Refreshing Waterfalls to Cool Down the Heatwave!... Opening of Baebongsan Forest Waterfall & Ogeum Waterfall

Dongdaemun-gu Baebongsan Neighborhood Park Forest Waterfall... Songpa-gu Ogeum Neighborhood Park Ogeum Waterfall Opening

This summer has been exceptionally hot.

Especially after the monsoon season, the heatwave continues with temperatures in the mid-30s Celsius, making life difficult for city residents.

Amid this, Dongdaemun-gu opened the Baebongsan Forest Waterfall, and Songpa-gu has reopened the Ogeum Waterfall.

Dongdaemun-gu Mayor Lee Pil-hyung took a commemorative photo with residents at the opening ceremony of the Baebongsan Forest Waterfall on the 20th of last month.

Dongdaemun-gu Opens Baebongsan Forest Waterfall, an Artificial Waterfall in Baebongsan Neighborhood Park, on the 20th of Last Month

Seoul’s Dongdaemun-gu (Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) started operating the Baebongsan Forest Waterfall for the first time on the 20th of last month, unveiling a beautiful spectacle.

The district created an artificial waterfall with a maximum height of 19 meters and a width of 34 meters in the Open Plaza of Baebongsan Neighborhood Park, a popular leisure and exercise space for Dongdaemun residents.

A commemorative event was held to mark the first operation of the Baebongsan Forest Waterfall, and despite the rainy and gloomy weather, many residents visited the waterfall to enjoy a healing moment.

The event began at 6 p.m. on the 20th with a busking performance, followed by a project progress report, a commemorative tree planting unveiling ceremony, and the waterfall operation. The cool waterfall and fountain were illuminated with colorful lights, offering a new visual attraction.

Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, “I hope many people visit the Baebongsan Forest Waterfall, which will become a new landmark in Dongdaemun-gu, and feel a refreshing coolness in the heart of the city.”

The operation hours of the waterfall and nozzle fountains will be flexibly managed until September, depending on the season and energy conditions. The district plans to project various content videos onto the waterfall’s rock face to make the Baebongsan Forest Waterfall a nighttime attraction.

Songpa-gu Renovates ‘Ogeum Waterfall’ to Provide Residents with a Cool Resting Place

Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) has renovated the ‘Ogeum Waterfall’ to allow residents to enjoy a cool rest within their living area during the hot summer, adding a barrier-free forest path and garden for more enjoyment.

Ogeum Park, where the ‘Ogeum Waterfall’ is located, is a mountainous neighborhood park frequently visited by Songpa residents. The dense forest keeps the temperature about 3 to 4 degrees Celsius lower than outside the park, making it a beloved summer retreat.

The waterfall, originally constructed in 2005, measures 70 meters in width and 7 meters in height, serving as a symbol of the park. However, after 20 years, discoloration, cracking, and leakage in the rock face and facilities caused the waterfall to stop operating two years ago.

In response, the district renovated the ‘Ogeum Waterfall’ and its surroundings over five months.

First, most of the structures, including the artificial rock face and water basin, which were severely aged, were preserved through partial reinforcement to improve efficiency and minimize waste. The stream area below the waterfall was slightly expanded, transforming it into a water-friendly space with a total area of 1,628 square meters and a freshwater capacity of 150 tons.

The waterfall cascades in four streams, harmonizing with ‘Chungminjeong’ pavilion and about 100 pine trees. Chungminjeong is a traditional pavilion named after General Im Gyeong-eop, whose legend is told in Songpa-gu.

Next to the pavilion, a ‘barrier-free forest path’ connecting to the park was created. Since Ogeum Park is located on a 200-meter-high hill, it had limitations for elderly, disabled, and stroller users. A 700-meter-long deck path was built to allow everyone to visit the park without obstacles and enjoy forest bathing.

In front of the waterfall, a ‘Charm Garden’ was created to provide diverse visual attractions. The district removed unused pavement blocks and planted 2,000 trees of 20 species, including white horse chestnut, golden sarcandra, and golden trumpet, along with about 2,500 herbaceous plants of 17 species such as Heuchera and Canna. Visitors can enjoy a beautiful summer scene with the deep pink crepe myrtle flowers.

Additionally, the district operates a total of 21 water features to cool the urban heat: 15 in parks and green spaces, 4 along roadsides, and 2 by Seongnae Stream, including ground fountains, stream-type fountains, and small creeks.

The district held a completion ceremony on July 31 and officially started operating the ‘Ogeum Waterfall.’ The operating hours are daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., running 12 times a day for 50 minutes each at the top of the hour.

Seo Gang-seok, Mayor of Songpa-gu, said, “The transformation of Ogeum Waterfall is part of our dedicated administration to create a ‘Garden City, Songpa’ and make residents’ daily lives happier. Along with the recently confirmed development around Ogeum Station, we will continue to expand convenience and infrastructure for residents to become a premium residential complex.”

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