[One Day Walk] A Path to Enjoy Nature, the Han River, and Regeneration... Sin-gil Station on Lines 1 and 5

Editor's NoteThe subway is a transportation method that anyone can easily access and travel safely, and it is also an important point for daily walking. We introduce walking-friendly places around subway stations.

Today's course is a path that goes through Saetgang, meets the Han River, and continues to Seonyudo. The starting point of the course is Singil Station, a transfer station between Seoul Metropolitan Subway Line 1 and Line 5.

When you exit from Exit 2 of Singil Station and turn your head to the right, you can see the scenery of Yeouido along with a uniquely shaped bridge. This is the Saetgang Culture Bridge, completed in April 2011, with a total length of 324 meters. It is the first asymmetrical cable-stayed pedestrian bridge in Korea (a bridge supported by cables hung from towers). The bridge has an S-shaped form inspired by a trail and a waterway, and the cable lines shaped like a ship with sails raised above create a beautiful architectural structure.

Under the bridge lies Saetgang Ecological Park, which was long neglected as a wetland but was transformed into Korea's first ecological park in 1997. In front of you, there are skyscrapers such as the Marriott Executive Apartments Hotel and the Federation of Korean Industries building, while beneath your feet, a natural ecosystem coexists, creating a unique scene. You can cross the bridge to head to Yeouido, but today, you descend through the park connection path in the middle of the bridge. After descending the bridge and heading west along the created walking path, you can enjoy various natural sceneries such as the Silver Grass Yard and the Willow Wetlands.

Walking along the trail created along Saetgang, at some point, a wide-open view appears. It is the Han River, the lifeline of the Korean Peninsula. The vast expanse of the Han River unfolds right beside you, naturally energizing your steps. At Yanghwa Hangang Park, which you will encounter along the way, you can take a moment to relax among people who have come out for a picnic to welcome the autumn after the heat has passed.

Seonyudo Park
Photo by Seoul Institute

Today's endpoint is Seonyudo Park. The main entrance is the Seonyu Bridge, nicknamed the "Rainbow Bridge" because of its oval and straight lines intersecting like a rainbow. However, it has been completely closed for renovation since 2002, marking the 100th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations and the creation of Seonyudo Park, and the full repair started recently and will continue until November. However, access via Yanghwa Bridge is still possible. Seonyudo Park was created in 2002 as an eco-friendly ecological park from a space that had been used as a water purification plant supplying tap water. The existing purification plant facilities, which might look like abandoned structures at first glance, have been beautifully transformed into a garden.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.