The night the Luminarie lights come on: walking Seokchon Lake with Ethan, Lulu and Maya

Ethan’s second business trip to Seoul was confirmed in mid-October. The forty-four-year-old American engineer had first met Lulu at Mangwon Market on the last weekend of his previous trip. She was filming in front of a croquette display when she struck up a conversation, and they ended up going round the market twice together. He still remembers what she said before they parted: “Next time, come with Maya. She likes markets too.”

As soon as his work schedule arrives, Ethan messages Lulu: “I’ve got Friday evening free. Can we keep that promise?” Her answer comes straight back: “Maya’s coming too, but this time it’s a lake, not a market. The lights come on at Seokchon Lake that day.” She sends him a festival notice from Songpa-gu, headed “Autumn and Winter on the Lake, and Luminarie”, with the subtitle “Promise, Love & Destiny”. Ethan smiles to himself at how well the subtitle fits an evening set aside to keep a promise.

Lulu contacts Maya the same day she hears from Ethan. She has already told her several times about the American engineer from Mangwon Market, who ordered carefully in Korean and described each croquette as though he were writing a technical report. Maya keeps asking whether he really is coming back to Seoul. When she hears they are meeting at a lake, she says she will charge her camera battery first.

This piece follows their Friday evening and doubles as a guide to a first walk around Seokchon Lake. It covers the station and exit to use, and how the west and east lakes differ on either side of Songpa-daero. Following the three friends’ route, it also explains what to keep in mind when visiting during the Luminarie festival.

The Cue

Seokchon Lake’s Luminarie festival, “Autumn and Winter on the Lake, and Luminarie”, runs from Friday 30 October 2026 to Sunday 28 February 2027 at both the east and west lakes. Songpa-daero divides the lake into two, with a combined perimeter of 2.5 km. Take Lines 2 or 8 to Jamsil Station, leave through Exit 3 and walk towards Samjeondo Monument to reach the west lake.

Meeting at Jamsil Station Exit 3

On Friday evening, Ethan reaches Jamsil Station Exit 3 ahead of the agreed time. Even on business trips, he works backwards from appointments, so he usually arrives somewhere new about ten minutes early. Lulu chose Exit 3 because it is the starting point of the Seoul Tourism Organization’s Jamsil walking tour. The route goes past Samjeondo Monument to Seokchon Lake’s west lake, then finishes at the Bangi-dong food alley.

Exit 3

Lulu waves from a distance, with Maya beside her, a face Ethan has only seen in photographs. Twenty-one and from Singapore, Maya was friends with Lulu before either came to Seoul, and this is her first visit to the city. She holds out her hand first: “I’ve heard all about the croquettes at Mangwon Market, and how Lulu even changed the order you ate them in.” Ethan laughs and recites the order he learnt on their second lap of the market. With food as their first topic, there is barely time for an awkward introduction.

Lulu runs through the plan for the evening. They will walk the west lake first, cross Songpa-daero to the east lake, then watch the lights come on there after sunset. Ethan sketches two lakes in his notebook with a road running between them. It is a simple drawing, as might be expected from an engineer, but he gets the east and west lakes in exactly the right places.

Finding the lake from Jamsil Station

Jamsil is a large interchange between Lines 2 and 8, with plenty of exits. For a first visit, start following the signs for Exit 3 before leaving the ticket gates. For the Luminarie, get off at Jamsil Station on Lines 2 or 8. The Seoul Tourism Organization’s Jamsil walking tour also starts from “Jamsil Station (Songpa-gu Office), Exit 3”.

On Friday evenings, commuters and people heading to the shopping malls make the station busy. If meeting friends, wait a few steps away from the exit rather than directly in front of it. Ethan stands to one side of the exit stairs, where Lulu spots him straight away. Being tall helps, even outside a crowded station.

