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| yna@yna.co.kr 2025-10-29 12:54:45
SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Yonhap) -- Located just about an hour from Seoul, Gunpo is a city where busy urban life slows down and the mind finds rest. It is a place where forests, lakes and human stories coexist in harmony.
“I didn’t know such nature could exist so close to Seoul,” said a visitor in Surisan, Gunpo.
Inside Surisan Provincial Park, reddish-brown trails wind along the foot of the mountain. Sunlight filters through the trees, and the soft touch of the dirt path helps visitors forget the stress of city life.
Professor Seo Kyoung-duk, who visited Gunpo with the Yonhap News documentary production team, said, “Gunpo is a great example of a city where urban life and nature coexist,” adding, “The key to a sustainable city brand lies in the balance between people’s lives and the environment.”
Surisan Provincial Park serves as both a resting place and an ecological learning space for citizens. In particular, the Chomakgol Ecological Park combines nature and education with children’s experience zones, ponds and wooden walking decks.
Gunpo’s greatest charm is that families can enjoy nature without traveling far.
The next stop on the Gunpo journey is “Picturebook Dreammaru,” the only library in Korea dedicated to picture books. Once a water reservoir, the site was remodeled into a unique cultural space.
Professor Seo remarked, “A place where water once flowed has now become a space where stories flow,” calling it “a fine example of urban regeneration blending meaning and emotion.”
As its name suggests, “Picturebook Dreammaru” connects generations and cultures through the imagination of picture books. The library holds over 20,000 domestic and international picture books and offers a variety of programs such as audiobook experiences, large-format book exhibitions and meetings with authors.
Yoo Ok-hwan, head of the Picture Book Maru Project Team, said, “This is not just a place to read picture books but a space for emotional rest,” adding that “with features like QR code reading apps and oversized books designed to close the information gap, even adults find comfort here.”
Library director Ahn Byung-hoon noted, “Gunpo is home to many multicultural families, so children come from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Picture books serve as a tool for emotional connection that goes beyond language.”
He added, “I hope this will be a space where all generations can talk, laugh and feel the warmth of human connection.”
Professor Seo said, “For a city’s culture to mature, spaces like this are essential. ‘Picturebook Dreammaru’ marks both the beginning of Gunpo’s journey toward becoming a cultural city and a symbol of civic pride.”
Gunpo’s Azalea Hill is one of its best-known seasonal attractions. Every spring, from late April to early May, the 130,000-square-meter hillside turns a brilliant shade of pink with azaleas. The Gunpo Azalea Festival, held during this time, is a major local event featuring music performances, parades and nighttime light shows.
In summer and autumn, Banwol Lake becomes a peaceful retreat for residents. At sunset, when the light reflects on the water, the sky and lake merge into a breathtaking view.
Gunpo offers short yet rich travel experiences, even from Seoul.
Professor Seo and the production crew made their final stop at “Flying,” a youth community space.
“Flying” is a multi-purpose center supporting youth entrepreneurship and cultural activities, symbolizing “challenge” and “taking flight.” It houses performance rehearsal rooms, co-working offices and exhibition spaces where young people freely collaborate on new projects in K-culture and other creative fields.
A Flying representative said, “Gunpo’s youth test their dreams here, engaging with the community and growing together. We hope this space will serve as a platform lighting up Gunpo’s future.”
Wrapping up his visit, Professor Seo said, “Gunpo’s true strength lies not in its nature or facilities, but in its people. The city has built a virtuous cycle where citizens create stories, and culture continues them.”
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