[K-TRAVEL⑧] At Naksan Hanyang Seonggyeong, forget the summer heat while enjoying Seoul’s night view

*This content was translated by AI.

As the flow of KHallyu continues to grow, the number of travelers from around the world visiting various parts of Korea has increased significantly, and K-travel is also establishing itself as a new trend. StarNews introduces travel destinations where you can fully experience Korea’s unique charm and beauty without large crowds. You can gain your own Korean charm and memories.

[K-TRAVEL⑧] Naksan Hanyang Seonggyeong

The moment of extreme heat waves, when a severe heat warning was issued, has passed, and temperatures slightly above 30°C continue. As of August 7, Seoul’s official highest temperature reached 38°C, making it the seventh hottest summer since meteorological observations began in 1907. For reference, Seoul’s record high temperature was 39.6°C on August 1, 2018.

Although extreme heat has passed, it is still too strenuous to walk under the midday sun. In such cases, how about taking a nighttime stroll while enjoying Seoul’s beautiful and romantic night scenery?

Naksan, which surrounds the eastern part of central Seoul, offers a wonderful view of Seoul’s night skyline. The fortress walls extending to the summit are illuminated, creating a romantic atmosphere. Naksan stands at an elevation of 124 meters, and a walking path leads to the summit, making it easy to climb on foot. Walking along the 2.3-kilometer-long fortress wall from Hwehwa Gate (Dongsoemun) to Heunginjimun Gate (Dongdaemun), you can enjoy night views from various angles. Walking along the path at the summit, the evening breeze blowing from all directions is quite refreshing. It typically takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes for an average adult to complete the walk, during which time you can fully savor the romance and charm that Seoul’s night offers.

Naksan Park, located near the summit, is about 630 meters from Hwehwa Station on the subway. You can walk up a somewhat uphill path or, if tired, take a village bus from Changsin Station, passing by the back entrance of Hansung University, and arrive in about 15 minutes.

While Seoul’s night view can be enjoyed from anywhere along the Naksan fortress wall, the scenery viewed from the amusement park area near the summit is particularly outstanding. On one side, you can look down on distant high-rise buildings such as Namsan and NSeoul Tower in Jongno-gu, while on the opposite side, a panorama of high-rise buildings including Lotte Tower in Jamsil unfolds. Seoul’s night view, with its myriad lights creating a city of fire, is considered one of the world’s best night views.

If you plan to walk up, it is recommended to start from Heunginjimun Gate. Walking paths are available on both the inner and outer sides of the fortress wall. If you start from Hwehwa Gate, you will have to climb along the outer wall for a while.

Naksan fortress is part of the Hanyang Seonggyeong. The Hanyang Seonggyeong was built during the Joseon Dynasty starting in 1395 under King Taejo Lee Seong-gye to defend Hanyang, which is now central Seoul. It follows the Baekak, Naksan, Namsan, and Inwang mountain ridges and was designated as a historical site in 1963, making it Seoul’s representative fortress heritage. Due to long years of history and wars, parts were damaged, but restoration work began in 1974 during the Park Jeong-hui (President) period and was completed by 2013, restoring about 70% (12,771 meters) of the total length of 18,627 meters. Since then, partial restorations and walking paths around the fortress have been created, leading to its current state.

Walking along the Hanyang Seonggyeong while enjoying the surrounding scenery is called “Seonsung” (), which was a representative leisure activity for people during the Joseon Dynasty. Today, not only Seoul residents but also foreign visitors are increasing in number. The fortress originally built for defense has now become an outstanding tourist spot in Seoul where modern people can enjoy walking.

When starting from Heunginjimun Gate, it is recommended to first visit the Hanyang Seonggyeong Museum located in Heunginjimun Park to deepen your understanding of the fortress. This would make the Seonsung journey even more meaningful. Heunginjimun Park is situated on a sloping hill where grasses such as dog’s-tail grass and peony maple sway in the wind, providing relief from sweat.

Starting from the inner side of Naksan fortress (the Naksan section of Hanyang Seonggyeong) and climbing along the fortress wall, you can look down on Seoul’s forest of skyscrapers. Alongside the inner path, Ewha Village features old, affectionate houses rather than large, modern buildings, along with unique cafes that welcome travelers. You can also take a beautiful photo with a lovely cafe as the background.

