The First Pedal Stroke
As my tires kiss the pavement of Yeouido Hangang Park’s bike path, Seoul’s urban roar dissolves. The wind—cool, insistent—wraps around my arms like silk. To my left, the Han River glimmers, wide and restless, mirroring the sky’s peach-hued blush as dusk settles. It smells of wet earth and distant rain, a crispness that scrapes the city’s grime from my lungs.
River Rhythms
Cycling north toward Banpo Bridge, the path curves like a ribbon. On my right: grassy slopes dotted with picnickers—families sharing kimbap, couples wrapped in plaid blankets. Laughter floats on the breeze, punctuated by the whirr of passing cyclists. To the left, the river breathes. Currents etch silver lines on indigo water, while white herons stab at shallows, wings flashing like origami in the fading light. The wind shifts, carrying the tang of grilled samgyeopsal from a riverside tent—a sudden, greasy-sweet interruption.
Bridges as Time Machines
Under Mapo Bridge, shadows swallow me whole. Steel girders loom overhead, echoing with the thrum of traffic above. Then—light. Banpo Bridge erupts in a liquid rainbow. The Moonlight Rainbow Fountain (세계에서 가장 긴 분수!) showers the river in 10,000 LED-lit droplets. Windblown mist kisses my skin; the air thrums with Vivaldi’s Four Seasons from hidden speakers. Cyclists slow, craning necks. For a moment, we’re all strangers sharing a secret.
Night’s Embrace
Beyond the bridges, darkness softens the edges. Willows dip slender fingers into the water. My headlight cuts a path through swarms of fireflies—or are they city reflections? The wind turns cooler now, sharp with the scent of reeds and diesel from passing ferries. To the east, Seoul’s skyline pulses: neon scribbles on glass towers, a galaxy tethered to earth. Yet here, by the water, it feels distant—a postcard viewed from another world.
Why This Heals
You pedal. You breathe. The wind scrubs your thoughts clean. For 20 kilometers, there’s only:
- The river’s murmur beneath tire hum
- Grass-stained golden hour light
- Breeze carving sweat from your temples
This isn’t escape; it’s returning. The city’s heartbeats—traffic, construction, K-pop blaring from phones—fade into a lullaby of water and wheels. You remember: Seoul isn’t concrete. It’s a city built around a river’s sigh.
Ride Practicals
- Start: Yeouido Park (bike rentals: ₩3,000/hour)
- End: Jamwon Hangang Park (return bikes at any station)
- Best times: Sunrise (5 AM) or sunset (7 PM)—when the light turns liquid and crowds thin.
Bring water. Let the wind steer.