The lake is a short walk along the road from the exit. Follow the walking tour’s route from Exit 3 past Samjeondo Monument and into the west lake. It is a straightforward sequence to follow on a first visit. For extra reassurance, save “Seokchon Lake, west lake” in the map app on your phone.

Past Samjeondo Monument to the west lake

Samjeondo Monument stands on the way from Exit 3 to the lake, and the walking tour stops here before entering the west lake. Lulu pauses beside the stone monument. She explains that the Jamsil plain north of Seokchon Lake was once part of the Han River, with a ferry landing south of what is now the west lake. Maya looks down at her feet at the thought that the ground beneath them used to be a river.

The lake took shape when work to improve the Han River’s main channel began in 1969. Parts of the river were filled in, while one section was kept as a lake and developed into a park in the early 1980s. Songpa Naru Park opened in November 1981. Its name preserves the memory of the old ferry landing. Ethan writes the name in a corner of his notebook map.

Ethan takes another look at the water, apparently struck by the boldness of leaving a lake in the middle of land reclaimed from a river. Maya says the story makes her see it differently too. It is more than a pretty lake now, with a piece of the old river still here. Lulu enjoys their reactions and says she will look up stories about Seoul’s other former ferry landings for next time.

As they enter the west lake, the path curves gently along the water. This side has Lotte World’s Magic Island and Seoul Nori Madang, while the east lake has a jogging route. Magic Island is an artificial island connected to Lotte World Adventure by monorail and footbridge. Maya lifts her camera as soon as she sees the castle-shaped building over the water. Lulu laughs and reminds her that the island is not their destination today, as they are here to walk around the lake.

As they walk, Maya tells Lulu about her first few days in Seoul. She has been so busy visiting palaces and markets that this is her first chance to walk slowly beside the water. Watching the friend she knew before Seoul finally catch her breath, Lulu feels she has chosen the right place. Ethan listens, then adds that it has been a long time since he last spent a business-trip evening walking without a schedule. Lulu laughs and suggests nobody checks the time tonight.

The first photo on the west lake deck

About halfway round the west lake, Maya slows down. A wooden deck runs beside the water, with the lake, island and path on the opposite bank all fitting into one frame. She always starts with the overall composition. Stepping back, she adjusts her angle until the curve of the lake follows the edge of the picture, then asks Ethan and Lulu to stand at the end of the deck.

Ethan is not used to having his photograph taken. Seeing him stand awkwardly, Lulu tells him to pretend he is holding one of the croquettes from Mangwon Market, and Maya catches the moment he raises his empty hand. On her screen, he is smiling in a way that never appears in his business-trip photographs. Maya sends it straight to Lulu with the message, “First shot of the evening.”

The route around the lake has waterside paths and wooden decks, with pavilions, drinking fountains and outdoor exercise equipment along the way. In autumn, cool breezes and fallen leaves mark the season, with red foliage framing the water. Dry leaves rustle beneath the three friends’ feet as they walk. Maya picks up a damp fallen leaf and slips it between the pages of Ethan’s notebook.

Choosing between the west and east lakes

The two lakes have slightly different characters. The west lake has Magic Island and Seoul Nori Madang, with views of the monorail and footbridge linking the island to Lotte World Adventure. The east lake has an even path used for jogging, along with Songpa Tourist Information Center and The Gallery Lake. Start on the west side for plenty of photographs, or the east side to leave bags in a locker before walking. That difference is why Lulu chose the west lake first. They can see its island and bridges while there is still daylight, then reach the east lake as the lights come on. Ethan adds an arrow to the two lakes in his notebook. It runs from west to east, taking them from daylight into the evening.

Crossing Songpa-daero to the east lake

Songpa-daero runs between the west and east lakes. When the road opened, it divided the water into two similarly shaped lakes on either side. A full circuit therefore means walking around both, and the 2.5 km perimeter is their combined distance. On a first visit, though, walking around just one lake still makes a satisfying outing.

