Undercover Miguk

The first time I set eyes on the Han River, I was shocked.

The river itself was beautiful, of course, but what really surprised me was the culture surrounding it.

Everywhere I looked, people were outside enjoying the nice weather with food, drinks, and games. Friends gathered on picnic mats, people lounged under tents, and groups had brought chairs and set up camp for the afternoon. It seemed like everyone had found their own little space along the river to relax and enjoy themselves.

Throughout the areas we explored, there were floating convenience stores, some with fried chicken shops, Korean barbecue, and other restaurants attached. There were plenty of places to sit and enjoy the river view, along with food stands selling various Korean street snacks.

The Hangang is enormous, and walking even a small section of it takes a long time. We were so enamored by the atmosphere that we ended up walking for almost two hours.

As we walked, I was reminded of the feeling I had while exploring the public spaces in Paris.

One of the things I loved most about Paris was how much life seemed to happen outside the home. People gathered in parks and plazas, enjoying food, drinks, and each other’s company. There was something about that culture that I really admired.

Hangang gave me a similar feeling, but in some ways, I found it even more appealing.

Similar to some places in France and Spain, it felt like an enormous outdoor living room.

I think the biggest difference was the insane convenience of everything.

At Hangang, you can find a comfortable place to sit, grab something to eat, pick up a few drinks, and spend hours enjoying the river. In some areas, there’s even Wi-Fi, and I saw people lounging outside watching movies on their devices.

I couldn’t help but imagine myself spending an entire afternoon there with friends.

We could set up camp near one of the floating convenience stores, bring out some board games, order fried chicken, and drink beer while enjoying the weather.

When we ran out of beer, we could just walk over to the convenience store and grab more.

It’s almost like getting up from your couch and walking to the kitchen fridge to get another drink. Except instead of sitting in your living room, you’re sitting outside along a beautiful river. 

What I love about Hangang isn’t any one particular activity. It’s that the space makes it so easy to spend time outdoors with other people. You don’t need an elaborate plan. You can just show up, find a place, and enjoy the afternoon.

I think there’s something really special about that.

Since arriving in Seoul, I’ve been overwhelmed by the number of things to see and do. Every neighborhood seems to have something new to discover, and I constantly find myself wanting to explore more.

But Hangang made me think about Seoul a little differently.

Rather than imagining all the things I wanted to see as a visitor, I started imagining the ordinary afternoons I could spend here if this were my home.

An afternoon with friends, some fried chicken and beer, maybe a board game, and no urgency to be anywhere else.