After enjoying the Jungnang Seoul Rose Festival, I took Line 7 from Junghwa Station(중화역) and headed down to Children’s Grand Park Station. This was because I figured coming down toward Gunja(군자), Achasan(아차산), and Children’s Grand Park would offer a lot more elements to enjoy the rest of my time more fun. It was just past 5 PM, the weather was perfect for walking outside, and I decided to head toward the amusement park by passing through the Four Seasons Garden inside Children’s Grand Park.
Unexpectedly, the Four Seasons Garden was filled with canola flowers that were even more vibrant in color than the ones I had just seen at Jungnangcheon Stream. Rather amusingly, they were paired with Jeju’s Dolhareubang (돌하르방/stone statues). On top of that, the scenery of lush, green trees and the park in the background made it feel even more enchanting, so I just had to take some photos. I also thought to myself that I must come back here for a picnic next time. It wasn’t crowded at all, and it was such a perfectly peaceful park.
Children’s Grand Park Amusement Park
- Address: 216 Neungdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
- Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00 – 18:30 / Sat-Sun 10:00 – 19:30
- Price (Adults):
- 1-ride ticket: 5,500 KRW
- 3-ride ticket: 14,000 KRW
- 5-ride ticket: 20,000 KRW
- One-day pass: 30,000 KRW
- Maps: Naver Map (Recommended) | Google Maps
On this particular day, perhaps I needed a burst of amusement park dopamine, away from all the peacefulness. The moment my friend and I stepped into the amusement park, we thought, “Let’s enjoy this!” and headed straight to the ticket booth to buy a 3-ride ticket. The tickets were printed on receipt paper, and it had a charmingly analog feel where the staff would cross them out with a pen every time you went on a ride.
We immediately got in line and waited for 30 minutes to ride the Family Coaster (interestingly, there was no obvious place to hold onto, which made it surprisingly thrilling). Next was the Swing Tree, which spun around so much that I felt a bit dizzy afterward, followed by the Super Jump, which reminded me of Disco Pang Pang. A 3-ride ticket was absolutely perfect for an adult to enjoy. After maxing out our dopamine for nearly an hour and with our stamina almost completely drained, we left the amusement park.
Sintoburi Tteokbokki (신토불이 떡볶이)
- Address: 42 Jayang-ro 43-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
- Hours: 11:00 – 21:00 / Closed on Mondays
- Maps: Naver Map (Recommended) | Google Maps
I was incredibly hungry. I didn’t want to eat anything too heavy (though Mexicali and One Star Old Fashioned Hamburger were briefly on my shortlist) and after debating, I decided to go to Achasan Station(아차산역)’s Sintoburi Tteokbokki(신토불이 떡볶이), which I had been curious about. (+You just need to come out of the back gate of Children’s Grand Park, cross the crosswalk, and walk a short distance.)
Fortunately, there was exactly one table left for dining in, so we immediately ordered the 2-person set. The tteokbokki was quite spicy and sweet, and I vividly remember how exceptionally chewy the rice cakes were. I had heard that its combination with hot dogs is famous, but I actually found it incredibly delicious to eat with the Yakki Mandu (야끼만두/fried dumplings). I even ordered some extra to-go, while making a note to try Sungeumi Tteokbokki(순금이떡볶이) right next door next time!
IWLT SEOUL
- Address: 1F, 39 Cheonho-daero 118-gil, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul
- Hours: 11:00 – 21:00 / Closed on Mondays
- Maps: Naver Map (Recommended) | Google Maps
Lastly, not wanting the day to end just yet, I looked for a nearby cafe and discovered this place. It was nestled among the residential houses right next to Children’s Grand Park. With LP music flowing through the air, the atmosphere was pleasantly quiet, making it a great place to have a conversation. When I looked it up, I found out that its main branch is located in Daegu(대구). It was a day where we did so many things, spending time there right up until the cafe closed before finally wrapping up the day.
Safe travels, Soy Kim
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