As they cross the road, Ethan has a stream of questions for Lulu: where does the water come from, how deep is it, and does it freeze in winter? She answers what she remembers from the information boards and laughs off the rest, happy to admit she does not know. The lake is filled with water from the Han River. That answer alone seems to satisfy Ethan, who nods. Maya turns back as they cross and takes one more photograph of the west lake. Lights are just beginning to appear in the buildings reflected on the water. “So if we wait a little longer, the lights will come on all around the lake?” she asks, and Lulu nods. All three pick up their pace. Lulu adds that those few minutes, when the lights come on one by one, are the lake’s best moment of the day.

Songpa Tourist Information Center and The Gallery Lake

Songpa Tourist Information Center stands beside the east lake, with a clear view of the water. Opened in March 2015, it has free luggage lockers and assistance in English, Chinese and Japanese. The address is 206 Songpanaru-gil, and the phone number is 02-421-0970–1. Keep it in mind after shopping at Lotte World or the Jamsil malls if bags are making the walk cumbersome.

Ethan puts two bags of gifts bought during his business trip into a locker. With both hands free, his walk changes at once. Lulu unfolds a map from the centre and traces the east lake path again. Maya is more interested in the lake outside the window, while Ethan pencils their route so far into one corner of the map. The lockers are free, so leaving the bags cost him nothing, which Ethan rather liked.

The east lake also has The Gallery Lake. Songpa-gu opened this free exhibition space in November 2025, and it welcomed 500,000 visitors during its first year. The three friends have a quick look around before the lights come on. Maya spends longer looking at the lake through the gallery windows than at the works, and Lulu quietly photographs her from behind.

Outside, Ethan says he likes the idea of Songpa-gu putting a free exhibition space beside the lake. Someone out for a walk can wander in without planning, look at some art and return to the water. It seems an engineer notices how people move through a place before anything else. Lulu suggests dropping in again next time, when the exhibition will have changed.

Watching the Luminarie lights come on

When they leave the gallery, the sky has turned deep blue. Along the lakeside, lights begin coming on one by one. Seokchon Lake Luminarie began in 2022 and brings light installations and illuminated walking paths to the lake each year. This year’s subtitle is “Promise, Love & Destiny”.

Last season, in 2025, the east lake entrance had a main gateway in gold and pink and a Luminarie light tunnel, with a smaller gateway at the west lake entrance and stained-glass photo spots on both lakes’ decks. The decorative lights were on from 17:30–22:30. That season also had hands-on activity booths, a flea market and food trucks. Before setting off this year, check Songpa-gu’s festival information for the installations and lighting times.

Maya lowers her camera for a while beneath the lights. She says she never expected to see a scene like this on her first trip to Seoul and wants to look before taking photographs. Lulu stops filming when she hears that. Behind them, Ethan watches the reflected lights move with the ripples, then takes out his notebook and draws the line of lights over his sketch of the lakes. He adds the reflections beneath it as a dotted line.

With Luminarie running from late October to late February, the same lake can be seen across autumn and winter. That is the reason for “Autumn and Winter on the Lake” in the festival’s name. In autumn, the lights shine above fallen leaves, and in winter they glow through cold air. If staying in Seoul for a while, consider visiting once in each season.

Keeping a promise and taking a photograph

Lulu is the first to remember the festival subtitle: “Promise. That’s exactly what today is.” She looks a little moved as she points out that Ethan really has kept the promise they made at Mangwon Market. Maya says that promise is the reason she is here too, then takes out her phone for a photograph of all three.

Ethan bends his knees slightly to fit his tall frame into the picture, which makes Lulu laugh and ask for several retakes. It takes five attempts to get a photograph with everyone’s eyes open. Maya chooses it as the evening’s final shot, and Ethan sends it to his family in America with a short message: “I’ve made friends in Seoul.” It is only one line, but he will remember it longer than anything in his business-trip report.

