Ttukseom Hangang Park

Step out of the ticket gates at Jayang (Ttukseom Hangang Park) Station on Seoul Subway Line 7 and you are already on the banks of the Han River. This stretch was once a hunting ground for Joseon kings and later a riverside resort where ordinary Seoulites swam in the river, and it still brings together a summer swimming pool, water sports and riverside picnics. Few places in Seoul let you go from a subway platform to a seat by the water in so few steps.

From a royal banner to a riverside resort

The name Ttukseom is said to come from the dukgi (纛旗), a large military banner that was raised here, with a sacrificial rite, when Joseon armies set out on campaign. It was never a real island, but the land framed by the Han River and the Jungnangcheon stream looked like one, which is how "seom" (island) found its way into the name. Joseon kings hunted here; in the early 20th century it became a place where ordinary people swam in the river, and until the 1970s it was a popular ice-fishing spot in winter. The riverbanks were rebuilt during the Han River development project of the 1980s, which created the park you see today.

What to look out for

• Jabeolle: a 243 m silver tube connected directly to the station. Its name means "inchworm", after the way the caterpillar bends and stretches as it moves, and it appeared in the Hollywood film Avengers: Age of Ultron. It is used for exhibitions and cultural events.
• Riverside steps: wide stone steps run down to the water beside the pillars of Cheongdam Bridge. At sunset they fill with people looking across at the skylines of Cheongdam-dong and Jamsil.
• Lawn: a large grassy area made for picnic mats. On fine weekends it fills with small shade tents.
• On the water: in summer you can try windsurfing, water-skiing and motorboating, and there is a swan-boat pier by the river.
• X-Game park and climbing wall: a skate park with a half-pipe and rails, plus an artificial climbing wall, draw a young crowd.

A park for every season

In summer the outdoor swimming pool turns the park into an inner-city escape from the heat, and in some winters a snow-sledding slope appears in its place. Spring and autumn are the seasons for cycling: ride west along the river to Seoul Forest, or east towards Jamsil. The Hangang Bus, a river commuter boat launched in 2025, also calls at Ttukseom pier, so you can head home by water to Jamsil or Yeouido.

Tripto tips

• Getting there: get off at Jayang (Ttukseom Hangang Park) Station on Line 7, which opens straight onto the park. It was renamed from Ttukseom Resort Station in 2024, so older signs and maps may still show the old name. It is not the same as Ttukseom Station on Line 2, which is somewhere else entirely.
• Hours and fees: the park is open 24 hours and free. The pool, water sports and bike hire cost extra, and their seasons and prices change every year, so check the Seoul Hangang Park website.
• Time needed: 1–2 hours for a walk and a picnic, half a day if you add the pool or a bike ride.
• When to go: evenings in May–June and September–October, when the river breeze is cool, are the best. On summer weekend afternoons the pool and lawns get very crowded, so come early in the morning or towards sunset.
• Hangang Bus: the timetable changes often, so check the official information before you board.
• Watch out: during the summer monsoon, high water can flood parts of the riverbank and close sections of the park.