Lovely Lake Park

Spring in Korea at Lake Park!
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For anyone that has been in Korea for a significant amount of time, you will know how hard it is to find natural beauty in the cities. While there are many beautiful mountains that hikers can enjoy, it is difficult for the urban dweller in Seoul or its suburbs to get away for the day.

Enter Lake Park in Ilsan. When I first interviewed for my teaching position in Ilsan, the people on the phone kept raving about Lake Park, the newish man=-made park/lake in the center of the city. At the time I was living in Minnesota, USA, the "land of 10,000 (natural) lakes." Needless to say, I wasn't impressed.

Lake Park is a beautiful respite from all the concrete in Korea!

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But now that I have lived in Korea, I too want to sing the praises of Lake Park for all who will hear. It really is a gorgeously landscaped area, with a nice bike and walking path around the lake. There are many pagodas (one is a gift from China), a reflexology path (take off your shoes), and a traditional Korean garden complete with blooming lotuses in the pond. There are lovely willow trees to lay under and colorful flowers all over the place. The best time to go to Lake Park is in the Spring, when the trees are blossoming. You have to go once they start, though, because they'll be gone in a week!

My husband, Zach, trapped in the TV statue at Lake Park
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In winter, it is the only place in Ilsan to build a decent snowman and the pine trees look lovely with the snow dusting their branches. It's a great place for runners, bikers, and rollerbladers, especially as there are nice clocks and Km. markers all the way around (about 5K). There is a manmade waterfall (although this, sadly, is unimpressive) where groups of old men play paduk, a traditional Korean game that resembles chess.

On the weekends it is very crowded, as many people from Seoul come to enjoy the beautiful scenery. It's a great place to watch Korean families bond with one another and see the children flying kites and running around. There are some interesting statues interspersed throughout the park, as well, my favorite one being a commentary on the effect of TV on humanity.

close up on the statue
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You can rent fun, huge bicycles for 8,000-15,000 won, which fit two or more people. These are great to cruise around the park on, or even go to the surrounding area. Lake Park is adjacent to La Festa/Western Dome, the main outdoor shopping malls of Ilsan. This makes going to grab some food or a drink really easy when you're tired of the park.

While it can be hard to find a peaceful area, the park is far less crowded on weekdays. This is a good time to bring your badminton rackets (my husband and I have grown to love this Korean favorite) and a book. Don't let the women walking briskly around the park in their huge visors scare you...they just don't want to get any sun on them (Koreans are big on skincare...that's why they look so young!).

Winter at the Traditional Garden, Lake Park
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Lake Park is a beautiful respite from all the concrete in Korea and if you don't live in Ilsan, I highly recommend coming there for a break from the madness. It's right off the Jeongbalsan subway stop on the Orange line from Soeul. You'll be glad you came out!