A Stroll Through Seoul (April 27, 2026)
Sometimes, the best way to get to know a city is to intentionally wander aimlessly and follow the interesting paths that emerge. That’s what I did today. I’ve been enjoying another audiobook called Why We Sleep by Mathew Walker, PhD. I wanted an opportunity to listen uninterrupted for a solid hour or so while walking through the streets of Seoul, South Korea. I enjoyed this discovery process and the many treasures I came across during my stroll.
Walking through the urban streets, I came across this walking path
While the bridge I was on wasn’t anything special, the view below grabbed my attention and I knew I wanted to explore further. I’m so glad I did. This walking path had everything I could hope for: beautiful blooming flowers, a rushing stream, giant koi fish, equally giant stepping stones, and hidden areas to exercise, read or have lunch.
This is the bridge where I discovered the walking path below
The first discovery was how this walking path has a dual purpose. It was built to channel any potential floods with high retaining walls and an emergency evacuation system. The story is told under each bridge that you walk past:
This is a giant billboard under the bridge near similar warning signs
Next, I was curious why three pillars were standing in the middle of the stream. They looked like highway overpass pillars (like the ones I saw in Los Angeles, California growing up as a kid). Turns out, that’s exactly what they are and they are being preserved that way by a local historical society:
This and two other highway risers are being historically preserved
The sign wasn’t clear on why these pillars are being preserved, but from what I could gather, there was a big project completed in 2005 and that was part of a 100 year update project as illustrated in this classroom painted tile project as part of the updating.
I wasn’t here before 2005, so I don’t know what all was updated
While I’m not sure what specifically was updated, you can tell a lot of thought went into the design plans for this walk / run / bike path, which I’ll address in just a moment. For now, take a look at all these individual tiles that make up a massive mural built in 2005.
These tiles look like the school projects you see in grade schools
Talk about street art. This is like a permanent version of the tag wall I was talking about yesterday. Everyone contributes a single tile and what remains is a beautiful wall of artwork put together in a mosaic. I loved seeing this and spending time looking at the intricate details of each individual artist as well as the effect of the whole wall with all the artwork placed together.
And then there’s the sculptures and statues that dot the landscape of this path. So much thought went into the aesthetic of this path. It feels like everything was well thought out and then thoughtfully executed.
One of many statues you’ll come across on this path
And then there’s the koi fish. These fish are HUGE and everywhere you look in this stream. I suspect the boulders that serve as a walking path to cross the stream also create a barrier for these fish. They have lots and lots of room to swim around, but ultimately they are not entirely free to leave this stretch of the stream.
The scale here is hard to tell, but trust me. These are BIG fish!
And this is what I love. I didn’t set out to discover this walking path, stream, fish or reconstruction project. I just wanted to go for a walk while listening to my audiobook. But as I’m here in Seoul, South Korea, there’s so much to discover no matter what direction I walk or for how long I choose to walk. There’s so much all around me just waiting to be discovered.
What the hell?!? This is also the kind of thing you discover ;-)
The translation suggests this is nutritional food for your dog
In addition to the nature discoveries, I also enjoy the unique and creative advertising here. Yes, this “beefcake” of a dog gets your attention. The message implies that if you feed your dog healthy nutritional food, they will become strong and live a long life. I just don’t want my pet to become JACKED. I think that would be a bit much to handle. And yes, I know this is an exaggeration for impact. But damn!
Just a few more days here in Seoul, then Violet heads home and Will and I are off to Mexico City to continue our journey together. I’m enjoying the more chill vibe here while also curious what more we can and should be experiencing while we’re together. I’ll see if there’s one or two more excursions we can pull off before we head out.
