Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Seoul Naksan Park Hike and Hongdae



On the 23rd October, the weather was superb for walking outside and temperature was cool. It was sunny yet with a cool breeze in the morning to afternoon. It was part of our itinerary to hike up the Seoul City Wall- near to Naksan Park.

The view of Namsan Tower can be seen from here after a long hike up!
 
How to Get There:

Take Subway Line 4 to Hyehwa (Exit 2).

·         Hyehwa Station (line 4), take Exit 2. Go straight for 200m, then turn left onto Dongsung-gil Street.
·         Walk ahead 200m, (u see Cat graffiti on the wall). On the right is the Lock Museum.
Turn left into Dongsung Gil
·         At the junction you see a Han Duk Yak Guk (Pharmacy).
·         Go straight for 50m, and then turn right onto Naksan Gongwon-gil Street.
·         Follow the same street up the hill for 300m to arrive at Naksan Park.


If you are a fan of murals and street art, Naksan Park is not too far from Ilhwa Mural village. This place is popular with tourists after the filming of 1N2D where Lee Seunggi took a photo with the backdrop of a pair of angel wings. However the original mural was removed after too much disturbance of the public in the housing area. There were many different steel art and sculptures along the trail to Naksan Park. The walls were beautiful and some were preserved due to the old ruins. Naksan is one of the 4 guardian mountains- the others are Bugaksan, Namsan, Inwangsan, of the capital of the Joseon Dynasty.
The other murals remained and new ones were added. The roof top houses provide a good spot for resting after a long walk up to Naksan Park. In fact the drama Rooftop Prince featuring JYJ's Park Yoo Chun and actress Han Ji Min was shot in this area. How cool is that! 
The Seoul Fortress Wall also serves as a popular area for photographers and the drama King to Hearts filmed some episodes whereby the elite bodyguard Eun Shi Kyung (Jo Jung Suk) accompanied the rebellious Princess Jae Shin (Lee Yoon Ji) to fulfil her wishing star wish here.

Our lunch was at Deul Peul Restaurant in Hyehwa area. The Hyewha place is filled with universities and arts colleges. Maronier Park is here where free indie bands perform and most entertainment agencies find their casting of idols here. If you are lucky, you might be able to see some upcoming rising stars here. Also, the Sungkyunkwan University is not too far from here. Daehangno Art Centre is situated here whereby you can catch a musical or watch a comedy act here for a cheaper price. 






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