Even while taking photographs, keep the park rules in mind. Camping, cooking and lighting fires are prohibited, and food must stay outside the park to protect wildlife. Drinking alcohol and making a disturbance are also prohibited, and rubbish must go home with you. On the rubber-surfaced sections of the lower walking path, dogs must be carried in a sling or ride in a dog pushchair, with an exception for guide dogs.

Planning a walk during Luminarie

For a first visit, aim to arrive a little before sunset. That gives time to see the lake in daylight, watch the lights come on and walk beside the water after dark. The combined perimeter is 2.5 km, so an evening leaves enough time for a leisurely circuit. Walking around only the east or west lake gives even more time to spare.

Travel light and keep your hands free. Leave shopping bags in the free lockers at Songpa Tourist Information Center by the east lake, and keep food outside the park. Having dinner in the nearby streets after the walk also makes the route easier to organise. The three friends keep their lakeside outing to walking and save their food plans for another evening. People slow down for photographs along the illuminated stretches. Step to the edge of the path to take pictures and leave room for anyone coming from behind. When heading back, returning to the same Jamsil Station keeps things straightforward on a first visit.

Finishing the east lake and planning dinner

The three friends continue around the east lake. Its even jogging path carries both walkers and runners after the lights come on. Where people stop beneath the installations for photographs, Lulu suggests moving to the edge of the path. With so many people passing during the festival, small courtesies make the walk easier for everyone.

As they walk, Maya puts her camera aside and asks Ethan why he visits markets every time he comes to Seoul. To understand a city, he says, he starts with what its people eat. It is the same approach he takes in a factory or laboratory, looking first at what happens inside rather than at the exterior. Maya copies his words into a note on her phone. She means to use it the next time she photographs a new city.

Near the end of the circuit, Ethan stops and opens the map on his phone. Before they set off, he noticed that the Jamsil walking tour ends at the Bangi-dong food alley. “Let’s have dinner there next time. I’ll show the way this time,” he says, a fitting suggestion from someone who seeks out markets and food streets on every business trip for his love of Korean food. Lulu and Maya both raise their hands.

After collecting his bags from the centre, Ethan walks Lulu and Maya back to Jamsil Station. Going back the way they came, to Exit 3 of Jamsil Station on Lines 2 and 8, keeps the journey simple for a first visit. On the way to the station, the three of them flick through the day’s photographs one by one, each choosing a different favourite. Outside Exit 3, they agree on a date for their next dinner before saying goodbye.

Back at the hotel, remembering an evening with three friends

Back at the hotel, Ethan opens his notebook. The west and east lakes, Songpa-daero between them and the line of lights overlap on the page. The leaf Maya tucked inside is still there. Beside it, he adds one more name in small letters, the name of the person he met today.

Partway through his business-trip report, Ethan finds himself thinking about the walk again. Jamsil Station Exit 3, Samjeondo Monument, the west lake deck, Songpa-daero, the centre and gallery on the east lake, then the illuminated shore. Give someone that sequence on their first visit, he thinks, and they would have no trouble finding their way. True to form, he writes it as a numbered list at the back of his notebook.

Common Mistakes

• 01

  Walking around one lake and assuming that is the full circuit

  Songpa-daero separates Seokchon Lake into east and west lakes. The 2.5 km perimeter covers both combined.

• 02

  Carrying shopping bags all the way around

  Songpa Tourist Information Center, by the east lake at 206 Songpanaru-gil, has free luggage lockers.

• 03

  Using last year’s lighting hours for this year’s visit

  last season, in 2025, the lights were on from 17:30–22:30. Check Songpa-gu’s festival information for this year’s times.

• 04

  Unpacking a picnic or food delivery beside the lake

  bringing food into the park is prohibited, as are camping, cooking and lighting fires.

• 05

  Stopping in the middle of the path beneath the lights

  walkers and runners share the paths during the festival. Move to the edge to take photographs.

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