Due to the current situation, I had been stuck inside my place every day and felt sick and tired of being confined to my room, so I wanted to get some air outside. Thankfully, the weather was so good and there was no fine dust blown in from China.
Because visiting crowded places and public buildings is risky, I decided to go to a park.
There are many good parks in Seoul where I live. Out of all the lovely parks in Seoul, I chose Olympic Park(올림픽공원) for brief refreshment. It's been ages since I visited the park and I vaguely remembered what it had been like. Most of all, I wanted to see the Lonely tree(나홀로 나무) in the park.
In 1988, South Korea hosted the Olympic Games. In the 1980s, South Korea's economy had been developing exponentially and consequently, the quality of life had also grown better, so the demand for entertainment was gradually rising. In order to prepare for the 1988 Olympic Games, Seoul's administration found it necessary to construct many parks.
Including Olympic Park, Lotte World, and the many parks located along the Han river; many parks in Seoul were constructed corresponding to the current need and economic boom of South Korea during the time.
The 1980s in South Korea is regarded as the time when mass construction and development of the city occurred.
The gate was constructed according to architect Kim Jung-up's design and supervision in order to commemorate the 1988 Olympic games and bring peace to the world. The works on the gate represent Korean people's excellence and consciousness. White, blue, and red are the colours which denote Korean people's emotions. You can see Hyeon-Mu(현무, tortoise-and-snake-shaped god) and Jujak(주작, oriental phoenix) drawn on the right side; an oriental dragon(청룡, blue dragon) and a white tiger(백호) on the left side. The four animals stand for the gods who protect all directions.
Once I walked through the gate into the park, there were a few people enjoying the sun - of course, wearing a mask - despite the coronavirus outbreak.
People had the same thought as I did!
I began strolling around the park. The sunlight was perfect and I was excited by the fact that it was the first spring-time walk after a long winter.
Of course, I took care of myself; carrying hand-sanitisers; wearing a mask, and keeping some distance from other people.
It was still a bit chilly and the flowers weren't fully blooming. Trees were also still bare. However, I could see some flowers indicating and whispering: "Spring has come!"
I drifted to a broad part of the park, which is probably the most beloved photo spot for visitors. The reason why it's beloved by many people is because of "the Tree." The tree is called 나홀로나무(lonely tree) or 왕따나무(outcast tree). It is standing alone in the broad field. However, in my opinion, it doesn't seem lonely but outstanding.
In the 1980s, Seoul city administration deconstructed the small village that had been in the area for the forthcoming Olympic games. In the process, other trees were cut and only the lonely tree survived.
It's been loved as a background for scenes of various movies, dramas, ads, and photos.
I packed sandwiches for lunch!
Because I was hungry after a bit of roaming, I took a bench and ate the sandwiches relishing the sunlight and people-watching. A lot of people were enjoying a stroll with masks despite the virus situation. Dogs were busy, running along with other dogs and barking at each other.
Apart from the virus outbreak, everything seemed so peaceful and normal.
After a brief lunch, I left the spot and started walking again. I merely drifted aimlessly without a certain destination to go to, being surprised that quite a few people had come out for the sunlight.
Wherever you go in the park, you will get to see many art installations. I was surprised about how many artworks were scattered and displayed in the park. It felt as if I was in a huge art museum.
After being designated as the site for the Olympic sports facilities, several excavations took place in the park area. As it turned out, the park was the former site of an earthen fortress of the Baekje dynasty.
You can tell the terrain of the park is gradually hilly and see some remains such as wooden fences and dugout huts while walking around.
The trail is along the hills - they were the fortress walls. You can see around the park and skyline of its surrounding buildings as walking along the trail.
<Things to do>
- Ride a bike: From Mar to Nov, you can hire bikes in the park. BUT there are only bikes for groups of two, three, or six people. If you are single, I'm sorry... [Closed every Monday]
- Take a tour bus: You can take a tour bus, which is called "호돌이 열차(Hodori train)", at Peace Plaza(평화의 광장) after buying a ticket(2,500 won for an adult; 1,500 won for a child; free for the under 24 months old) [Closed every Monday]
- Enjoy the arts: There are so many art installations in the park. And if you like going to a gallery, the SOMA(Seoul Olympic Museum of Art) is located there for you!
"You look happy.
Although I hope you guys be more cautious about closely getting together in this situation."
Despite the virus outbreak, there were quite a few people enjoying the spring weather at the park. I could feel how desperately they have wanted to come outside as had I. I think it was because the rate of daily infection was gradually decreasing and people started feeling less wary about it. Hopefully, the outbreak subsides as soon as possible and everything gets back to normal.
It was really a brief stroll in the park so I didn't sincerely look around the park to introduce you to more things to do. I'm sorry if the content of this post is insufficient. I'll try my best to enrich every post I upload in the future. Hope you all take care of yourselves!
HOW TO GET THERE
● Bike rental shops ● Tour bus route ★ Must-Visit spots
<ADJACENT SUBWAY STATIONS>
Line 8 - 몽촌토성
Line 5 - 올림픽공원
<GENERAL INFO>
*Click!*
If you enjoyed this post, and then give me some help, I'd really appreciate it!
WORDS BY
Minsu Kim - koreaonthescreen@gmail.com
PHOTOS BY
Minsu Kim - koreaonthescreen@gmail.com
PROOFREAD BY
Gabriela Enriquez
@koreaonthescreen
@emeskei_
