market, Sungnyemun Gate, Baekbeom Square... Hoehyeon 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 walkable places around subway stations.

The course introduced this time is Hoehyeon Station on Seoul Subway Line 4. The place name Hoehyeon (會賢) originates from the fact that many virtuous people lived in this area. However, the address of Hoehyeon Station is Namchang-dong, named because it was the southern area where the warehouse of Seonhyecheong, established during the Joseon Seonjo period, was located. It is also a neighborhood where you can feel the unique vibrancy of downtown Seoul.

The highlight of the Hoehyeon Station course is none other than Namdaemun Market. Although it can be crowded and walking may be uncomfortable, you can walk around without noticing the time as you explore Namdaemun Market, which has everything except what you can't find. With 10,000 stores, 50,000 workers, and 300,000 daily visitors, it is the largest traditional market in Korea and has now become a must-visit course for foreign tourists. Since commercial activities have been carried out here for 600 years since the early Joseon period, every corner you step on is full of history and stories.

Sungnyemun Guard Ceremony. [Image source=Asia Economy DB]

After exploring every corner of Namdaemun Market, head towards Sungnyemun Gate. Sungnye (崇禮) means to honor etiquette and is taken from the Doctrine of the Mean, one of the Four Books. Despite numerous hardships and several repairs and restorations, it remains an undeniable symbol of Seoul. If the timing is right, you can also see the Guard Ceremony. The Guard Ceremony reenacts the important military rites of the Joseon Dynasty, including the guard duty (defense of the capital), the opening and closing of the city gates, and patrol rituals. However, it is not held during extreme heat or cold, or on snowy or rainy days.

The next destination from Sungnyemun is Baekbeom Square. It is located halfway up the trail to Namsan Park. There is a statue honoring Baekbeom Kim Gu, a representative independence activist of Korea, commemorating his patriotic spirit in fighting for national independence and the establishment of a unified nation. In front of the statue, there is a wide lawn and a path leading up to Namsan. The park also features equestrian statues of General Kim Yushin and a statue of Lee Si-young. If you go a little further from Baekbeom Square, you will find the Ahn Jung-geun Memorial Hall, Hanyangdoseong Relics Exhibition Hall, and Namsan Library.

Main stops: Hoehyeon Station - Namdaemun Market - Sungnyemun - Baekbeom Square

Course distance: 2.0 km Estimated time: 30 minutes