KOREA ON CUE · ISSUE 01 · NAMSAN

Namsan and the Neighbourhoods Below

Look out over Seoul from Namsan, then follow the wooded trail towards Huam-dong. Join Lulu and Maya for the views, with time to stop and enjoy the neighbourhood below.

Read the first storyStart with the route
A pointed timber observation deck with a low glass balustrade on a wooded slope of Namsan. Beyond a short fringe of treetops the city spreads wide below, with low hills on the horizon and a wide sky. A pine branch enters from the upper left. No people.

Recommended reading order

  1. From Namsan Sky Forest Trail to Huam-dong01From Namsan Sky Forest Trail to Huam-dongMaya wants to see the tower; Lulu wants to capture the walk together.SCENE · 8 min read
  2. A Half-Day Walk from Namsan Library to Huam-dong02Namsan, Ridge to Huam-dongWalk from the bus stop beside Namsan Library through the Sky Forest Trail to a dessert bar in Huam-dong.ROUTE · 14 min read
  3. One Autumn Layer from Namsan to Huam-dong03One Autumn Layer from Namsan to Huam-dongFor a Namsan walk in autumn, start with one bright outer layer for the ridge and the streets of Huam-dong.LOOK · 12 min read
  4. Where the accessible part of Namsan ends04Where the accessible part of Namsan endsThe route Seoul describes as accessible is the Sky Forest Trail boardwalk.REALITY · 4 min read
  5. Namsangol Hanok Village: counting the levels below the mountain — Noah walks from Exit 4 of Chungmuro Station, starts at the lowest level by the pond, climbs past five hanok on their stone terrace and ends at the sunken, circular Time Capsule plaza at the south of the garden — noting heights and depths as he goes05Namsangol Hanok Village: counting the levels below the mountainAdmission to Namsangol Hanok Village is free, but the traditional houses and garden have different opening hours.SEOUL · 19 min read
  6. N Seoul Tower: stepping into the backdrop — Elena walks from Exit 3 of Myeongdong Station, rides the cable car up, crosses the summit plaza and circles an observation deck its operator places “400m above sea level”, then stays until the lights come on across Seoul06N Seoul Tower: stepping into the backdropA new piece for “Namsan and the Neighbourhoods Below.” Construction of N Seoul Tower as a broadcasting tower began in 1969, and it opened to the public in 1980. The observation deck opens every day of the year, and adult admission is ₩29,000. Elena, who reads cities as scenes, climbs up to the tower that stands in the background of so many images of Seoul — and looks back at the city from the other side.SEOUL · 9 min read

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