Cheonggyecheon Stream Walkway | Complete Guide To Seoul’s Hidden Oasis

Cheonggyecheon Stream Walkway is a hidden gem in Seoul, Korea. It’s an urban oasis, the perfect place to escape the chaos of the city streets and enjoy nature. The walkway threads through the heart of Seoul almost 7 miles (11 km). Making it even better there are various pedestrian crossing points, using stepping stones across the stream, art installations, historical information, and even music along its path. You’ll find locals and tourists walking, jogging, picnicking, reading, and enjoying serene natural landscape, which is a couple stories below its chaotic streets.

The walkway passes through some of the most popular attractions in the city like Changdeokgung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, and Deoksugung Palace, Insa-dong Street, Seoul Plaza, and the Sejong Center.

About Cheonggyecheon Stream Walkway

Cheonggyecheon means “clear stream”. The Cheonggyecheon Stream Walkway is part of an urban renewal project in Seoul, Korea which opened in 2005 after being covered by a concrete freeway for decades.

Some areas along the stream, particularly where it starts in Cheonggye Plaza, were historically shanty towns, lined with shacks. In an effort to revitalize the area after the Korean War, it was actually covered with an elevated, cement highway as part of post war economic development.

Today it’s a popular attraction for locals and tourists and is used for many celebrations, like the Seoul Lantern Festival, brilliant decorations at Christmas and New Year, Chuseok events, and more.

The stream starts at Cheonggye Plaza, which is south of Gyeongbokgung Palace and north of Deoksugung Palace and north of Seoul Station. From here it continues east, passing south of Insa-dong Street, then south of Chandeokgung and Changgyeonggung Palace, just south of Dongdaemun Market. It continues east, eventually meeting Jungnangcheon, and the the Han River, which eventually flows into the Yellow Sea.

While the stream is closer to some of these sites than others, it’s good to know for planning purposes, as you can easily combine a visit with some of them.

I walked two sections of Cheonggyecheon Walkway and have compiled an overview of interesting things to see along the way and how to get to the stream.

Highlights Of The Cheonggyecheon Stream Walkway

Cheonggye Plaza

Cheonggyecheon Stream starts at Cheonggye Plaza. This popular public square commemorates the restoration of the walkway project. It’s common to find locals here enjoying the square and music playing.

The start of the stream features a double waterfall, that is colorfully lit at night. There’s also Palseokdam pond, a wishing well created using eight stones from each of the eight provinces of Korea.

One of the first things you’ll see here is the colorful Spring Sculpture. This unusual sculpture symbolizes the water gushing out of Cheonggyecheon Stream. It was created by Coosje Van Bruggen and Claes Oldenburg. The colorful ribbons that stream down the side are inspired by the Korean traditional dress, while the blue and red represent the unity of opposites in nature and human spirit.

Stepping Stones & Waterfalls

Throughout the stream, you’ll find large stepping stones to cross from one side to the other like the ones below.

There are also waterfalls, or waterwalls, incorporated throughout the walkway.

Bridges

There are 22 bridges spanning Cheonggyecheon Stream Walkaway.

1. Mojeongyo
2. Gwangtonggyo
3. Gwanggyo
4. Jangtonggyo
5. Samilgyo
6. Supyogyo
7. Gwansugyo
8. Seungyo
9. Baeogaedari
10. Saebyeokdari
11. Majeongyo
12. Naraegyo
13. Beodeuldari
14. Ogansugyo
15. Malgeunnaedari
16. Dasangyo
17. Yeongdogyo
18. Hwangghakgyo
19. Biudanggyo
20. Muhakgyo
21. Sumuldari
22. Gosanjagyo

King Jeongjo’s Royal Parade

Not long after the start at Cheongg Plaza, you’ll see artwork of King Jeongjo’s Royal Parade on the north side of the stream. It’s called the Banchado of King Jeongji, the 22nd monarch of the Joseon Dynasty.

The work represents a volume of sketches made to commemorate a trip he took with his mother to visit the tomb of his father, Prince Sado, at Hwaseong. The reproduced model is displayed on 5,120 porcelain plates.

The Royal procession from Changdeokgung Palace to Hwaseong consisted of an entourage of 1,779 people and 779 horses and lasted 8 days. The image below shows the palanquin carrying Queen Hyegyeonggung, followed by King Jeongjo on horseback with court soldiers leading the palanquin and guards protecting them along their journey.

This work is located near Jangtonggyo Bridge, which is the 4th bridge after Changgye Plaza.

Supyogyo Bridge

Supyogyo Bridge, shortly after the King’s Procession above caught my eye. It’s a small graceful, wooden bridge that spans the stream. After reading about it, there’s a lot of history around the original stone bridge here, while the wooden one standing now is just a replica.

Supyogyo means “water guage” due to the 15th century gauge that measured water levels as an alert to possible flooding.

There’s also a romantic story associated with this bridge. Supposedly, King Sukjon was on this bridge in the way back to the palace when he saw a beautiful girl peering through a crack in a commoner door here. He fell in love and made her the queen.

When the expressway was built over the stream, the bridge was relocated to Jangjungdan Park. The plan is to move it back at a later date.

The Naraegyo Bridge

Naraegyo Bridge is a glass bottom pedestrian bridge that looks like a butterfly in flight.

Wall Of Culture

The Wall of Culture features cultural artwork. It’s located between the Beodeuldari and the Ogansugyo Bridge.

The Wall of Hope

The Wall of Hope contains hundreds of small ceramic tiles hand-painted with the hopes and desires of over 20,000 citizens.

This installation is located between the Hwanghakgyo and the Biudanggyo Bridge.

Jonchigyogak

Jonchigyogak are the last remaining pillars of the Cheonggye Expressway that once covered this stream.

The pillars are located in the fight hand side of the photo below.

Cheonggyecheon Museum

The Cheonggyecheon Museum is a 6 floor museum that documents the history of Cheonggyecheon Stream. Admission is free. Closed on Mondays. It’s located between the Sumuldari and Gosanjagyo Bridge.

Gosanjagyo Bridge

I chose to exit at the Gosanjagyo Bridge, which offered a stunning view of the Changgeyeon Stream at sunset. The Yongdu subway is closest to this bridge. In fact I took this photo walking from the walkway to Yongdu Station.

How To Get To Cheonggyecheon Stream Walkway

The best place to start the walkway is at Cheonggye Plaza, which is also the start of Cheonggyecheon Stream.

To get here, take the subway line 5 to Gwanghwamun Station and take exit 5. Walk 1 minute south to Cheonggye Plaza. You can also take line 1 or line 2 to City Hall Station and take exit 4. From here, walk north a few minutes.

If you want to see a specific place along the stream, refer back to the map of the bridges above and see that the subway that is within walking distance is noted.

• Euljiro 1 Station and Jongno 1 Station are within walking distance of Gwanggyo Bridge
  Euljiro 3 Station and Jongno 3 Station are within walking distance of Gwansugyo Brdge
• Jongno 5 is within walking distance of Majeongyo Bridge
• Dongdaemun Station is within walking distance of Osansugyo Bridge
• Sindang Station and Dongmyo Station is within walking distance of Dasangyo Bridge
• Sinseol-dong sageon Station is within walking distance of Hwangghskgyo Bridge
• Yongdu Station is within walking distance of Gosanjagyo Bridge.

Want To See More Of Seoul?

Seoul is a very cosmopolitan city with many things to see and do. Some of my favorites include the following.

• A visit to Bukchon Hanok
• A visit to charming Ihwa Mural Village
• My overview of the Top Things To Do In Seoul
• A day trip to Hwaseon Fortress
• Jeju Island the Hawaii of Korea