Jamwon
Hangang Park
Jamwon Hangang Park (잠원한강공원; map) features standard park accouterments: sports fields, grassy picnic areas, and gardens. Oh, and it sits two minutes away from Korea’s famed Gangnam District.
This is the fifth of eight Hangang Park guides that profile the cycling paths on the south banks of the Han River in Seoul.
- Gangseo Hangang Park
- Yanghwa Hangang Park
- Yeouido Hangang Park
- Banpo Hangang Park
- Jamwon Hangang Park
- Jamsil Hangang Park
- Gwangnaru Hangang Park
- Hanam City
Let’s view a snapshot of the area’s history, then roll some pavement.
Jamwon Hangang Park Profile
- Length: 5.4 km (9th of 11)
- Area: 474,213 m² (9th of 11)
- Start (West): Banpo Bridge (반포대교)
- End (East): Yeongdong Bridge (영동대교)
Jamwon Hangang Park (잠원한강공원; map) doesn’t boast top-of-the-line landmarks like Yeouido or Banpo. Instead, you’ll find… a park. Ideally suited for everyday folks. It features:
- Open, grassy lawns for summer picnics.
- Purple-pink muhly grass in the fall.
- Soccer fields, swimming pools, and an inline skating rink for recreationists.
Jamwon Park has one thing going for it. It sits at the top of the famed Gangnam District and its disgustingly rich commercial streets:
- Garosu Street — a ginkgo-tree-lined road with vibrant cafes, designer stores, and art studios.
- Apgujeong Rodeo Street — money-paved, boutique-loaded side streets named after the famed Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
- Cheongdam Fashion Street — a major road featuring department stores and designer brands.
- K-Star Road — a stretch of road with oversized doll statues branded with famous K-Pop idols.
Namesake
Jamwon gets its name from the Jamwon Neighborhood (잠원동; map), which rests on the eastern edge of the Seocho District next to Gangnam.
During the Joseon Dynasty (대조선국; 1392 CE ~ 1897 CE), worms filled the neighborhood’s riverside mulberry trees. They devoured tree leaves and pooped out the region’s riches: silk.
From May to October, you can view their silkworm descendants in Jamwon Hangang Park.
Gangnam District
Oppan Gangnam Style!
Jamwon Hangang Park lives at the top of the Gangnam (강남구; map; Gangnam-gu). The district’s name translates to “River” (강; /gang/) “South” (남; /nam/).
Gangnam represents the height of money and status in Korea. You’ll find Lambo dealerships, high-end fashion stores, and gazillion won apartments.
Let’s learn more!
Cycle Jamwon Hangang Park
Now, let’s explore Jamwon Hangang Park by bike.
From Banpo Hangang Park, ride under Banpo Grand Fountain Bridge and into Jamwon. Pass an expansive courtyard with brick-backed mounds (road view). Park goers gather here at night to watch the fountain bridge’s water and light show.
Travel a hundred meters down. Spot an underpass near a bike rental station (road view). It offers a 4 minute, 1-kilometer route to the Seoul Express Bus Terminal (directions). Use its intercity buses to escape Seoul with your bike.
The Han River "Heung" Project
Cycle on and come to a green patch known as Grass Garden (그라스정원; map). Here you can find artworks from a rotating exhibit known as the Han River “Heung” Project (한강 “흥” 프로젝트)
The project places sculptures and installations in every Hangang Park throughout the year. Jamwon and Jamsil may get sculptures between May and August. Banpo, Yeouido, and Ttukseom get a turn in September and October. Et cetera.
At the end of the year, the Heung Project cycle starts again. Workers install new works by walking paths and along the river. (Search “한강 ‘흥’ 프로젝트” to check your year’s schedule!)
Mid Jamwon
Cycle onwards by a convenience store and spot a pair of floating buildings:
- Seoul Wave Art Center (서울웨이브 아트센터; map) is a three-story exhibition hall on the banks of the Han River. Opened in 2020, it hosts traveling art shows and product launches. Several commercials and music videos shot in Seoul Wave Art. Its kayak rental service operates from April to October. Its Starbucks stays open year-round.
- Right of Seoul Wave Art Center floats a second building with “Yacht Club” written on top. It keeps several businesses, including a yacht club, steakhouse, and lounge.
Pedal on past a 3,000-capacity swimming pool complex (map) then pop out into a patch of green filled with trees and dirt walking paths. Venture into the thicket and discover white silk worm sculptures sprinkled about (road view).
Some history.
Fiber Friends
During Joseon Dynasty (대조선국; 1392 ACE ~ 1897 ACE), residents of the Jamwon Neighborhood (map) planted clusters of mulberry trees on the banks of the Han River. The trees fed hordes of white silk worms, which excreted masses of luxurious silk.
Visit the park’s nature center (자연학습장; map) between May and October and you can observe worms spin silky cocoons.
Hannam Bridge
Ride down the bike path a couple hundred meters and meet Hannam Bridge (한남대교; map; okay crossing point). It marks the border between the Seocho District and Gangnam District. After you cross over, hop off your bike and do a horsey dance, as is tradition.
Glance up at the eastside of Hannam Bridge. Discover the K-POP Experience Center (map; road view). Now closed, it was once a Han River bridge observatory. You can still borrow its elevator to ride up to Hannam Bridge’s deck, cross the river or view the scenery.
Beyond Hannam Bridge, find sports fields, and another pair of buildings floating on the Han River.
Garosu Street
Up ahead, spot a T-intersection in front of a convenience store (road view). Head right to begin a 1.2-kilometer, 5 minute detour to a famed artist enclave (directions).