After walking about 30 minutes to reach the fortress summit, your view opens up in all directions. You can see not only Seoul’s high-rise buildings but also distant mountain ranges such as Bukhansan and Dobongsan, as well as Namsan’s NSeoul Tower and Lotte World Tower. The effort of climbing to escape the heat is even more rewarding at night. Around sunset, the evening glow colors the tops of buildings, creating a fantastical world. If you walk along the outer path of the fortress, you can feel the grandeur of the steeply rising outer wall. Since the fortress was built for defense, the outer side has a somewhat steep slope. There are two hidden gates connecting the inner and outer sides, allowing access between them.

Near the summit, there is an amusement park and Naksan Park where you can sit on benches to catch your breath. If you descend toward Hwehwa Gate, observation decks numbered 1 to 3 are available, offering views of the mountain ranges of Bukhansan and Dobongsan, as well as apartments and buildings in Seongbuk-gu below. Along the fortress path, lights are installed at regular intervals, illuminating the fortress walls with soft, romantic lighting. Watching this together with Seoul’s night view helps calm your mind, which may have been agitated by the daytime heat.

If you plan to go from the observation deck toward Hwehwa Gate, you must choose the path along the outer wall through a hidden gate near the summit. As it is an outer wall, it stands over 10 meters high and often features grand curves. The tightly stacked stones of the fortress wall reveal the advanced construction techniques of that era. On the outer wall side, there are steep slopes, and in areas such as Jangsu Village, affectionate houses are densely packed, with narrow, winding alleys resembling a maze. Such village scenes may even evoke old memories unique to Koreans.

Walking from Naksan Park toward Hwehwa Station, you will reach Daehak-ro Street, where you can see the lively presence of young people. Daehak-ro is a cultural and arts street where theater, musicals, music performances, restaurants, and cafes gather. Compared to popular tourist spots like Myeong-dong or Hongdae entrance and Seongsu-dong cafe streets frequented by foreign tourists, it offers a more distinctly cultural and artistic atmosphere.

If you ask Seoul residents, most will recommend NSeoul Tower located on Namsan as the top spot for viewing Seoul’s night view. Although slightly lower than the Lotte World Tower observation deck (500 meters high), it is situated at a height of 400 meters in the heart of central Seoul, allowing an unobstructed panoramic view of Seoul’s night skyline in all directions. It is the number one day-and-night viewing spot for foreign tourists visiting Seoul. From here, you can see not only Seoul but also surrounding cities such as Bucheon and Guri. However, unlike Naksan Park, there is an admission fee for the observation deck (29,000 won for adults).

Lotte World Tower Observation Deck features full glass walls offering a panoramic view of the scenery. The sky deck with a glass floor also allows for an exhilarating experience of walking with Seoul’s night view beneath your feet. At the 60th floor of Yeouido’s 63 Square (249 meters), which houses both an observation deck and exhibition space “63 Art,” you can see the night view of Yeouido, including the Han River, at a glance. Even the lights of cars crossing the bridges over the Han River are beautiful.

From Sky Park in Sangam-dong Sky Park, the sunset glow on the other side of the Han River is beautiful, and you can enjoy the night view from Banghwa Bridge to Yeouido at a glance. At Dobongsan Dobongsan, an 81-meter-high hill located in Eungbong-dong, Seongdong-gu, the night view featuring Dongho Bridge, Seongsu Bridge, and Olympic Boulevard over the Han River is charming. Bukak Pagoda Bukak Pagoda, located at the summit of Bukak Skyway in Jongno-gu, Seoul, is a traditional Korean-style pavilion at an elevation of 342 meters, offering views of Namsan, NSeoul Tower, Gwanghwamun Intersection, and the illuminated Hanyang Seonggyeong fortress walls.

Recently, a 224-meter-long deck path (skywalk) has been constructed near the summit of Yongwang Mountain Yongwang Mountain (78 meters) in Mokdong. Foreign tourists are often spotted here, having heard about it through word of mouth. The area is transforming from a local walking spot into a destination also visited by foreigners. You can see the Han River and the city’s night view with World Cup Bridge and Seongsan Bridge, and in August, you can also enjoy fireworks cruises on the Han River.

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*This content was translated by AI.