Even in the Same Apartment, Price Difference of 1.5 Billion Won... Soaring 'Hangang View Premium'

One Bailey, Acro River Park, Trimage: High-rise Han River Views Stir the Market
Premiums in the Billions Are the Norm... Up to 1.5 Billion KRW Difference in the Same Complex
Top Locations with Han River Views See Unprecedented Demand

The hottest topic in real estate communities during the last week of March was the news that the "flagship apartment" in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Raemian One Bailey's national standard size (exclusive area 84㎡) recorded a new high price of 7 billion KRW (March 3). It was especially notable that the price jumped by 1.5 billion KRW at once compared to the previous transaction of the same size. The property that traded for 5.5 billion KRW was only one month apart in transaction time.

There was even talk that the "Han River view premium is 1.5 billion KRW." The property that set the new high price is located on the 12th floor of the "Royal Building," the front line facing Sebitseom Floating Islands, offering a "panoramic view" of the Han River. The previous property that traded for 5.5 billion KRW did not have a Han River view. Additionally, according to the brokerage industry, news has been spreading openly that another property on the front line facing Sebitseom Floating Islands with a "panoramic Han River view" was traded for 7.2 billion KRW. This property is on the 33rd floor, much higher than the one that set the new high price, and is analyzed to have a higher "premium." Since One Bailey has a maximum of 35 floors, the 33rd floor is almost the top floor. It is said that the transaction has already been completed, but the actual transaction registration has not yet been made.

The term "Han River view premium" has been around for quite some time. However, recently, the value of Han River views has been soaring. Even within the same apartment, cases like One Bailey show premiums of over 1 billion KRW depending on whether there is a Han River view or not. Along with the "smart one-house" craze, combinations that add Han River views to location competitiveness are currently showing the most overwhelming impact in the apartment market. According to the real estate big data platform Apartment Real Transaction Price (Asil), the top 5 highest prices for exclusive area 84㎡ this year were Banpo Raemian One Bailey (7 billion KRW), Banpo Acro River Park (5.47 billion KRW), Apgujeong Hyundai 5th Complex (5.1 billion KRW), Apgujeong Hyundai 14th Complex (5 billion KRW), and Seongsu Trimage (5 billion KRW). Except for the two Apgujeong complexes where reconstruction factors are stronger than Han River views, these are representative Han River view apartments in Korea.

Banpo Acro River Park was the long-standing flagship in Seocho-gu before Raemian One Bailey appeared. It was the first to open the 4 billion KRW and 5 billion KRW eras for the national standard size. On February 13, it traded at 5.47 billion KRW, ranking second highest for national standard apartments in 2025. This property was in Building 104, considered the "Royal Building," relatively close to the Han River. The highest price ever recorded for the national standard size in Acro River Park (5.48 billion KRW in October last year) was also in Building 104. A "sky lounge" for residents is also installed in Building 104. An analysis by the Korea Real Estate Society of 356 transactions in Acro River Park from 2017 to 2022 showed that the actual transaction price increased by 0.5% for every 1 percentage point increase in Han River view rate. Especially, when dividing Han River views into five major sections, the actual transaction price for the fifth section with full frontal view was 13.4% higher compared to the first section with no Han River view. For the national standard size, the maximum price difference was about 400 million KRW.

Seongsu Trimage is famous for its "permanent Han River view." It is the representative apartment that generally comes to mind when thinking of Han River views. It has been widely exposed in the media because many famous celebrities reside there. Trimage is also the flagship national standard apartment in the Gangbuk area. Even when expanding the top 10 highest prices for national standard apartments compiled by Asil, only two apartments in Gangbuk are included: Trimage and Gwangjang Poseys Han River (9th place, 4.3 billion KRW). The other eight in the top 10 are dominated by Gangnam and Seocho. Trimage recorded a new high price on February 27 with a national standard size transaction at 5 billion KRW. The property was on the 38th floor of Building 103. Considering that the highest floor of Building 103 is 45, it is a "royal floor" very close to the top. The Han River view changes significantly around the 20th floor in Trimage. The reason the guest rooms available for outsiders to use are on the 19th floor (Buildings 101 and 102) is because the Han River view experience is distinctly different from that height. Naturally, the satisfaction with the "panoramic Han River view" increases as the floor goes higher.

Only some units have a view of the Han River even among riverside apartments, and due to this locational rarity, the strength of Han River view apartments is expected to continue. In fact, even during the overall real estate market downturn, the prices of Han River view apartments remained relatively strong. According to Real Today, a real estate research firm, the average increase rate of actual transaction prices for 22 major Han River view complexes in Seoul from 2010 to 2024 was 145%, which exceeded the average increase rate of Seoul (121.8%) by 23.2 percentage points during the same period.