Maeheon Citizen's Forest

Maeheon Citizen's Forest is the first park in Korea to introduce the concept of a forest, forming a dense woodland that is rare to see in the city center. It was created in 1986 to improve the environment around Yangjae Tollgate, which was the gateway to Seoul at the time, ahead of the 1986 Asian Games and the 1988 Olympics. The park is planted with 250,000 trees of 70 species, including pine, zelkova, maple, horse chestnut, and Korean nut pine. On the north side of Maeheon-ro, there are the Maeheon Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall, a floor fountain, and a children's playground, making it a popular destination for families with children. On the south side, there are the Chungnyeol Tower of the White Horse Guerrilla Unit, the memorial tower for Korean Air Flight 858, which was bombed by North Korean terrorists over the Andaman Sea in 1987, a memorial tower erected to comfort the victims and families of the 1995 Sampoong Department Store collapse, and a memorial monument for the victims of the Umyeonsan landslide. In particular, Zone 3 of Maeheon Citizen's Forest has been developed by Seocho-gu as a culture and arts park, consisting of a playground, an outdoor performance hall, various exhibition halls, a sculpture park, and a meeting square. Performances and exhibitions are held here, making it a new attraction of Seocho-gu, which prides itself as a cultural autonomous district. This space creates a unique atmosphere in each area, earning much love from citizens.