Explore the downstream area of Cheonggyecheon
The Korea Herald
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This is the 34th in a series of articles highlighting tourism spots in Seoul. The guide for planning weekend trips in the capital city will help readers rediscover Seoul. - Ed.
By Heo Shi-myung
Cheonggyecheon is a stream that flows through the city of Seoul. Cheonggyecheon begins from Bugaksan, which is located behind Gyeongbok Palace, continues to the Jongno area and eventually flows into the Han River after joining Jungnangcheon. These days, we divide Seoul into north and south with the Han River at the center, but in the old times, Cheonggyecheon served as the divider between the north and the south of Seoul. In days of old, the south side of Cheonggyecheon was famous for good drinks, and the north side of Cheonggyecheon was known for good rice cake.
When you look at the changes Cheonggyecheon has gone through, you can read the history of Seoul. During the Joseon Dynasty, the river was used by the locals. They used the water for washing, drinking and laundry. Seoul changed its look as the roads were developed along Cheonggyecheon and bridges were made to connect these roads. After the Korean War, the population of Seoul increased rapidly as refugees began to gather and build a shantytown in this area. Also, due to rapid industrialization, Cheonggyecheon became a sewer. In order to widen the roads, Cheonggyecheon was covered in 1958 and an elevated road constructed on top. As the roads widened, the city attracted more traffic and more pollution. In an effort to correct this situation, the project to restore Cheonggyecheon to its former state began in 2003 and finished in 2005.
Cheonggyecheon begins in Cheonggye Plaza, located between Gwanghwamun and City Hall. It ends by Salgoji Park, where it joins the Jungnangcheon. The distance from Cheonggye Plaza to Salgoji Park is 8.1 km.
Cheonggyecheon has different characteristics at the upstream and downstream ends. A 2.9 km walk from Cheonggye Plaza is Ogansu Bridge, where Dongdaemun stands and the downstream section begins.
There is a fountain under Ogansu Bridge, between Dongdaemun Station and Dongdaemun Stadium. On hot summer nights, citizens come here to feel the cool air around the fountain.
You can also find Dong-Pyongwha Market and Chung-Pyongwha Market to the south. These are wholesale clothing markets famous for bustling night shopping. When we pass Ogansu Bridge, we come to Malgeunnae Bridge where a sculpture in the shape of an arch stands and trumpet creepers grow up the wall of the bridge. Since trumpet creepers were grown only in upper-class noble households, it is sometimes called Yangbankkot (flower of nobility). There is a story that if a commoner grew this flower, they could be arrested. Trumpet creepers are a kind of a vine with tiny roots that allow the flower to grow up a wall or a tree for up to 10 meters. Therefore, it is a perfect flower to decorate the Cheonggyecheon wall. Since the flower falls as a whole, it looks good even when it has moulted.
However, you shouldn’t pluck the flower or touch it. While the rumor that poison in the pollen can blind you is not true, it can damage the eye in other ways. The pollen particles are shaped like miniature rakes and clings to your skin. If this pollen goes into the eye, and the eye is rubbed, it can scratch the eye and cause infection. Therefore, you should not pluck the flower or bring a fallen flower to your nose to smell it.
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The first theme in the downstream section of Cheonggyecheon is ecology. The downstream of Cheonggyecheon has a wide wetland and grassland, and there are many flowers, trees and birds here . Since the width of the river is wide, there are many fish, too.
After passing Malgeunnae Bridge, orange day lilies are in blossom mixed within white Erigeron annuus flowers. Day lillies are summer flowers that is seen most often on sunny mountainsides. The young sprouts poking out in the early spring can be eaten as vegetables, and the roots are often used as a diuretic or anti-hemorrhage antiphlogistic medicine. The Albizia julibrissin flowers are another summer flower that grows around Cheonggyecheon.
The flower of Albizia julibrissin is light pink, shaped like a flame and carries the aroma of peaches. It grows around 2-3 meters tall and the branches spread wide providing shade in the summer. The leaves of this tree are open during the day and close at night. Because of this it is sometimes called Haphalmok (together joyful tree).
