Seoul's Beauty in Stillness (Part 2): Urban Oases
As the capital of South Korea, Seoul is inevitably a bustling metropolis with vibrantly hip shopping areas, bright lights at night, and crowded streets, buses and subway trains. If it's not locals, it's crowds of tourists. And even if it's not crowded, you are still surrounded by a plethora of signs, advertisements, the calls of shopkeepers, bursts of K-pop music...it's sensory overload.
So it may come as a surprise that there are some places in Seoul's urban centre where, during my visit there a year ago, I found some sense of stillness and tranquility. However, as a large city, Seoul does offer up spaces for rest and relaxation - and maybe some nature as well. And even when those places get crowded, they can be quite enjoyable for those wanting some peace and quiet as well.
Cheonggyecheon
In reality, this was originally the site of a natural stream that was covered over to build a highway in the early decades of South Korea's economic boom. The road was dismantled by Seoul's municipal government in 2003, and after a massive restoration project that included pumping in water from the Han River, the urban river was opened to the public in 2005.
I visited Cheonggyecheon on the same day that I visited Bukchon Hanok Village - and while Bukchon was beautiful in its preservation of traditional Korean architecture and culture, Cheonggyecheon stood out to me as a very calming part of the city. This was beauty in stillness that you could walk through - even run through - and enjoy, without feeling like everything around you was fragile or could not be touched.
So, one of the first things I noticed was that there were many people here. From the conversations around me, it seemed like most were locals, as I mostly heard Korean around me, but I do not have any definite proof of that. However, having spent several days sometimes hearing more Mandarin than Korean in Korea...that was a subtle, but noticeable, difference.
Another thing I noticed was that visitors here were, for the most part, not boisterous at all. Conversation was at a gentle buzz - the sound of running water was louder than that of human voices - and people seemed content to stay with their small family and friend groups. Also, given that it was a hot summer evening, many were sitting right on the edge and cooling their feet in the water; apparently, because of the stream, this is one of the coolest parts of Seoul.
As you can see from these photos, there are two main pedestrian pathways on either side of the stream. There are also several means of crossing from one side to the other, if anyone is so inclined. For example, there are steps leading up to the bridges overhead, so people could cross from above. But, as I think is noticeable here, the stepping stones are just as popular, if not more.
Even more importantly for me, though, is that Cheonggyecheon is also a place with nature. There are some segments where, like in the photos above, everything is paved over. But there are other sections of Cheonggyecheon where the stream is banked by trees and plants instead.
And those were my favourite to photograph.
Sometimes, while exploring this part, it's even possible to forget that there are crowds of people just a stone's throw away - or just above your head.
Ihwa Mural Village
The idea first came about in 2006, when, as with Cheonggyecheon, the government wanted to find some means to revive what was quickly becoming a poor area mostly inhabited by the elderly. Local artists and students worked to create a series of murals that not so much covered but enhanced the buildings' aged looks.
Word quickly spread about the revitalization of Ihwa-dong (the neighbourhood where the mural village is located), and it became a filming location for travel-based reality show 2 Days 1 Night, as well as popular Korean dramas like Rooftop Prince. This media presence led to the Ihwa Mural Village gaining international notice as well, and it quickly became a tourist hot spot.
However, the story of Ihwa Mural Village is a classic case of "too much of a good thing". Although the art beautified the neighbourhood and gave it a greater place of prestige in the city, the increased tourist traffic was, for many inhabitants, an undesirable side effect. Sure, the murals were beautiful to look at and brought life back to rundown buildings - but this sleepy little suburb was now becoming congested.
Since its creation as a tourist attraction, local residents have resorted to various means to control the massive inflow of tourists. For example, signs were posted urging visitors to be as quiet as possible.
This is also why, when I visited Seoul last year, although I had seen these two particular murals in just about every guidebook and travel website promoting Ihwa Mural Village, I do not have any photos to show you. Because they were both gone by the time I arrived.
Why, then, would I call Ihwa Mural Village an urban oasis???
To be honest, while I was there, I was of a similar mind as the local residents. It did at times become difficult to find areas that were not already crowded with other visitors, and taking photographs of some of these murals was tantamount to lining up for character autographs in Disney World: i.e. long queues, feeling rushed to take pictures as there was always someone else waiting their turn, etc. In addition, although my family and I tried to stay quiet, it didn't take me long to realize that so many simultaneous conversations - even when conducted at a reasonable volume - could get very loud once put together.
It's little wonder some of the locals decided to sacrifice the art that had made their neighbourhood beautiful in exchange for some peace and quiet.
And that, my dear readers, is where I ultimately found "beauty in stillness" in Ihwa Mural Village. It wasn't in the street art, but in the neighbourhood itself. Once you peel back the layers, and see this as the residential area it is, it's Ihwa-dong that is beautiful in its own right.
Quiet. Peaceful. Lived in.
This is not Seoul's distant "traditional" past, nor its modern glitz and glamour. This is how many Koreans - everyday, ordinary people - live. And were it not for the murals, there is no way I could have seen that for myself.
Namsan and N Seoul Tower
As with Ihwa Mural Village, the Namsan area in general - and N Seoul Tower in particular - is one of Seoul's hottest destinations. A popular attraction for locals and tourists alike, the N Seoul Tower is probably best known for the prevalence of lovers' locks; over the years, these have accumulated until just about every free space is covered.
So, again, this begs the question: How on earth could this be an urban oasis?
There are a few ways to answer that.
First of all, Namsan is, in fact, quite large. The hill rises above some of Seoul's busiest shopping and tourist districts like Myeongdong, forming an eye-catching patch of green on the city landscape. I say green, because most of Namsan is covered with gardens and wooded areas, with walking trails for visitors.
These pathways work with the historical ramparts of Seoul's old city walls to create a beautiful mixture of nature, the old, and the new.
Secondly, although some parts of N Seoul Tower were, indeed, crowded with tourists, not everything was. Perhaps it was just the day that I went with my family, but some of the floors underneath the main observation deck were almost entirely empty. With things like a miniature petting zoo, children's play area, and photo sticker booths allowing you to "pose" with popular K-pop stars, these areas, I imagine, could get very busy. But we had them all to ourselves.
My favourite part was an installation featuring LG's newest OLED technology, some of which I managed to photograph. The main thing I did not get from that, though, was a floor-to-ceiling 3D television - because I was too busy playing at "reaching" for the objects that appeared in front of me.
So...can N Seoul Tower represent "beauty in stillness" in Seoul? I suppose it depends upon when you visit: whether you happen to be there on a day when the place is jam-packed with visitors, or a day when - like myself - there was almost no one there.
However, I would argue that this is one of those places in Seoul where you can make your own stillness and quiet by seeking out areas that aren't as popular - like those love locks.
What's Next?
While this and the previous post in this Beauty in Stillness series is starting to exhaust the places I visited in Seoul that I wish to feature, I'm not finished yet. The beauty of visiting a busy city centre like Seoul, and of being in a rather small country like South Korea, is that there is still a lot more to see a short train or boat ride away.
So, next time: Nami Island, one of my favourite places in South Korea, period.
But until then, annyeong!
The above blog post is part of the ongoing series Beauty in Stillness, which looks at quiet locations in some of the world's busiest places. To access a master list for this and other series, click here.
Resources
"Cheonggyecheon." Wikipedia, 17 August 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheonggyecheon. Accessed 15 September 2017.
"Ihwa Mural Village." Wikipedia, 27 April 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ihwa_Mural_Village. Accessed 15 September 2017.
Image Credits
All photographs (c) Kitty Na
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