Walking along the Hangang River on Chuseok (Banpo to Ichon)

Hangang River at Banpo

Chuseok (or Korean Thanksgiving Festival) is a long holiday period in South Korea. It was always hard for us to get out of Seoul before the crowds picked up. So, we started our own tradition of hiking on Chuseok. However, during the pandemic, we spent most of our public holidays either holed in our apartment (binging on Netflix) or walking/cycling along the Hangang River. It avoided the unnecessary use of public transport (other than a cab) and we could get our required dose of natural beauty (and relatively fresh air) to preserve our sanity.

Chuseok is also known as the harvest festival. It’s a time to practice gratitude and be thankful. By early September of 2021, we had finally received our first dose of the Pfizer vaccine and we had plenty of reasons to be grateful. We could now plan our onward journey back home (after nearly 2 years). We also realised that it would be our last Chuseok in Seoul. Our fitness had taken quite the beating to attempt a hike, but we chose to spend it along our favourite place in Seoul — the Hangang River.

Banpo Bridge Rainbow Fountain (반포대교 달빛무지개분수)

We took a cab from Gongdeok to get to Banpo Rainbow Bridge Fountain. It was a beautiful day with powder puff clouds and clear blue skies. That itself was reason enough to be grateful. I was happy to see this section of the Hangang Park empty. Most Koreans go back to their hometowns during Chuseok and that leaves Seoul practically deserted. We had already had our lunch and just wanted to spend a peaceful day by the river.

Screenshot of time-lapse

We found a quiet spot by the river and sipped on the coffee that we had brought along. We let time pass by and tried to just live in the moment. We took a time-lapse of the clouds floating, river bobbing, and speed boats whiz by. After an hour or so, we got up, and started walking along the banks of the river — in the direction back home. It would be a good walk and the weather was perfect.

Black-eyed Susan Flower

“People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things about us.” 
― Iris Murdoch

Cosmos Flowers

“She wore flowers in her hair and carried magic secrets in her eyes. She spoke to no one. She spent hours on the riverbank. She smoked cigarettes and had midnight swims…” 
― Arundhati Roy, The God of Small Things

Cosmos Flowers

“To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” 
― Oscar Wilde

There’s a flower for almost every season in South Korea. Sometimes, it’s possible to guess a season/month just by the flowers in bloom in Seoul. Cosmos Flowers come alive in early autumn and late September. There are festivals all around the city, but the Hangang Park is the perfect place to escape the maddening crowds and enjoy the riot of colour in carefree abandon.

Water Lily

Marshland along the Ecological Trail

“This is a new year. A new beginning. And things will change.” 
― Taylor Swift

We’ve cycled along this section (Banpo to Gongdeok) multiple times before. However, there’s a disadvantage with a bike. Many of these trails can only be accessed by foot and it gets more tiring to drag your bike. The ecological trails are quite a sharp contrast to the steely-grey buildings that line the banks of the river. It is quite amazing how nature and modernity can co-exist in a city like Seoul. It’s what I miss the most about Seoul.

White Bear by Yongho Ji

“Everything you can imagine is real.” 
― Pablo Picasso

We came across this exhibit by artist Yongho Ji titled, “The White Bear”. This mixed media art installation was made from waste tyres. The muscles of the white bear symbolises the dynamism and strength of tyres. This installation was built just below the Hangang Railway Bridge, a historical symbol of Seoul, to acknowledge the vitality of the Hangang River.

Wild Grass

Blowing in the Wind

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.” 
― John Muir

Art Installation

Pink Flamingos Exhibit

“I dream my painting and I paint my dream.” 
― Vincent Willem van Gogh

We continued walking along the banks of the river and came across multiple art installations. This section of the Han was more natural than the manicured gardens of the Han Parks. By the time we reached Ichon, it was nearing sunset and I was really tired. It was time to exit the park.

Google Timeline of the Walk (light blue)

Sadly, we took the wrong exit out of the park. I had blindly trusted my memory to navigate us back home. Taking the wrong exit can always be more complicated and could end up in more walking. We had lost daylight and were lost on Chuseok. That would mean it would be tougher to get a running cab or any other transport. Basil used his Naver Map app to get us to a point at Mapo from where we caught a bus back to the apartment.