One weekend morning, I decided to go for a short run from Yeouido Hangang Park to Yeouido Park. It was the end of September, yet the sky was clear and the breeze was cool, perfect running weather. I had no idea that this short run would change my mornings from that day on. The reason was something I stumbled on at the south end of Mapo Bridge: Hangang outdoor gym Yeouido.
Running with the office towers behind me, I could already see a few trees between the lawns starting to turn. It was still September, but a few impatient trees were already getting ready for autumn.
I passed the plaza in front of the Seoul Hangang Bus pier. In the evening it is crowded, with buskers playing, but on a weekend morning it is this quiet.
What I found at the south end of Mapo Bridge — Hangang outdoor gym Yeouido
I ran past the stepped concrete structures along the waterway and kept going toward the south end of Mapo Bridge.
Then, under the overpass, I found something I never expected. Hangang outdoor gym Yeouido. The area is not huge, but every machine was sturdy and in great condition. It did not feel like the usual outdoor exercise equipment in a park. It felt like using real gym machines.
Whenever I watched overseas fitness YouTubers working out on equipment by the beach, I used to think, “Why not just train indoors?” But after working out on proper machines while looking at the Han River, I finally got it. Even the rowing machine was solid, with no wobble at all.
Each machine had a sign clearly showing its name and manufacturer. One of them was called the “Squat.”
Even early in the morning, quite a few people were working out. Some stopped by for a few sets in the middle of a run, and some looked like tourists.
Honestly, while working out here, I caught myself saying “Wow!!!!” out loud. I wondered whether there are facilities like this anywhere else in Seoul. From tomorrow, I plan to work out here before heading to the office. I don’t think I’ll be going to an indoor gym for a while.
Across from Hangang outdoor gym Yeouido, there is also a space for practicing BMX and skateboarding.
A place to cool your feet — FAMILY ROLL PARK
Walk a little further and you reach a small man-made stream. In summer, people dip their feet in to cool off for a while, and little kids sometimes jump right in and play.
A path shared by bikes and runners
Yeouido Hangang Park is great for both cycling and running. Some families pedal slowly on four-seater bikes, while others fly by on road bikes. Somehow, both mix naturally on the same path.
On nice days, you often see people running too.
Under the trees, families spread out picnic mats and spend the day. After dark, more couples and groups of friends lay out their mats, while during the day it is mostly families with small children.
The sand playground — a place kids love
Yeouido Hangang Park has a sand playground. Sand playgrounds are rare these days, but this one has wooden play structures and even a zip line, so kids absolutely love it.
My own kids used to love this place too. These days they don’t come out with me anymore, maybe because they’ve grown up, or maybe because they’ve started looking at their phones. Still, this view through the poplar trees hasn’t changed.
On to Yeouido Park — King Sejong and the Korean Traditional Forest
On the way from the Hangang park into Yeouido Park, I came across a multilingual sign. It pointed to the King Sejong statue, the Korean Traditional Forest, and the pond. Today, I decided to head toward the Korean Traditional Forest.
Inside the Korean Traditional Forest is a pond. The sky and the trees are reflected on water covered with lily pads.
A little further in, there is a stream lined with rocks. Sunlight filters down through the trees, so it feels bright and open.
Under a big tree, small stone towers are piled up. In Korea, there is a custom of making a wish while stacking stones, so little stone towers like these naturally appear at temple entrances and wherever there are plenty of stones.
This custom had spread somewhere a little unexpected. Someone had stacked a small tower of stones on the head of a pixel-art character sculpture. I wondered who on earth came up with that, but it made me laugh.
Besides picnic mats, Yeouido Park also has spots with tables, so you can lay out food and sit comfortably for a while.
SEOULDAL in the sky, and the scale of Yeouido
As you walk toward Yeouido Park, you can see a balloon floating above the trees. It is SEOULDAL. I’ve heard it is prettiest to ride in autumn, so we plan to ride it again as a whole family on a nice fall day. It has become a symbol of Yeouido that you can see from almost anywhere in the neighborhood.
Seeing a balloon hovering over a wide plaza with high-rises behind it, you really feel the scale of Yeouido.
Good to know — parking and bike rentals
Yeouido is a notoriously hard place to park. However, on public holidays, parking is allowed on the road between Yeouido Park and IFC from 08:00 to 24:00. If you arrive a little early, you can spend the whole day at Yeouido Hangang Park and Yeouido Park without paying for parking.
There are several ways to rent a bike. Two-seater and four-seater bikes are available at the south end of Wonhyo Bridge and near the entrance to the Han River from Yeouinaru Station. You can also rent a Ttareungyi, Seoul’s public bike, in front of the Seoul Hangang Bus pier. For more on the Han River parks, see the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Hangang Parks guide.
In one line
The first day I worked out at Hangang outdoor gym Yeouido, I realized all over again how well equipped this neighborhood is. Come with family and you can lay out a mat and rest. Come with kids and there is a sand playground. Come with someone special and you can walk along the Han River in the evening. And if you come to work out like me, there are machines that rival any gym. Whoever you come with, and whatever you come for, Yeouido has it covered.