This is an excerpt about the travel destinations in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, extracted for foreign tourists.
Achasan Goguryeo Fortress in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
“Achasan, stretching across Seoul’s Gwangjin-gu and Guri City in Gyeonggi Province, is a mountain that can be easily climbed at a height of 295.7m without much difficulty. It has been considered a strategic point since the Three Kingdoms period, with the Achasan Fortress being a prominent relic where Goguryeo, Baekje, and Silla fiercely competed for control of the Han River basin for over 250 years. In addition to Achasan Fortress, there are numerous other relics such as Yeongsa and Boru, believed to be founded in the Silla and Goguryeo eras. Easily accessible from Achasan Station on Seoul Subway Line 5, it is a popular hiking course in the city center. Located at the eastern end of Seoul, Achasan, where the sun rises earliest, is also a venue for annual sunrise festivals. The Goguryeo Castle on Nakta Ridge is not only a place to witness the sunrise but also a well-known spot to enjoy the splendid night view of Seoul.”
• Address (location): “3, Gugui-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul Special City”
• Hours of use: “Open all year round”
‘Gingorang Valley’ – A Hidden Gem in Seoul
“Gingorang Valley is located on Achasan, spanning across Gwangjin-gu in Seoul and Guri-si in Gyeonggi Province. The name ‘Gingorang’ comes from the valley that stretches down from the highest peak of Achasan, Yongmabong, which is known for its long and winding path (‘Gingol’ or ‘Jingol’ in Korean). Even on hot and humid days, Gingorang Valley offers a refreshing escape, making it a perfect urban retreat. Visitors can enjoy the entire valley from upstream to downstream, with the lower part being safe to wade in due to the shallow depth of the water. The middle section of the valley features step-like formations and is well-designed for dipping your feet in. The upper region of the valley boasts clean, cool water and plenty of shade.”
• Address (location): 143-130 Junggok-dong, Jungnang-gu, Seoul
Seoul Gwangjin-gu ‘Acha Fortress’
“Achasan Fortress, located at an elevation of 285m on Achasan north of the Han River in Gwangjang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, is a large fortress built by the Baekje kingdom to repel Goguryeo’s invasion when Baekje’s capital was in Hanam Wiryeseong. It is also the place where Goguryeo’s King Jangsu captured Baekje’s capital south of the lower Han River, seized King Geuro and brought him to Achasan Fortress, where he was killed. It also served as a forward base for Silla to attack Goguryeo, who controlled the lower Han River. It is said that this is where Goguryeo’s General Ondal, who came out to the battlefield to prevent Silla’s ambitious plans, was killed by Silla’s arrows. Achasan Fortress has been confirmed to have Goguryeo walls, buildings, and ponds through the first and second excavations, and a large number of artifacts from the Three Kingdoms period, including Silla drainage facilities and Goguryeo pottery, were discovered in excavations starting in 2015. On the south wall of Achasan Fortress, external wall support facilities and three drainage outlets were found, while on the inner wall, two water inlets were discovered. In the watchtower area, including the inner and outer walls, as well as fortress walls and large-scale facilities were identified.”
• Address (location): “Guangjang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul Special City”
• Hours of use: “24 hours”
Seoul Gwangjin-gu ‘Hangang Spa Land’
“Gangbyeon Spa Land is a large-scale spa facility spanning underground floors 1 and 2, covering 9,917.4m² (3,000 pyeong). It offers a unique cultural experience along with traditional sauna facilities like the heated red clay walls and jjimjilbang (sauna rooms). The underground second floor features saunas, while the first floor houses communal jjimjilbang rooms. The stylish interior and sulfur-infused underground spring sauna water are said to be smooth and beneficial for the skin. Visitors can enjoy a variety of sauna facilities including charcoal rooms, salt rooms, silver pyramid rooms, a women-only yellow mud kiln sauna, yellow mud rooms, and igloo experience rooms, as well as hot baths, cold baths, aqua walking, massage pools, wet saunas, and dry saunas. Additional amenities include meeting rooms, a children’s playroom, pool tables, ping pong tables, a large game room, a charging cafe, and a skin care center. Dining options include a Korean restaurant, as well as chicken and snack corners for quick bites. Gangbyeon Spa Land is conveniently located about 340m away from Exit 4 of Gangbyeon Station on Seoul Subway Line 2.”