In the early 2000s, artists and small businesses fled rising rents in pricier parts of Gangnam and landed on Garosu Street (가로수길; map; Garosu-gil) in the Sinsa Neighborhood (신사동; map; Sinsa-dong). They opened art galleries, bookstores, and antique shops along this 700 meter stretch of ginkgo tree-lined street.
Money eventually caught up with Garosu Street. While quieter than Gangnam’s busy areas, Garosu and its eight side streets now sport upscale designer stores and pricey restaurants, and Euro-tinged cafés.
The Narrow Horn of Jamwon
From Hannam Bridge, bike east past soccer fields, then glide by a pair of restaurants and café sitting on the Han River (road view).
Jamwon Hangang Park wedges shut as it reaches Dongho Bridge (동호대교; map; good crossing point).
Olympic Boulevard smushes the bike path against the water’s edge. Follow the bike path as it glides above the river and around a horn for 4 kilometers (directions).
Pass under Seongsu Bridge (성수대교; map; excellent crossing point). A hundred meters later, beside the cycling path, spot a nondescript pedestrian tunnel… at least from the outside. (road view).
Welcome to the Apgujeong Rabbit Cave (압구정 토끼굴; map) — officially called the Apgujeong Interchange (압구정나들목).
The tunnel has two functions.
- It’s a pedestrian-only underpass that lets citizens pass between the Han River and the wealthy Apgujeong Neighborhood in the Gangnam District.
- It’s a sanctioned rebel-mural tunnel.
The Seoul judicial system isn’t a big fan of graffiti. They’ll impose a 3-year jail sentence or ₩7 million fine on any arrested wannabe-Banksies. Even put in an extradition request.
Apgujeong Rabbit Cave is different. Between 10 PM and 5 AM, anyone can pay a visit to the Rabbit Cave and make their mark using spray cans, stencils, brushes, or any other graphic tool.
Do you have extra time packed away? Want to check out some glitziest locales? Head through Apgujeong Rabbit Cave. Pop out at the intersection of three swanky neighborhoods in north Gangnam.
- Apgujeong Neighborhood (압구정동; map; Apgujeong-dong)
- Cheongdam Neighborhood (청담동; map; Cheongdam-dong)
- Sinsa Neighborhood (신사동; map; Sinsa-dong)
The neighborhoods form Seoul’s Beverly Hills. Its 5th Avenue. Its Ginza. Boasting the city’s priciest real estate, Apgujeong, Cheongdam, and Sinsa hold the capital’s most visited commercial and shopping streets.
Cheongdam Fashion Street
Cheongdam Fashion Street (청담패션거리; map) is a section of Apgujeong Road (압구정로; map). It flows across Apgujeong and Cheongdam. Along it, find a typical parade of luxury brands: Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Prada.
The twin EAST and WEST Galleria Department Stores mark the center of the Cheongdam Fashion Street. Outward from them, you’ll spot beauty shops, plastic surgery clinics, and more boutiques serving celebrities and customers with triple-platinum-diamond cards.
K-Star Road
K-Star Road (K스타로드; map) occupies the same section of Apgujeong Road as Cheongdam Fashion Street.
Korea’s Hollywood Walk of Fame, the road features celebrity art embedded into its infrastructure. But K-Star Road doesn’t do gold stars and handprints. They go big!
Dotted throughout the road you’ll find three-meter tall GangnamDol statues with jumbo heads. Each figure lists the names of famous K-Pop personalities, including PSY, BTS and Twice.
Apgujeong Rodeo
Apgujeong Rodeo Street (압구정 로데오거리; map) is a grid of streets on the border of Sinsa, Apgujeong, and Cheongdam Neighborhoods. Its main entrance sits opposite the Galleria Department Stores on Cheongdam Fashion Street.
The area borrowed its name and spirit from Beverly Hills’ monument to money, Rodeo Drive.
Each day, known and unknown monied folks buzz around the boutiques, cafes, and surgery clinics in Apgujeong Rodeo’s fanciful backstreets.
Yeongdong Bridge
Jamwon Hangang Park’s eastern tail clings to a hillside shelf. Below Olympic Boulevard and above the Han River.
Just up ahead, the Yeongdong Bridge (영동대교; map) marks the end of Jamwon.
The Ttukseom Stamp
To receive Hangang Bicycle Path certification, you just need to snag the two certification center stamps on Seoul’s South Side bike path:
Are you a completionist? Want to collect every bike passport stamp? You’re going to need to cross the river and visit the Ttukseom Observatory Complex Certification Center.
Two nearby bridges provide terrific:
The Yeongdong Bridge (영동대교; map) and Seongsu Bridge (성수대교; map) sit within 2-kilometers of each other on Jamwon Hangang Park’s east end. They allow cyclists and pedestrians to cross from Jamwon to Ttukseom Hangang Park on the North Side.
- To cross Yeongdong Bridge, follow a ramp to its main deck (road view). Stairs land down to the bike path on the North Side (road view).
- To use Seongsu Bridge, take an elevator up to its main deck from the bike (road view). Roll across the river, then use another elevator to descend onto Ttukseom’s bike path.
Let’s get some Ttukseom ink? Cycle east from the bridges on the North Side — 2.4 kilometers from Seongsu Bridge (directions); 200 meters from Yeongdong Bridge (directions).
Find a fork in the bike path before reaching the meat of Ttukseom Park. Ttukseom Observatory Complex Certification Center sits on top of the bike path’s split (road view).
North Side
North Side
Slap that stamp in your Bike Passport then contemplate your two options.
- Retrace your steps and cross back over to Jamwon Hangang Park on the South Side.
- Or cycle some of the North Side. See the J-Bug Culture Complex. Then cross south at Jamsil Railroad Bridge (directions).
What do you recommend?
Let’s continue the South Side guide. Head back to Jamwon, then continue into Jamsil Hangang Park.