[Report] "A Healing Path in the Heart of the City"... Singumdan Royal Park City II Embraces Barefoot Loess Trail

Visiting 'Singumdan Royal Park City II' in Incheon
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A view of the loess road and buckwheat flower field created in front of the 'Singumdan Royal Park City II' apartment complex in Seo-gu, Incheon on the 26th. Photo by Choi Seoyoon

"I am so grateful for this wonderful loess road that I even want to write a thank-you letter to the company, DK Asia. I love it so much."

On the afternoon of the 26th, in front of the loess road at the 'Shingeomdan Royal Park City II' apartment complex in Seo-gu, Incheon. Kim Jinyoung (62), a local resident who lives a 30-minute walk away, brings a packed lunch and visits this place every day. On this day as well, she had been walking the loess road barefoot for over six hours since morning. Having undergone four surgeries and battled illnesses including lung cancer, bile duct cancer, and thyroid cancer, Kim said that walking barefoot on the loess road makes her heavy body feel much lighter. "Due to aftereffects of surgery, I have little strength in my hands and can't make a fist easily, but after walking here all day, I can clench my fist like this."

Clay road and buckwheat flower field near Singeomdan Royal Park City II. Photo by Choi Seoyoon

After completing chemotherapy, she switched to natural therapies and has been practicing barefoot walking as a daily routine for five years. Kim said, "I've tried all the earthing (barefoot walking) trails across the country, but it's rare to find a place where the effects are as clear as here," adding, "The quality of the loess is so good that it is comparable to the loess road at Daemosan Mountain in Gangnam, Seoul, which is known as a healing mountain." Earthing is a healing method in which direct contact with the earth's surface with bare feet allows the earth's negative charge to neutralize the body's free radicals (positive charge), restoring electrical balance. Word has spread that it helps with health management, and it is gaining popularity nationwide.

Resident Lee Wonjong (63) said, "This road is too good to keep to myself, so I take photos and share them in a local barefoot walking community with about 90 members." He added, "Many people become curious just by seeing the photos and come to visit. After actually walking on it, everyone is amazed and asks why they didn't know about it sooner."

The loess road, initiated by residents' suggestions... Planned expansion to the longest 12km in Korea

On the 26th, a view of the buckwheat flower field and the ocher-colored ten-ri trail was seen from Shingeomdan Royal Park City II. On the left, preparations were underway for the stage installation for the special concert of the "2025 Royal Garden Festival" scheduled for the next day. Photo by Choi Seoyoon

This loess road, which began as a proposal from residents of Royal Park City II, opened on the 20th. The developer, DK Asia, reflected residents' opinions that "barefoot walking is popular these days, and it would be great to have a loess road in our complex," and created a total of 4.5 kilometers of loess road. Fine loess was mixed with decomposed granite and compacted to a thickness of 20 centimeters, making it non-muddy and well-drained even when it rains.

It absorbs impact better than ordinary walking trails, putting less strain on the feet, and its surface is soft and not slippery, making it safe for the elderly and children. For convenience, a foot care zone (foot-washing station) that can accommodate 30 people at once has been set up.

The buckwheat flowers along the trail add to the pleasure of walking. The total area, including the buckwheat flower field, is about 138,000 square meters (40,000 pyeong), making it the largest of its kind in Korea. DK Asia plans to extend it into the surrounding green spaces to create a 12-kilometer "Loess Thirty-Ri Trail" in the future.

However, some sections overlap with the site of a new high school scheduled to begin construction next year, so access will be restricted once work starts. A DK Asia representative said, "We plan to create a new loess road in the buffer green zone next to the foot-washing station," adding, "We will plant 1,500 maple trees to create a maple tunnel that offers different scenery in each season."

A part of the foot-washing station set up on the edge of the loess road near Shingeomdan Royal Park City II. In the background, 1,500 maple trees will be planted along the loess road section of the buffer green space to create a maple tunnel that offers different scenery in each season. Photo by Choi Seoyoon

"Living spaces as healing spaces"... A development philosophy beyond apartments

The Royal Train, a monorail train operating within the Shingeomdan Royal Park City II complex. This facility, introduced by DK Asia as the first of its kind in residential services in Korea, has received great acclaim from residents and visitors alike. Photo by Choi Seoyoon

The loess road is more than just a health feature; it embodies DK Asia's residential philosophy. Under the vision of "healthy rest, a life where every day is healing," DK Asia has expanded apartment complexes into platforms that realize quality of life, not just places to live. The goal is to allow residents to enjoy rest, culture, and health in harmony with nature in the city, without having to travel to distant resorts. In fact, Royal Park City has realized this philosophy by creating an "urban resort." It offers differentiated services such as exclusive medical services for residents, hotel-style three meals a day, private yacht and shuttle bus operations.

Recently, the "Royal Train," a monorail electric train running at 5 to 7 kilometers per hour, was also introduced. This is the first time that content typically found in amusement parks has been incorporated into residential services. The idea originated from a mini train installed at the daycare center within the 'Shingeomdan Royal Park City II' complex. After seeing this, DK Asia Chairman Kim Jungmo suggested, "It would be nice to have a train that not only children but also adults can enjoy." The concept was to make even daily transportation a source of enjoyment and healing.

Thanks to the wide distance between buildings within the complex (60 to 97 meters), it was possible to operate a 16-meter-long train. There are long lines to ride it on both weekdays and weekends. It is operated not only within the complex but also as a sightseeing course connecting the buckwheat flower field and the loess ten-ri trail.

On the 26th, the Royal Train, a monorail train running through the neighborhood park near Incheon’s 'Singyeomdan Royal Park City II.' The Royal Park City II complex is visible in the background. Photo by Choi Seoyoon

Chairman Kim leads the architecture and landscaping teams to visit famous architectural sites in Europe and other countries, directly examining examples and applying them to domestic projects. The entry garden and canal way within the 'Shingeomdan Royal Park City II' complex were inspired by the gardens of Villa d'Este in Italy. Jung (50), who has lived in the complex for 10 months, said, "It's amazing to enjoy healing so close to home, which was only possible in the countryside or at distant travel destinations," adding, "I truly feel that the living space itself can be healing."

'Royal Park City' is the largest private urban development brand in Korea, being promoted by DK Asia across eight sites totaling 4.07 million square meters (about 1.23 million pyeong) and 36,500 households. 'Geomam Station Royal Park City I' and 'Shingeomdan Royal Park City II' have already been completed, and seven more complexes will be added in the future. These complexes are located in the core area of Incheon's mega mixed-use city project, 'Ecometacity,' which is being promoted by the city of Incheon.

The city of Incheon is developing a total of 15 million square meters of new city-scale projects in the Geomdan area, including Ecometacity (1.96 million square meters), Royal Park City (2 million square meters), and Geomdan New Town (11.1 million square meters). Housing supply alone amounts to 100,000 units. The industry expects this development to be a turning point that shifts Incheon's urban core from Songdo and Cheongna to Geomdan.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.