The second theme of traveling the downstream of Cheonggyecheon is walking. There is a clear divide between the way people enjoy the downstream and the upper stream of Cheonggyecheon. The upper stream of Cheonggyecheon is like a park. Many events are held around the Cheonggyecheon Plaza and the fountain and the light show here attract visitors. Mostly lovers and friends walk slowly or sit around the upper stream. However, as people pass Dongdaemun, the speed of walking increases. People walk or run along the river. Instead of fashionable outfits that young people wear in the upper stream, middle-aged men and women are seen wearing exercise outfits further downstream.
Past the Dasan Bridge and Yeongdo Bridge, there is Hwanghak Bridge. It is a good place to rest under the bridge during the summer. The bridge provides a shaded area below where the wind blows nice and cool. Many people linger here, sleeping, meditating or simply sitting and watching the moving stream of water.
About 200 meters along from Hwanghak Bridge, you can find Seoul flea market. Hwanghak-dong has a famous second-hand market and it was named one of the top three markets of Seoul along with Namdaemun and Dongdaemun. As Cheonggyecheon was restored, Hwanghak-dong went through many changes and it is now situated in a two story building on the site where Sinseol-dong Soongin Girls’ Middle School used to be. You can find all kinds of used and old items such as paintings, antiques, clothes, music and cameras here. There are some 900 stores in the building. What was thought as old and useless sometimes becomes a profitable item here. There are stores that sell old posters, army surplus, old fashioned clothes, and even sex toys.
Hwanghak-dong flea market is where people can buy things that they cannot find in a regular market and it is fun just to browse around. The sheer number of items that they sell here is overwhelming. Also, they sell food such as gukbab (rice in soup) and sundaeguk (blood sausage soup).
Past Hwanghak Bridge, there is a pair of Dolharubang - human-like sculptures made from porous rock traditionally found on Jeju Island. They have large eyes that made them look like they are wearing glasses, have tightly closed lips and have their hands placed on their hearts. Made out of volcanic rocks that have large, open holes, they usually stand in front of a fortress gate or at the entrance of a village to act as guardians. They were placed here as Seoul and Jeju Island formed an exchange agreement.
Further along, even more reeds grow and the stream looks a lot more natural. In order to restore this area as closely as possible to its original look, grassy areas were created for people to walk on. This time of year, you can find baby ducks and waterfowl that are rare in the city are also seen here.
In the downstream area of Cheonggyecheon is visited by many kinds of migratory birds. Thus the 2-km long area between Gosanja Bridge and Jungnangcheon are designated as a migratory birds’ protection area. They started to come after the restoration of Cheonggyecheon. They include herons, dabchicks, gobang ducks, pochards, white wagtails, shovelbills, bronze ducks and auks. Capturing animals or gathering plants is prohibited.
From here, the fourth bridge you will come to is Gosanja Bridge, the last bridge of Cheonggyecheon. Just before that, there is Cheonggye Culture Center. Cheonggye Culture Center holds an exhibition that shows the changes of Cheonggyecheon. Visitors ride the escalator to the fourth floor and see the exhibition from top to bottom. It shows Cheonggyecheon before it was restored, when it was covered and had an underground passage, and the process of the restoration. Just next to Cheonggye Culture Center, there is a replica of part of the shanty town that was built in the Cheonggyecheon area. There is a replica of a store that sold coal briquettes used for heating, a comic book rental store that captured the imagination of children, and a grocery store that sold snacks and basic groceries.
Past Gosanja Bridge, Cheonggyecheon becomes even more natural. Tall trees lining the hill around the stream and reeds grow even more densely here. The bike path around the stream runs along the Cheonggyecheon toward the Han River. The whole area is great to walk, run and observe the ecology.
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Majang dong Eatery Street
Pass the Gosanja Bridge and walk to the main street from where the bike path is, and you will see Majang dong Eatery Street. There are 14 fresh meat barbeque restaurants in front of the Majang dong slaughterhouse. The restaurants have been there for at least 20 years and they sell beef in various cuts. The restaurants here are popular with office workers after work. Gyonggi Jib 02 294 8774.
Cheonggyecheon road, a good walk
The area between Cheonggye Plaza to Gosanja Bridge to Sindapcheol Bridge is 5.84 km long. Bikes, in line skates and motorcycles are prohibited here, making this section an ideal place to walk. In order to ride a bike along this section, cyclists must use the traffic lane above. There is construction going on to make a bike lane above Cheonggyecheon as well, so cyclists will soon be able to ride more safely. Cheonggyecheon General Information Center 02 2290 7111. Cheonggye Culture Center 02 2286 3410
2009.07.10