Cheonggyecheon Stream and Gwanghwamun in Seoul

January 6, 2011                                       

When in Seoul, aside from the City Hall to Namsan urban trek that I suggested before, another walking tour route that I highly recommend is the 6 km-long Cheonggyecheon Stream in the center of the city. I have done this twice already, the first time was when I first visited Seoul in August 2009 and most recently last December 30. If you don’t like walking, then this isn’t for you. The walk can be tiring and it is a little bit more painful in the winter. The walk can be a good opportunity to observe life in Seoul. The best starting point of the walk must be in Dongdaemun, the biggest shopping district in Korea. But I suggest that you don’t shop before the walk as you don’t wanna carry big bags while walking beside this beautiful  long stream.

 Cheonggyecheon Stream at Night. December 30, 2010

From Dongdaemun, you’ll see a small stream, that’s it. Go down using the many stairs in both sides of the stream. Start walking westward going to Jongno subway stations. If you walk eastward, I don’t know where you will end. LOL. Some university student clubs hold their exhibitions (photo exhibits usually) in some portions of the stream bank below the bridges. There are many bridges by
the way, with beautiful lights at night time. There are also free laser light shows. You’ll end your walk when you reach the end of the stream (but you may wish to end your walk abruptly by going up in any of the stairs in both sides leading you to the main road with subway stations). The end of the stream is the most beautiful spot with nice man-made waterfalls and good landscapes. If you finish the walk, you’ve already reached Gwanghwamun. You’ve passed more or less 4 subway stations. Gwanghwamun is another tourist attraction. I consider it Seoul’s version of Manila’s Rizal Park and Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, Gwanghwamun being relatively new. Gwanghwamun is a public square opened only in August 2009, the month when I first visited Seoul. King Sejeong’s statue is sitting in the middle. King Sejeong invented the Hangeul (한글), Korea’s writing script. The Sejeong Story, a museum is located underground, below the statue. North of Gwanghwamun is the Gyeongbok Palace, Korea’s version of China’s Forbidden City. Beside it is the Blue House, Korea’s White House where its President resides. Gwanghwamun is among the most heavily secured places in Seoul, mainly due to the fact that there are so many important buildings around it, including the United States Embassy and some government buildings, so don’t get surprised when you see Policemen with heavy rifles, not a common sight in Korea as street crimes are rare.

The stream during my first visit, Aug 2009

 Gwanghwamun Square during my first visit in August 2009

 2 ends of Gwanghwamun Square, Dec. 30, 2010

 Me in Gwanghwamun Square, Dec. 30, 2010

Back to Cheonggyecheon Stream. I’d like to mention the amazing success story behind it. It used to be one of Seoul’s biggest slum areas. In the 1970’s when Korea started to become an industrialized nation, the slums were replaced with concrete roads and above the stream, a 16meter-wide flyover with 160,000 cars passing on it every day. Somehow, it became Korea’s symbol of development. Needless to say, however, it looked bad and it worsened air pollution.

In 2002, Mayor Lee Myung Bak (now President of Korea) “pledged to renew South Korea’s capital Seoul” by demolishing the flyover above the Cheonggyecheon Stream. The plan worried many people as traffic jams were common in Seoul. Removing this flyover potentially threatened to worsen traffic condition. Lee however stressed that people should use the city’s modern and efficient public transportation and only use private vehicles when absolutely necessary. A massive restoration of the stream followed. The masterplan was to make this stream more than just a random body of water but a recreation park and a symbol of nature’s harmony with development. I should say that this is political will at its best! The result was the beautiful Cheonggyecheon Stream as it is today. The demolition of the flyover and the beautiful open space it created were enough to “convince thousands of people to drive less, or change their habits, as the city offered better public transportation options.” Amazing isn’t it? Now I am looking forward to the day when that LRT line that darkens Taft Avenue in Manila gets demolished, also! lol

See this mind-blowing transformation!

Slums at Cheonggyecheon Stream in the 1960s. Taken from Naver.

  Cheonggyecheon Stream in the late 1960s. Taken from Naver.

  Cheonggyecheon Stream with the slums in the early 1970s. Taken from Naver.

 In the 1980's to 90's. A flyover above the stream was constructed to ease traffic.

Taken from Naver.

 

 Cheonggyecheon Stream at present. Taken from Naver. 

And the photos below were recent photos I took last Dec. 30. 

Click the photos to enlarge.

 The end of the stream.

 

 Laser light show!

 These buildings replaced what used to be slum areas. 

Winter at Cheonggyecheon Stream.

Posted in: buzz KOREA,Cities,Life in Korea,photography,travels