Take a Walk Down Seoul’s Iconic Restored Waterway

Written by Seo Dong Shin
Photographed by Ryu Seunghoo

The Cheonggyecheon stream is said to carry history on its ripples as it bisects the heart of Seoul. From the time of the Joseon Dynasty, when the naturally formed watercourses began to be refurbished into streams, through the Japanese colonial period and the Korean War, when it became a sewage mill for shantytown dwellers, and on to its period as an entombed symbol of the rapid industrialization and economic development experienced by the nation in the 1970s and 1980s—this stream has been through it all.

Pavements and elevated motorways, however, encased the stream for over half a century until 2000, the result of sprouting commercial areas and a lack of urban planning amid hectic development. Many Seoul citizens still remember how the area looked before the Cheonggyecheon restoration project. Its aura at that time could perhaps best be compared to the atmosphere under the Nagwon Arcade in Jongno around midnight these days—crooked alleys and busy vendors dotting the dark corners, shadowed by shabby-looking buildings.

Four years have passed since the completion of the three-year, 386 billion won restoration project. Now the sun shines on Cheonggyecheon, and its surrounding paths have established themselves as a retreat for citizens seeking leisure or a picnicking spot in the summer. It has also drawn many foreign tourists, who marvel at the sight of the stream as it flows among the formidable office buildings and busy traffic of central Seoul. The city government has been developing hiking courses and event venues to entice even more visitors.

Tale of Two Arts

How does it actually feel to walk down the stream? As you begin your walk at the Cheonggye Plaza end of the stream, the first thing that greets you is American pop artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s highly controversial piece of artwork entitled “Spring,” a small "turret" sea-shell set vertically on its wider end, and visualized as a rounded, colorful ribbon spiraling upwards some 20 meters and pulled apart to form a conical, open structure.

There is another sculpture along Cheonggyecheon that is worth checking out, one that is quite different from Oldenburg’s. Korean artist Lim Ok-sang's aluminum sculpture is of Chon Tae-il, a 22-year-old garment worker at Pyeonghwa Market who set himself on fire in 1970 to protest against a government that did not enforce labor laws and to draw attention to the plight of his fellow garment workers. The sculpture—raised thanks to donations from citizens—is located in front of the market, facing the stream's Beodeul Bridge, near Dongdaemun Stadium Station.

A Walk Down the Stream—Events and Resources

Walking along Cheonggyecheon on a cold, wintry day is certainly less enjoyable than in the summer, when many children and their families can be seen playing with the water and hopping on the stepping stones that lead across the stream. In the winter, few people can be spotted during the day, and the contrast between the natural landscapes and the city along the stream is stark. On the one hand, there are thick reeds, a pair of wild ducks floating on the stream, ice frozen on willows, and wild berries of various colors. When you look up from the stream, though, there are high-rise office buildings, colorful neon signboards for shops and restaurants, buses and other traffic.

In an attempt to make Cheonggyecheon a more eventful place, more venues have been introduced in addition to the existing spots for light shows and digital arts performances. For example, the “Proposal Wall” is designed to give couples a chance to confess their love and propose marriage on a romantic bridge called Dumul, which means "the joining of two streams." You can find out more and submit a request for free at propose.seoul.go.kr.

Cheonggyecheon Museum, a glass-walled building shaped to emulate the stream, is a good place for history education, as well as a bit of nostalgia for those who remember the Cheonggyecheon of the past. The museum has recreated the Cheonggyecheon area of old very realistically, with many real-life products and street views that cannot be found anywhere in Seoul today.

Walking down the stream in one go is not recommended, as it can take about four to five hours. The Cheonggyecheon website offers hiking courses that break the stream in two. For an ordinary visitor, one leisurely walk starting from Cheonggye Plaza and another stroll around Dumul Bridge, where the Cheonggyecheon Museum and the Proposal Wall are located, should suffice.

Places to Visit

Traditional Markets

The joke in the old days went that you could find anything in these markets, from a satellite to a cat’s horn. Such was the charm of traditional markets, consisting of a myriad of small shops dispersed in countless alleyways sprawling around Cheonggyecheon. Bangsan Market (accessible from Euljiro 4-ga Station or Jongno 5-ga Station) is still a very good place to find everything related to wrapping, while Pyeonghwa Market (Dongdaemun Stadium Station) is for clothes and textiles, and Se-un Plaza (Jongno 3-ga Station) is for lighting, electronics and sound equipment.

Cheonggyecheon Museum

The Museum has resourcefully created permanent exhibitions that show past and future visions of Cheonggyecheon in detail, as well as its redevelopment process. It also has other showrooms that feature temporary exhibitions. An exhibition on Indian mythology is taking place until Feb 28. Near Jegi Station. Open 9am—9pm on weekdays, 9am—6pm on weekends and holidays. Visit http://museum.seoul.kr/cgcm.

Club Rehap

The first club that ventured outside the established club zones in Seoul such as Hongdae and Gangnam. Opened just two months ago, it seeks to maintain a hip look, serving as a venue for various themed parties as well as a lounge bar. www.rehap.co.kr

Hwangsogojip

This place is universally recommended and visited by those in the know. It is not a fancy restaurant catering to tourists, but a cheap and reliable eatery for office workers and daily laborers working around Cheonggyecheon. It serves pork spiced, sliced and cooked in the Korean style with several side dishes and rice, and has commanded a loyal following since 1990, when it opened near Cheonggyecheon's Samil Bridge, close to Jonggak Station. T. (02) 722-5747.

Seoul Festival of Lights!

Thru Jan 24, the Gwanghwamun area—including Cheonggyecheon—will be lit up in a festival of lights. The light shows and light installations make it one of the best times to visit the stream. Be sure to bring your camera.

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