• Address (location): “45 Guui Kangbyeon-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul Special City, South Korea”
• Hours of use: – Daytime: 05:00~20:00 – Nighttime: 20:00~05:00 the next day
Seoul Children’s Grand Park in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
Children’s Grand Park opened on Children’s Day, May 5, 1973. Covering an area of 56,552 square meters, it is a green oasis with lush forests and blue grassy spaces, serving as a place for relaxation and culture not only for children but also for teenagers and the general public. The park features various cultural facilities, as well as animal and plant gardens, playgrounds, and more. In May 2009, the park underwent renovations and introduced new attractions such as the eco-friendly aquarium ‘Oceanarium’ where visitors can observe polar bears and sea lions, and the large birdcage ‘Pet Village & Parrot Village’ for a direct view of parrot habitats. Additionally, they created a ‘Musical Fountain’ where water moves to the rhythm of music. In the center of the park, there is an outdoor performance stage ‘Magical Forest Stage’ with 8,000 seats, and in the old octagonal pavilion, there is a domestic cartoon character exhibition hall and a children’s traffic safety experience center.
• Address (location): “216 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul Special City (Neung-dong)”
• Hours of use: “05:00~22:00.”
Seoul Gwangjin-gu ‘Gwangjin Square Park’
“Gwangjin Square is a small park that opened in 2006, located right above the Gwangjin Square public parking lot next to Children’s Grand Park Station. This park features a spacious square with trees for shade and benches, making it a great place for kids to play. There is a sculpture called ‘Dream of Gwangjin,’ which represents a spinning top with 16 water streams symbolizing the 16 neighborhoods of Gwangjin District. In the summer, refreshing fountains spray from the water pillars. The shades in Gwangjin Square have solar panels on their roofs, generating electricity for the park’s facilities. Additionally, there is a recycling robot named Nepron that collects recyclable materials like cans and PET bottles. Simply insert cans or bottles into the slot, and they will be automatically detected and collected. By entering your phone number, you can earn 1 seed as a reward.”
• Address (location): “389 Gwangnaru-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul Special City (Gunja-dong)”
• Hours of use: “00:00 ~ 24:00”
Seoul Gwangjin-gu ‘Acha Mountain Reservoir Sports Park’
“Achasan Reservoir Sports Park located in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, is a sports facility created by utilizing the idle space above the reservoir. The park features various sports facilities including an artificial turf soccer field, tennis courts, futsal field, volleyball court, and foot volleyball court. The park’s sports facilities are excellent, attracting many soccer clubs to use them frequently, so advance reservation through the website is required for playing soccer matches. It is located 650m away from Exit 2 of Achasan Station on Line 5 of the subway.”
• Address (location): 731 Cheonho-daero, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul Special City (Guui-dong)
• Hours of use: Open all year round
Seoul Gwangjin-gu ‘Gwangnaru Safety Experience Center’
“Gwangnaru Safety Experience Center is located next to the main entrance of Seoul Children’s Grand Park in Nung-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. This is the first disaster experience center in Korea where various disaster situations such as fire, earthquake, and typhoon are simulated for the general public to experience safety education firsthand. Recognizing the need for a virtual disaster experience facility to cultivate the ability to cope with various disasters and to promote safety awareness among the general public, Gwangnaru Safety Experience Center was established. Spanning underground and 3 above-ground floors with a total area of 5,444.5㎡, the center offers various experiential facilities where visitors can receive explanations from operational staff (such as firefighters) and directly participate in the simulations. Prior online reservation is required for participation, and wearing long pants and socks is mandatory. Shorts, skirts, and bare feet are not allowed for participation.”
• Address (location): 238 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul Special City
• Hours of use: 09:00~17:00
Seoul Gwangjin-gu ‘Seoul Thinking Maru (Ttukseom Jabeulle)’
“Seoul Thoughts Pavilion (Ddugseom Caterpillar) is a cultural space in Ddugseom Hangang Park for all citizens. It is a space that promotes relaxation, creative thinking, and productive communication, allowing people to empty their minds of complex thoughts while filling them with new imagination and ideas while overlooking the Han River. Shaped like a caterpillar larva, the long building houses various spaces that offer views of the Han River through windows. Seoul Thoughts Pavilion consists of three floors. The first floor features a bookshelf curated through the participation of Seoul citizens, known as the ‘Ten Million Citizens’ Bookshelf,’ and a play area where both adults and children can enjoy activities like hopscotch and rock-paper-scissors on the Maru playground. The second floor consists of the Thought Maru Bookshelf, where visitors can enjoy reading while overlooking the Han River, and a meeting space. The third floor offers a shared rental space that can be used for individual computer use, shared office, and workspaces.”
• Address (location): “2202 Gangbyeonbuk-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul Special City (Jayang-dong)”
• Hours of use: Monday to Friday 09:30 to 17:30 Saturday to Sunday 09:30 to 20:00