[One Day Walk] Enjoy Seoul Night View Walking Along Hanyang Doseong... Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station

Editor's NoteThe subway is not only a transportation method that anyone can easily access and travel safely but also an important part of daily walking. We introduce walking-friendly places around subway stations.

Today’s course is a walk along the Hanyangdoseong Fortress Wall Path, which surrounded Hanyang during the Joseon Dynasty. Most of the fortress walls located on flat land have been demolished, and the remaining walls are mainly found in mountainous areas such as Bukaksan, Inwangsan, Naksan, and Namsan. Unlike other routes that require walking on high mountains with elevations over 200 to 300 meters, today’s section, corresponding to Course 2 of the Hanyangdoseong Path climbing Naksan, is a bit easier since Naksan’s elevation is only 124.4 meters. This course connects three of Hanyang’s eight gates located on the east side: Heunginjimun (Dongdaemun), Gwanghuimun (Namsomun), and Hyehwamun (Dongsomun).

Gwanghuimun Gate View [Photo by Seoul Institute]

The starting point today is Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station. It is a key transportation hub in downtown Seoul where subway lines 2, 4, and 5 intersect, and also a cultural experience center with attractions such as Heunginjimun (Dongdaemun) and Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). When you exit from Exit 3 of Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station, you can see Gwanghuimun directly across the street. Also known as Namsomun, this gate was originally built in 1396 when the Hanyang Fortress was constructed. It was damaged during the Japanese colonial period and was relocated slightly and rebuilt in 1975 due to road construction.

Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) Exterior View
[Photo by Seoul Institute]

Turning north and walking further, you will encounter a distinctive large silver architectural structure. This is the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), built in 2014 after the demolition of Dongdaemun Stadium. It was designed by the world-renowned female architect Zaha Hadid. Covering a total area of 62,692 square meters and a total floor area of 86,574 square meters, the massive building has three underground floors and four above-ground floors (29 meters high), boasting a futuristic exterior. It houses exhibition spaces, event halls, design-themed areas, and plazas. Nearby is Dongdaemun History & Culture Park, which includes the Dongdaemun Relics Exhibition Hall, allowing visitors to see both the past and present of Dongdaemun.

Heunginjimun Gate, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

Walking a bit further north, you will reach Heunginjimun (Dongdaemun). Unlike other gates that were first built in 1396, this gate took more time to construct and was completed two years later in 1398. It is the only gate with four syllables in its name, unlike the other three-syllable gates. According to feng shui, the gate includes the character 'ji (之)' to enhance the earth energy (jigi), which was considered weak. Around Heunginjimun, a plaza has been created where visitors can view the gate up close, and it is praised for well-preserved late Joseon architectural styles.

Naksan Park, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul
[Photo by Seoul Institute]

Crossing Jongno and entering Heunginjimun Park, the Naksan section of the Hanyangdoseong begins. Especially on the site left after the demolition of Dongdaemun Church, the Hanyangdoseong Museum was established and the fortress wall preserved to create a resting place for citizens. Walking along the fortress path, you will also come across Naksan Park, one of Seoul’s representative night view spots. Nearby, Ihwa-dong Village is famous for its beautiful mural village.

Hyehwamun, Jongno-gu, Seoul [Photo by Seoul Institute]

The final destination is Hyehwamun, also known as Dongsomun. It gave its name to the nearby area Hyehwa-dong and to Dongsomun itself. Built in 1396, the gatehouse was demolished by the Japanese in 1928, and in 1938, Dongsomun-ro was constructed with a tram line, erasing all traces of the gate. Since Dongsomun-ro is still in use, during restoration work in the early 1990s, the gate was restored about 10 meters to the side from its original location.